Take a step back and allow history to teach you something!

 

 

 

We have really made a concerted effort to see all the movies that have been nominated for academy awards for 2012.  This was a really terrific year for film.  We just saw the Lincoln movie last night.  I have to say that Daniel- Day Lewis really deserves the award for best actor.  He was Lincoln.  I liked the way the film showed the Lincoln and all the people around him-flaws and all.  I believe Bradley Cooper, Denzel Washington, Leonardo DiCaprio and Ben Affleck were all extremely great in their respective lead-acting roles.  I haven't seen The Master, Les Miz,or  the movie about the tsunami with Naomi Watts. We actually tried to see Les Miz last night , but it was sold out and there were no parking places.  I guess everyone has Oscar fever.

I wish that we could lock every member of congress in a theater and make them all watch the Lincoln
movie.  Sometimes you just need to visualize the differences in our standard of living and our past struggle with prejudice in order to appreciate what we are blessed with currently. But can you honestly believe that any amendment could ever be passed in our Congress today?  They can't even pass laws that involve a simple majority vote.  They have trouble passing laws that are no- brainers like flood relief for Sandy victims or monetary reliefs for our war veterans.  Do you think they could ever pass campaign spending reforms, gun control or any common sense amendments?  Can you believe the party that passed the 13th amendment and ended slavery is now the party that it is today?

 It is nice to visualize how far we have come by watching this movie - but remember there is a long way to go.  My friend told me that last week one of her high school friends just passed away and he was in hospice for weeks with very few visitors.  She went to the funeral and it was well-attended by his high school and college classmates.  He died alone because he had HIV and was gay.  He couldn't bring himself to allow his hometown friends and family know this fact.  Isn't it sad that in this day we can't be honest about our lifestyle?  Are we a truly free and democratic society when some people aren't allowed to have a legal marriage?

You would think that the people that suffered the most from prejudice would be the proponents of tolerance for all, but that is simply not the case.  Sometimes it seems that they are actually some of the worst offenders. 

Do me a favor and go see Lincoln.  It is a great movie and I know you will know what the ending will be - but you may be surprised about how much you can learn that you have forgotten!