Abraham
Lincoln
We have become a nation blinded
to, or ignorant of the color of character. I use that analogy simply to help
showcase my argument. Back when our nation was young and developing, the
leaders and writers of our foundation were people whom the common citizen
recognized as individuals that drove for individual liberty, freedom and common
good because they could see the color of character in the ones serving them.
This ability was nurtured by
common values founded in the struggle for freedom from an overbearing
government and society that stole the common man’s property, liberty and
religious independence so as to control the masses for the purpose of wealth
and power at their expense. The color of character was learned and appreciated
because the individual needed it to fight and keep the truth that all men are
created equal and deserve the right to pursue happiness by guaranteeing the
opportunity to strive to be the best person he considered was good, right, and
truthful to the advantage of all.
So you’re asking, what is the
color of character? Character is something needing discernment and not obvious
by mere physical observation. It can only be evaluated through values and
standards of the one making the appraisal by observing someone’s choices,
reactions and consistency that forms their integrity. This is not always easy
and requires knowledge and personal discipline found only in one’s own
developing integrity, which can be shallow or growing.
The “color” depends on the values
and philosophies someone uses to determine the integrity of people and the measure
used for that “color”. Again, this is
not always easy and people will readily make their opinions based on someone
else’s work without questioning the color. Definitely different from telling if
someone’s skin is red, black, white, yellow or brown and any various in
between. This takes little to no effort to determine, but has been used to
label people as privileged, rich, poor, ignorant, intelligent, bad, good, et.
No one would argue this is wrong.
But it seems today we the people
have become blind to the color of character. That our last president was
elected more based on the color of his skin rather the color of his character
is a sad commentary to where we have gone. Don’t get me wrong, I can think of a
dozen other people that share our current president’s skin color but have a
complete opposite color of character that I would have been proud to support
whether they are a man or a woman. I find it ironic that the president who
fought so hard to free people from the prejudice of their skin color and quoted
by this president as a role model for his presidency has a character color in
complete opposition to Lincoln’s for America.
“Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to
test a man's character, give him power.”
Abraham Lincoln
“Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side; my
greatest concern is to be on God's side, for God is always right.”
Abraham Lincoln
