Whenever Casa Brillig visits Washington DC (and it isn't shut down due to the less-funny-than-children's-television antics of the Boys In Red), there's one site we always visit or else Mommy will NOT be a Happy Vacationer. Follow me below the dingledoodle squigglie dKosagnocchi dividerthingie fold after a word from our sponsor...
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That sight is the Lincoln Memorial. I love how it looks, the history of how it was built. During our last trip there, the kids loved hearing the story/urban legend that the reason the statue is 19 feet tall seated (Lincoln would be 28 feet tall standing) is because no statue was allowed to be taller than the 19.5 foot Statue of Freedom that tops the Capitol.
I love going at sunset, sitting on the steps, and gazing out at the National Mall. I think of the history that revolves around Lincoln, and the Lincoln Memorial. I imagine what it would have been like to be there during the 1963 March on Washington.
Part of the ritual my visits to this sacred-feeling space always include is standing there quietly reading aloud the Gettysburg Address. Today marks seven-score-and-ten years since Lincoln spoke perhaps the most famous ten sentences in history:
Those words send a chill down my spine as I imagine them spoken at the dedication of a soldiers' cemetery on grounds where several months earlier, ~50000 casualties marked the turning point of the Civil War. Short, eloquent, each word necessary and sufficient to convey the message. If Lincoln were contemporary, I have no doubt he'd have mastered the eloquent tweet. They inspire me not to let the sacrifices of men and women throughout history be in vain; to honor them by striving never to forget history.
As I listened to NPR this morning, I heard those words mashup style, produced by Ken Burns as part of his work sharing the story of The Greenwood School in his upcoming film "The Address". Students at this school memorize and recite the Gettysburg Address each year, no easy feat given all face learning challenges. Link to the video is in my tip jar, please give it a listen. The video is also part of Burns' wonderful site, Learn The Address, which encourages everyone to record themselves reciting it.
My children will tell you that yes, I make them stand and read this at the Lincoln Memorial. They also will tell you how every July 4th I either read or make them read the Declaration of Independence. Hopefully one day they'll do the same with any children they may parent.
If Lincoln wrote this diary, it'd be shorter and far better written. Alas, I am no Lincoln, but I'll do my best to absorb a little more by osmosis next time I'm in DC. And with that, let's get to the Tops!
Brillig's ObDisclaimer: The decision to publish each nomination lies with the evening's Diarist and/or Comment Formatter. My evenings at the helm, I try reeeeallllyy hard to publish everything
without regard to content. I really do, even when I disagree personally with any given nomination. "TopCommentness" lies in the eyes of the nominator and of you, the reader - I leave the decision to you. I do
not publish self-nominations (ie your own comments) and if I ruled the world, we'd all build community, supporting and uplifting instead of tearing our fellow Kossacks down.
From emmasnacker:
A wonderful comment by Wildthumb made all the better by a Wendell Berry sig line...
From Joy of Fishes:
In a spam diary aptly titled for what was to come (diary is deleted but was named "Prose & Poetry", BFSkinner, yojimbo, and Puddytat posted a delightful series of comments.
From tardis10:
This one by Donner definitely is a top comment.
From Yours Truly, brillig:
Hunter let me know who the REAL President Who Cares was, in the eyes of rightwingers... Taft. Leading to the new rallying cry, as shared by Floyd Blue.
milkbone adds to the list of "suggestions" McDonalds put out for its employees.
Top Mojo for yesterday, November 18th, first comments and tip jars excluded. Thank you
mik for the mojo magic! For those of you interested in How Top Mojo Works, please see his diary
FAQing Top Mojo.
1) Because we need her right where she is? by Sixty Something — 167
2) Don't forget Bernie Sanders by Puddytat — 162
3) Short Diary Entry But by bink — 151
4) This guy's a loose cannon by Major Kong — 147
5) I agree. She seems to be the only person in by rubyr — 126
6) This letter is manipulative, dishonest & ugly by FishOutofWater — 108
7) Good apology, for once by Fordmandalay — 106
8) I guess since he got out of the neighborhood by voracious — 102
9) And who saw that coming? by Vita Brevis — 90
10) This is exactly the reason we should not be by navajo — 90
11) This is yet another example of why mascots by voracious — 89
12) This is why trickle-down does not work. by blue jersey mom — 88
13) Thanks. Yes, it will not be addressed by TomP — 83
14) Probably give them 2 for 1 ammo deals. by Horace Boothroyd III — 82
15) Here is the problem. It is a lot cheaper to spend by blue jersey mom — 77
16) I see scare-mongering by karmsy — 77
17) That picture is absolutely appalling by BadKitties — 76
18) Hanabusa is pro-development by FishOutofWater — 76
19) When the Clinton administration threw up its hands by Bob Love — 76
20) Wow. by jpmassar — 74
21) I have responded to every Emily's List by Lorikeet — 73
22) they have had no problem by anna shane — 73
23) Great Diary by Sychotic1 — 72
24) he's a terrific senator by Laurence Lewis — 72
25) He deserves... by ytownohio — 72
26) True. My bad. He is amazing. I misspoke when I by rubyr — 70
27) They have no shame. They have money... n/t by JeffW — 68
28) I'd say "unbelievable" but sadly, that would by ColoTim — 68
29) If anything ever summed up contemporary labor by RFK Lives — 67
30) She's read her Orwell, it seems by Dallasdoc — 65
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Pictures Cats for yesterday, November 18th. Click any image to be taken to the full comment. Thank you
jotter for the image magic!