As a native of the great State of Illinois aka "Land of Lincoln," it was very apparent on the anniversary of what would have been his 201st birthday that Georgians as a group do not celebrate President Lincoln or his legacy. As I shopped for groceries , walking all through the supermarket and in other retail outlets in Covington, Georgia not one person that I encountered wished me a Happy Lincoln's birthday. I was simply appalled.
The 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln's birthday was marked on Friday, February 12th by an aggressive snowfall over Georgia. There were no parties, galas or even barbeques scheduled, although the schools in Newton County were closed, not in honor of President Lincoln, but because the snow was coming.
Although I've only lived in Georgia for one year, I have yet to run across a park or a street named 'Lincoln'.

In lieu of our nation's difficult times, President Obama is calling us to be like Lincoln in working together across party lines.
" If we are going to get through this tough economic time, we are going to have to do it as one nation, as one people,"President Obama is quoted as saying.

Like Lincoln during the Civil War, Obama understands what it is like to be a president elected that many Americans do not agree with. I never really agreed with Bush on many of his conservative views. I didn't vote for President George W. Bush, but I never wanted to see him fail and drag our country down with him. I do not dislike the Republicans--even though they totally disrespected President Obama as a group during the State of the Union Address.
Obama supporters do not continue to harp on the fact that President Obama inherited this mess our country is in under the immediate past Bush administration. Can we come together as Americans and support our President--the people's choice for leadership?

Happy 201st Birthday Mr.President!

My friend, journalist Stephanie Gadlin and several FB friends posted this pic of President Lincoln and the following quote that is attributed to him prior to his signing the Emancipation Proclamation which freed Southern slaves on January 1, 1865. There were many comments blasting President Lincoln for the many statements made prior to him drafting this document. I love and applaud President Lincoln because even though he was relunctant to do the right thing for the right reason--good came out of it and I was born in Chicago, Illinois--a free child. Had history been different, I shudder to think of what my experiences could have been.
Happy Birthday Mr. President! Rest in Peace.

HONEST ABE DAY: "I will say then that I am not, nor ever have been in favor of bringing about in anyway the social and political equality of the white and black races - that I am not nor ever have been in favor of making voters or jurors of negroes, nor of qualifying them to hold office, nor to intermarry with white people; and I will say in addition to this that there is a physical difference between the white and black races which I believe will forever forbid the two races living together on terms of social and political equality. And inasmuch as they cannot so live, while they do remain together there must be the position of superior and inferior, and I as much as any other man am in favor of having the superior position assigned to the white race. I say upon this occasion I do not perceive that because the white man is to have the superior position the negro should be denied everything."