Ken Burns on the Gettysburg Address

[Rob Wick]

In the spring of 2014, Ken Burns will present a film on a school in Vermont's challenge to its students each year to learn the Gettysburg Address and to recite it in February. He is challenging all Americans to do this. Check out the website for the film and be sure and watch the preview.

Best
Rob

http://www.pbs.org/kenburns/the-address/home/

[RJNorton]

Thank you for posting this, Rob. I found the preview video extremely moving.

[brtmchl]

Thanks Rob, my wife was excited to see this also. I think she is going to work this into her classroom.

[Matt Macoubrie]

Ken Burns could be considered an American hero in my book

[Christine]

I have been working on it. It is lots harder to memorize things now than it was when I was young! Almost done, though. The hardest part for me is not crying every time I recite it.

[JMadonna]

One of the classic Bob Newhart telephone bits is his being a presidential adviser to Lincoln on his Gettysburg Address. Still funny 6 score years later.

Newhart: “Abe, do the speech the way Charlie wrote it, will you? The inaugural address swung, didn’t it?”
Pause for Lincoln’s response.
Newhart: “All right, anything else?”
Pause for Lincoln’s response.
Newhart: “You talked to some newspaper men? Abe, I wish you wouldn’t talk to newspaper men.”
Pause for Lincoln’s response.
Newhart: “That’s just what I mean, Abe. No, no. No, no, no. You were a rail splitter and then an attorney.”
Pause for Lincoln’s response.
Newhart: “Abe, it doesn’t make any sense that way. I mean, you wouldn’t give up your law practice to become a rail splitter, would you?”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBo9BFwHR3E

[brtmchl]

Apparently there is some small controvesy brewing over the Presidents and other famous people who have participated in reading the Gettysburg Address for Ken Burns' film. Everyone was given the same copy of the speech and everyone read the speech verbatim. Everyone except our current President. His version omits the use of "under God." Is this just an innocent mistake? Or is this another example of the overly PC world we live in now. At the risk of offending others we must now omit the words from our history; a history that was rooted in in these beliefs.
I have heard that there were 5 drafts of the Address, The first 2 did not include these words, but the final version signed by Lincoln included these words.
I also saw a 2 year old on youtube that recited the speech from memory. It was very sweet.

[Gene C]

(11-19-2013 12:11 PM)brtmchl Wrote:  Apparently there is some small controvesy brewing over the Presidents and other famous people who have participated in reading the Gettysburg Address for Ken Burns' film. Everyone was given the same copy of the speech and everyone read the speech verbatim. Everyone except our current President. His version omits the use of "under God."

Heaven forbid

http://aloftyexistence.files.wordpress.c...a-halo.jpg

[brtmchl]

(11-19-2013 12:38 PM)Gene C Wrote:  

(11-19-2013 12:11 PM)brtmchl Wrote:  Apparently there is some small controvesy brewing over the Presidents and other famous people who have participated in reading the Gettysburg Address for Ken Burns' film. Everyone was given the same copy of the speech and everyone read the speech verbatim. Everyone except our current President. His version omits the use of "under God."

Heaven forbid

http://aloftyexistence.files.wordpress.c...a-halo.jpg

I don't really find this a big deal Gene. But, If this is some kind of Politcal Correctness, then i'm just tired. It's already that time of year, where Christmas is outlawed near schools and in some town displays, the pledge is challenged in classrooms, any school with an American Indian needs to be replaced, and lately I have been hearing that The Star Spangled Banner is being attacked at sporting events. Calling it a War Anthem.

[Gene C]

I may have misunderstood you, so I will politely, but strongly disagree with you, I think it is a big deal.

[brtmchl]

(11-19-2013 01:29 PM)Gene C Wrote:  I may have misunderstood you, so I will politely, but strongly disagree with you, I think it is a big deal.

Gene don't get me wrong. I think it is a big deal that the words if such a great speech weren't read the way they were intended and written. I think it is a big deal when we change history, even just a little.
I just meant this is not consuming me. I already know that it will be spun as a TelePrompTer mistake or an earlier version of the speech.
I don't think it will become a big deal,or treated as one. I don't think most people will even notice. That's all. Sorry, I have been having trouble putting my thoughts into words lately. I have had bronchitis for the last 2 weeks and my head is mush.

[Rob Wick]

I honestly don't see what the issue is. The only "media" outlets that seem to care are right-wingers, and Obama could walk on water and they would complain he's ignoring the boating industry. Maybe it's my own disbelief, but I can't even see this as a single day story.

Best
Rob

[brtmchl]

I don't think it is a story that the media will cover. But, for a man who has always claimed his adoration and self identification with Lincoln, why not read the speech as given? When everyone else managed to read Lincoln's words the same, why did he chose not to? This isn't the first time he has omitted God from speeches and that's his right to do so, but I believe he is placating to some group. I just find it wrong when reading a historical piece.

[Linda Anderson]

The Daily Caller has an update that says that Obama was asked to read the first version or the "Nicolay version" of the Gettysburg Address.

"UPDATE: The “Learn the Address” website notes that “We asked President Obama to read … the ‘Nicolay Version’” of the Gettsyburg Address, which omits the words “under God.” That disclosure does not appear alongside Obama’s video on the site.

Additionally, a November 15, 2013 cached version of the site does not show that disclosure. WETA, which runs the “Learn the Address” project, has not yet responded to The Daily Caller’s request for comment."

Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2013/11/19/obama-...z2l7c2xzOx

http://www.learntheaddress.org/

[brtmchl]

That settles that. Thank you Linda.