In April 15 th, 2015, the then-president Barrack Obama issued a presidential proclamation to mark the day in remembrance of President Abraham Lincoln, with flags at half-mast and people encouraged to honor his life and legacy. Lincoln’s contribution, especially to end slavery and keep the union intact during the civil war, is, without a doubt, the most discussed aspects of his life. Juneteenth is one of his greatest contributions to abolishing slavery and having the 13 th amendment to the constitution. Lincoln is honoured at the National mall with a memorial of a very large monument of him seated on a chair in a manner a supreme being, like God, would. He is often cited as the nation’s greatest president, and Obama often was associated as the second coming of Honest Abe.
Stephen Speilberg, the director, depicted Lincoln as an emotional, calculating and mysterious man. He forges on through battlefields, feeling empathetic for all the soldiers killed during the battle, yet somehow maintaining intellectual peace throughout the film. The poster even had Lincoln mimicking Rodin’s infamous statue, the thinker. He tells the story of a man in the middle of all the controversy between the cabinet and the House of Representatives in the build-up to the 13 th amendment to abolish slavery. He takes centre stage and is seen as the primary figure in the fight to end slavery that termed him as the “great emancipator.” This lay the foundation to use Christianity and make Lincoln similar to the saviour, Jesus Christ, who came to free the oppressed from the shackles of slavery ( Jensen, 2017) . He even uses God as a rhetorical device claiming to walk the streets of Jerusalem and follow David’s footsteps, and in his death, reverts to a series of flashbacks through a candle on his bedside suggesting an afterlife like Christ.
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The problem with the notion that leaders are wise with a touch of gold and their political interests are aligned with universal principles of justice, goodness and truth is that it is dangerous in disregarding historical controversy. Lincoln was known to struggle with his religious beliefs and rejected the abolitionist movement at the debates claiming he wasn’t for the equality of the black and white races both socially and politically ( Guelzo, 2010 ). He may have changed his mind once president, but the film only depicts one side that creates a historical delusion that inspires a connection and appreciation for him, making most forget his misgivings.
References
Guelzo, A. C. (2010). Lincoln and Douglas: The debates that defined America . Simon and
Schuster.
Jensen, J. (2017). Interpreting Lincoln: Propaganda Myths in Film. Anthós , 8 (1), 4.
