Ken Burns, in a conversation with commentator Nicole Wallace, drew a powerful parallel between America’s past and present, quoting Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln said, “As a nation we began by declaring that all men are created equal. … When the Know-Nothings get control, it will read ‘all men are created equal, except Negroes, and foreigners, and Catholics.’ When it comes to this, I shall prefer emigrating to some country where they make no pretense of liberty — to Russia, for instance, where despotism can be taken pure, and without the base alloy of hypocrisy.”
This quote, from a private 1855 letter, is a stark warning against nativism and hypocrisy. It reminds us that our highest ideals are always at risk when we allow fear and prejudice to define who we are.
Burns also offers a choice from Frank Capra’s “It’s a Wonderful Life,” between Bedford Falls and Pottersville. The film’s message is that unbridled greed and a lack of compassion can turn a vibrant community into a soulless, cynical place.
Today, we face a similar choice. We can choose the path of Bedford Falls, one of empathy, community, and the promise of liberty for all, or we can succumb to the narrow, self-serving values of Pottersville. Lincoln’s words are a clear guide to what our nation’s founders intended, and what we risk losing if we abandon that pretense of liberty.
David Wittrock
Warm Beach
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