Dinner with Abe by Robert

Dinner with Abe by Robert - October 2017 Scholarship Essay

If I could have dinner with one of the great American presidents that have shaped our country, it would have to be our sixteenth president, Abraham Lincoln. I would enjoy to have a nice dinner with Abraham Lincoln because of his lengthy resume and difficult decisions he had to make for the preservation of the Union. Abraham Lincoln’s record not only makes him an interesting person to have a discussion with but it also highlights his character as well. Abraham Lincoln was known for being very honest, optimistic, and brave during the troubles the country was faced with during his presidency. I feel like President Lincoln and I have a lot in common. For example, we both share similar characteristics in our personality such as being shy and timid. I also feel like we uphold our morals when it comes to helping others and ensuring that we show strong leadership in our communities. I serve my community by feeding the hungry at my local food bank and work Saturdays at an animal shelter. We are also both presidents of something in our careers. For instance, I am the president of my MESA club, while he was the president of the United States during the 1860s. Lincoln however has more of an extensive record to back up his resume when it comes to helping the needy. President Lincoln was known most famously for freeing the slaves in the south during the civil war. While doing this he had to face threats from pro-slavery individuals, his cabinet doubting the decisions he was making, and even tackling the slavery issue while trying to preserve the Union. My first question would be, “How did you stay so brave and continue to proceed with your plans despite all the opposition at the time?” I would follow up with asking, “Did you ever doubt yourself when passing the emancipation proclamation?” I would ask this because it was still a controversial topic at the time for many citizens and the war was not about freeing the slaves but to unify the country from separating in to two nations. Then I would move on to the time of the Gettysburg address. The Gettysburg address is Lincoln’s most famous speech and it was when Lincoln told the nation of the great sorrow and burden he felt for the lives lost at battle. The Union knew that the war drew closer to being over and the confederates were on their heels. However, Lincoln did something that amazed me and many of his citizens. He did not get angry or blame the South for any of the violence that occurred over the 4 long years. He did not speak condescendingly about the South at all. Instead he gave an open invitation for the South to surrender and join the country again as one unified Nation. He did not threaten the South with malice or punishment but thought it be best to help ease the tension between the states. He wanted to implement change and this was the first steps in reaching such goals. The major goals being the freeing of the slaves and giving them rights that they deserve. I would ask Lincoln though, “Why did you not addressed the nation that the South was the enemy and would be brought to justice. How could you not lose your temper with all the bloodshed that has stained our soil?” Many believed he was going to get emotional and declare that the Union would triumph over the confederates. I believe his diction and tone really allowed the nation to look amongst themselves and see that the violence and lives lost are for a good cause but they are not necessary. They wanted to hear a conclusion to the war and Lincoln answered the populous with an answer that would help bring the nation together again. These were key things that I would like to know because these actions that made him a great president and as a leader amongst my peers these are characteristics I admire and would utilize.