Dinner with President Lincoln by Haley

Dinner with President Lincoln by Haley - October 2017 Scholarship Essay

Dinner with President Lincoln

Michael Brown. Ferguson. Black lives matter. These events have all taken place less than a half an hour from where I live. America, as divided as it is, can agree on one thing: the fight for civil rights is just as prevalent today as it was in the late 1800's. If I could have dinner with any president, I'd have to choose Abraham Lincoln because I believe he could provide great advice that would help with our current racial polemic.
I live in a small town in southern Illinois. My school is primarily white. Our town has benefits like public safety, life opportunities, and being only a short distance from malls, movie theaters, and concert venues. However, St. Louis isn't recognized for these things. Just like during Lincoln's presidency, racism and maltreatment of African Americans happens here everyday. If I could go back in time and ask Lincoln what it was like to be a first hand witness of this hatred, we would gain useful information like what led him to oppose the use of slaves and what we can do today to continue his passion towards equality.
Even though African Americans are vulnerable to white hate in areas like St. Louis, Detroit, or Atlanta, this epidemic can happen anywhere. Police brutality is an especially large concern all throughout our nation. What would president Lincoln do? Perhaps addressing how police officers are trained would result in a more level headed response. However, that doesn't account for the racist views that ultimately lead these officers to pull the trigger. It's no lie that when people see someone of a different skin color, they are conditioned to react a certain way based on what their peers think. This level of selfishness is what brought many people back in Lincoln’s time to own slaves. Back then, owning slaves gave them a sense of power and value. The same sort of thing is what causes white people to believe that they are above black people. When we see blacks living in dangerous neighborhoods, going to underdeveloped schools, and working low paying jobs, we account for these differences and end up thinking that we are more important than they are just because we have more than they have. It's a horrible way of thinking, and because I am so passionate about equal rights, I wish I had someone like Abraham Lincoln to discuss a possible solution to this problem.
Even in just the past few years, our country has become more divided than it has been in a long time. Because Lincoln was president during the Civil War, he witnessed an America similar to the one we live in today. Just like in the late 1800’s, the United States is split between liberals and conservatives. The difference is the fact that we have social media, a place where anyone can post their opinion at any time. Today, this hate isn't just face to face, it's face to screen. I believe Lincoln would even be able help us with online hatred. He would probably suggest that we disconnect not only from the internet, but also from the negative influences that live there. Unplugging our electronics gives us a opportunity to think for ourselves and make choices that will make a difference in our world.
All in all, there are many reasons why people treat each other a certain way. However if we all show the same respect, then our differences would only make us stronger. This change won't happen overnight nor will it be easy, but if we work together anything is possible. “America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves” (Lincoln).