“The brave men, living and dead who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract.” The Gettysburg Address illustrates the famous speech promoted by Abraham Lincoln in an effort of uniting the population against letting the newly formed government descend into civil chaos that would have destroyed it. The contemporary song that surmises Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address is “You’ve Got to Stand for Something” by Aaron Tippin, which urges the society to defend something they believe in as a failure would have consequences that could be dangerous for the future. Tippin asserts that while one has the option of choosing not to do anything, they would have to sleep knowing they failed in their responsibility to the society. The song reflects the Abraham’s speech in calling on the people to keep the nation from disintegrating. The two, Abraham Lincoln and Aaron Tippin, chose to use the power each holds into voicing their concerns about the society to adhere to values that are bound to promote and defend their beliefs. While Lincoln is livid about ensuring the nation does not crumble, Tippin urges people to uphold the right values of the society.
19 th Century Political Landscape
The 19th century was rife with uncertainties, including bitter elections, social unrest and violence on the street, in the homes and even abroad. Although the fear of a civil war breaking out is unprobeable, nations are divided amongst themselves. Crime, racial segregation and political manipulation lace the political environment. Present day politics center upon derision with politician’s name calling each other as in the case with the recent presidential election between Donald Trump and Hilary Clinton. As if the political drama is not enough, the nation has to deal with incidences of blood and fear, especially with so many acts of terrorism being reported on a daily basis. On the other hand, economic inequality threatens to divide the society further into groups of the haves and have-nots. With so much ongoing, Tippin’s songs come as a voice of reason urging people to recognize the need to protect, uphold, and promote values that are humane and beneficial to the society. As such, one who sees injustice should stand up against such acts and instead, develop a safe operational environment. Tippin’s song was the theme for the soldiers during the gulf war, which explains the need to stand up for the values that make the nation the greatest in the world.
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Abraham Lincoln’s Truths
The Gettysburg Address by Abraham Lincoln took a short time, yet, it resonates as one of the greatest speeches ever in the history of the world. He starts by identifying the foundation upon which the new nation was formed as he says, “our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.” By introducing the origin of the nation, he follows up with the assertion that the nation was engaged in a civil war, which would test whether the nation would survive or not. Furthermore, by signaling the challenge, he makes it open that, the survival of the nation’s belief would also impact the outside society on whether a system formed on the same principles would survive or not. His statement, " The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract” shows his solemn respect for the people who fought for the nation. He humbles himself and exalts the soldiers who died for the nation to survive. He calls all people to action to stand up for the beliefs in the system that had founded the nation.
Abraham Lincoln Belief
As a president, Abraham Lincoln carried the weight of different people on his soldiers. As such, he was not speaking for himself; rather, he was presenting values and beliefs that echoed the chance for the world to adhere and reform towards democracy. As an individual, Abraham was speaking from one who wanted the nation to remain united. He wanted nothing more than to convince the public on why holding the nation together mattered. In the speech, although he took a short time, the words he used were strong enough to influence society in building a unified nation. The ascent to power has been propelled by his role of preserving the union coupled with his call to abolish slavery. As a leader, effecting change in the interest of the nation promoted a sense of patriotism and unity that made people want to hear him out. The fact that he used his position to positively move the nation towards a goal that recognized democracy as a cornerstone, especially at a time where the south and the north held different beliefs illustrates the greatness in his presidency.
Tippin’s Encouragement to Society
Just as Abraham Lincoln challenges the society into investing into practices that are beneficial for the nation and its people, Aaron Tippin song also illustrates his endeavor to ensure people are not afraid to stand up for their beliefs. The words in his songs are that of a father, advising their children to stand up against tyrannical beliefs and incidences that threaten the peace of the society. Furthermore, he brings the aspect of the role of soldiers in society and how their contributions help make the world a better place. Although the song was a theme song for the soldiers during the gulf war, it applies to everyone in society who feels that they have a responsibility of ensuring society benefits and grows towards values and morals advocated for by the founding fathers. The truth is, along the way, society deviated from the lessons promoted by the nation’s founding fathers. The song is a reminder of where the nation came from and the morals that ensured the nation stayed intact even in the face of the civil war.
Similarities between Abraham Lincoln and Aaron Tippin
Abraham Lincoln will to change society is present in Aaron Tippin’s song. They both stand for the need to recognize wrong in the society and challenge the society, not to ascribe to such beliefs. Tippin’s song centers around the teachings from his father, where regardless of his father not being a hero, he always stood for what he believed in no matter the consequences. The same norm is present at Abraham Lincoln’s speech, in that, while the union is in disarray, he understands the need for democracy not only for the American nation but the entire world that would choose the same system too. When Lincoln asserts “The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here, “he calls for action towards reforms, the same is present in Tippin’s work when he says, “although daddy did not like trouble, when it came to him, everyone knew which side he would take”. Both authors present the fact that, actions towards reforming the society are better than simply preaching change. In the end, they concur that actions speak louder than words.
Efforts by Aaron Tippin
Just as Abraham Lincoln spent his life ensuring the nation ascribed to beliefs and norms of democracy, the same case is present in Aaron Tippin’s music. Most of the songs he writes wind around hope, grace and patriotism. For example, the song, “Where the Stars and Stripes and the Eagle Fly” presents the United States as a great nation. Furthermore, his song, “I Got it Honest” tells the tale of making a living that does not infringe on other people’s wellbeing’s. To Tippin, life is about recognizing the presented chances and working towards ensuring such chances become a reality not only for those responsible but also, those around. In a world that faces the plague of uncertainty, political manipulation and misinformation and disgruntled citizens, his music brings the same echo that Abraham Lincoln ascribed to. Music is a strong tool for motivating, teaching and ensuing reforms in the society. Hence, the endeavor by Aaron Tippin to use his music in educating the society tells a lot about his dedication to positively influence the world.
Conclusion
At every stage in life, certain people emerge that influence society from adopting practices that foster development and progress. The two, Abraham Lincoln and Aaron Tippin, present the idea of people focused on revalorizing the society by using the skills and the power they have gained from society. Tippin uses his music to effect change while Abraham Lincoln uses his power as a president to influence people’s perception of what democracy should be like. As discussed above, regardless of the two figures being worlds apart, the messages in their songs echo the beliefs held by different people in society and how such beliefs influence and impacts the functioning of different systems. The social, economic, and political environment is different from what they were like in the past. However, the nation still faces the same problems it faced in the past. Having such people to encourage and prod others to perform their best is a major reason why it is possible for the human population to survive any event.
References
Peatman, J. (2013). The Long Shadow of Lincoln's Gettysburg Address . Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press.
