Monday, September 13, 2010

The Gettysburg Address, Less the Important Part

Rob George noticed something.

Here's the last graf from Lincoln's address as reprinted by the 'American Constitution Society for Law and Policy' for a symposium they held:

It is rather for us, the living, we here be dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that, from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they here, gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve these dead shall not have died in vain; that this nation shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people by the people and for the people shall not perish from the earth.

Yah, well. When you were in grade school (assuming you were there AFTER Lincoln delivered the Address), you were told to memorize his speech. So when you get to that last graf, you have a hitch in your memory banks, no?

Yes.

This 'American Constitution Society for Law and Policy' bunch--consisting of (inter alia):

Linda Greenhouse, controversial Obama judicial nominee Goodwin Liu, former New York governor Mario Cuomo, former solicitors general Drew Days and Walter Dellinger, and former attorney general Janet Reno. The new Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan was a speaker at the society’s annual conventions in 2005, 2007, and 2008. And inside the pamphlet was a page saying, “The printing of this copy of the U.S. Constitution and of the nation’s two other founding texts, the Declaration of Independence and the Gettysburg Address, was made possible through the generosity of Laurence and Carolyn Tribe.

.....seems to have eliminated the most important phrase from the Address:

"..under God,"

...which fits right after "..that this Nation..."

It was not forgetfulness, nor sloppy editing. It is their re-construction of this Nation.

And it shall not stand.

HT: CMR

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

The organization responds that their version is word for word from one of five drafts of the Address, which differ. I'm not knowledgeable in this area; just sharing.
http://www.acslaw.org/node/16548

Anonymous said...

You're nuts.