OF the People, BY the People, FOR the People

My husband created this linocut – carved linoleum then inked and printed using a printing press – several years ago. Abraham Lincoln is my favorite President and one of the most powerful thinkers, speakers and leaders in our nation’s history. With only 272 words he communicated a message that has become iconic for people across the globe, the Gettysburg Address. I wanted to include a portion of that speech in this piece.

The final words – and that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth – remind us that no other country was designed all around the people. Sure we have our issues, our pains, our disappointments and all too often we have missed the mark on how we treat each other. As the citizens for which our constitution was designed it is our job to demand that our leaders represent our choices.

Everything we do is impacted by how our country is managed, and it is managed by the people we elect. Be it local or national, our job is to participate in the system and vote. We may not always agree with who is chosen as our leaders, and if that is true then it is our responsibility to make sure next time other names are on the ballot. If we do not participate then we have no right to complain. Lincoln reminds us that – OF the people, BY the people, FOR the people – this type of government has an important role in this world. Let’s make sure it does not perish from this earth.