The impact of political cartoons throughout American history is fascinating. Their power has waned a bit with the slow fade of newspapers but even recent ones like the one about tariffs that has Trump urinating into a fan resonate.
Our current era has me thinking about the civil war cartoon that had the British lion and other European symbols gazing across the Atlantic with glee as we tore ourselves apart. We like to think of ourselves as the world’s Superman when really we are the blond jock in a 1980s teenager film.
And, sometimes sadly, resonate with the present. We like to think we are sui generis, creatures and creators of our present moment, but our past shapes us--all the more so when we forget it.
On November 19, 1863, President Lincoln gave a short speech at the commemoration of a cemetery in Gettysburg which is a applicable to the situation in the Ukraine. Five copies of the speech, written in President Lincoln's hand survive. I will supply the link for all five at the end of this comment. But here is the text that most often cited is here:
"Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.
But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."
I have no doubt that Nast was inspired in part by this speech. It is too bad that Trump and his broliarchs either did not pay attention in their American civics classes or they did not take them. Those idiots have forgotten that the United States was to be a "government of the people, by the people, for the people."
Someone needs to break it to Trump that The Norwegian Nobel Committee will not give him the Peace Prize for bullying Ukraine into surrendering. Last time I checked Nobel's profile is on the medal not "Ubi solitudinem faciunt, pacem appellant".
I've been trying to think of a counter argument to your point and I really can't come up with one - except that the chances of Trump knowing about Kissinger's NPP are remote so the argument might work by reason of his ignorance. I'd say there's a fair chance of that so let's not give up hope.
Thank you. The analogy is a bit strained by the far-distant nature of Ukraine, versus the closeness of North and South, but it's valuable.
The other analogy is just WW2: America was frankly found wanting and weak on fascism for the first two years of WW2, and will be weak on fascism for the last 2 years of Ukraine.
Frankly, America has ALWAYS been a little weak on fascism. We allied countries were always embarrassed by their support of fascist banana republic dictators, Marcos, apartheid.
But I see the full democracies pulling together, just as in 1939.
A poignant, thoughtful and honest article. A reasonable negotiation process and treaty will largely depend on Europe stepping in to block Trump and Putin.
The traitor in the White House may be about to further complicate the issue by invading Canada much sooner than anyone thought. Have you seen Malcolm Nance's latest post, "Urgent Warning: Trump Is Planning to Invade Canada and Greenland"? https://malcolmnance.substack.com/p/urgent-warning-trump-is-planning
Trump is experienced in betraying America's allies. Remember when he threw the Kurds who fought ISIS with us under the Turkish bus in his first term? I'm sure he relishes throwing Ukraine under the Russian bus--what could be more satisfying to a psychopath than to first cozen your friends into trusting you and then betray them?
I just heard an interview with Joseph Finder, the thriller writer whose books have sometimes turned out to be true. He talked about writing a thriller about a fictitious [sic] US president who was deep in debt, to whom the banks refused to lend any more money, and who was saved by Russian oligarchs, to whom he is now in thrall.
I am reading "Lucky Loser," by two NY Times reporters who have delved deep into Trump's financial [mis]adventures. I haven't gotten that far, but I think they will reveal where Joseph Finder got his idea from.
America STILL stands by the policy that the 1898 military conquest of Puerto Rico should keep it a "territory" (colony) forever, even when "51st state" is discussed about other military conquests.
Where is the the Thomas Nast for this moment in history?
The impact of political cartoons throughout American history is fascinating. Their power has waned a bit with the slow fade of newspapers but even recent ones like the one about tariffs that has Trump urinating into a fan resonate.
Our current era has me thinking about the civil war cartoon that had the British lion and other European symbols gazing across the Atlantic with glee as we tore ourselves apart. We like to think of ourselves as the world’s Superman when really we are the blond jock in a 1980s teenager film.
Agreed. Both cartoons and ads speak to the immediate present, so old cartoons and ads are portals into particular moments in the past.
And, sometimes sadly, resonate with the present. We like to think we are sui generis, creatures and creators of our present moment, but our past shapes us--all the more so when we forget it.
An excellent look at how all the goodwill America has earned in the world is being pissed away by a cowardly, autocratic, misanthropic sociopath.
On November 19, 1863, President Lincoln gave a short speech at the commemoration of a cemetery in Gettysburg which is a applicable to the situation in the Ukraine. Five copies of the speech, written in President Lincoln's hand survive. I will supply the link for all five at the end of this comment. But here is the text that most often cited is here:
"Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.
But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."
I have no doubt that Nast was inspired in part by this speech. It is too bad that Trump and his broliarchs either did not pay attention in their American civics classes or they did not take them. Those idiots have forgotten that the United States was to be a "government of the people, by the people, for the people."
Here is a link for all five versions of the Gettysburg Address: https://www.abrahamlincolnonline.org/lincoln/speeches/gettysburg.htm
Someone needs to break it to Trump that The Norwegian Nobel Committee will not give him the Peace Prize for bullying Ukraine into surrendering. Last time I checked Nobel's profile is on the medal not "Ubi solitudinem faciunt, pacem appellant".
They gave it to Henry Kissinger. Is Trump that much of a stretch? How low can they go?
I've been trying to think of a counter argument to your point and I really can't come up with one - except that the chances of Trump knowing about Kissinger's NPP are remote so the argument might work by reason of his ignorance. I'd say there's a fair chance of that so let's not give up hope.
Thank you. The analogy is a bit strained by the far-distant nature of Ukraine, versus the closeness of North and South, but it's valuable.
The other analogy is just WW2: America was frankly found wanting and weak on fascism for the first two years of WW2, and will be weak on fascism for the last 2 years of Ukraine.
Frankly, America has ALWAYS been a little weak on fascism. We allied countries were always embarrassed by their support of fascist banana republic dictators, Marcos, apartheid.
But I see the full democracies pulling together, just as in 1939.
A poignant, thoughtful and honest article. A reasonable negotiation process and treaty will largely depend on Europe stepping in to block Trump and Putin.
The traitor in the White House may be about to further complicate the issue by invading Canada much sooner than anyone thought. Have you seen Malcolm Nance's latest post, "Urgent Warning: Trump Is Planning to Invade Canada and Greenland"? https://malcolmnance.substack.com/p/urgent-warning-trump-is-planning
Trump is experienced in betraying America's allies. Remember when he threw the Kurds who fought ISIS with us under the Turkish bus in his first term? I'm sure he relishes throwing Ukraine under the Russian bus--what could be more satisfying to a psychopath than to first cozen your friends into trusting you and then betray them?
He also threw the government of Afghanistan under the Taliban bus
Yep, and made sure Biden got blamed for it.
I just heard an interview with Joseph Finder, the thriller writer whose books have sometimes turned out to be true. He talked about writing a thriller about a fictitious [sic] US president who was deep in debt, to whom the banks refused to lend any more money, and who was saved by Russian oligarchs, to whom he is now in thrall.
I am reading "Lucky Loser," by two NY Times reporters who have delved deep into Trump's financial [mis]adventures. I haven't gotten that far, but I think they will reveal where Joseph Finder got his idea from.
What a timely history lesson!
Instead of all American has ever stood for don’t you mean some of the good things America has at times stood up for?
Thanks.
America STILL stands by the policy that the 1898 military conquest of Puerto Rico should keep it a "territory" (colony) forever, even when "51st state" is discussed about other military conquests.
Brilliant!