To The Editor:

As I write this (November 19th) there are commemorative ceremonies in the Pennsylvania town of Gettysburg marking President Abraham Lincoln’s most famous speech. Because of that speech, this time of year I am always thinking about Lincoln and the things he left to us. This year there’s a confluence of so many other thoughts being intertwined with my Lincoln contemplation.

Here’s just one: Our current President Donald Trump has successfully garnered support from many who want to “make America great again” by doing things that they see as moving us in that direction. These followers see him as returning law and order to our cities, inhibiting dangerous illegal immigration, and reasserting our diplomatic and military strength in international affairs for the purpose of renewing America’s economic and strategic dominance. These supporters are not paying much attention to the decidedly “un-American” way that these goals are being pursued. For those who do recognize the paradox, it is brushed off as “the end justifies the means,” and think we’ll return to acting more “American” once we succeed.

Lincoln would be the first to point out the fatal flaw in this reasoning. You see, he knew that the success of our United States of America rested solely upon its foundation of lofty ideals. The issue of slavery of course was the national crisis of his day, but his view of America’s exceptionalism in being born of ideals transcends time and place. He believed that slavery would destroy the nation because it conflicted with those ideals.

The President’s followers would be wise to study a lot more of America’s domestic history and the history of our place in the world. If they do, they may realize that it is not possible for us to enjoy anything but a tenuous dominance if we lose sight of our ideals along the way.

Randi Kiely

Newtown