Journal #33

An obsession for the former President Abraham Lincoln most certainly originated in Springfield, Illinois. I personally do not understand what was just awesome about this man. I mean sure he was a president during very trying times in America, but his term was not that great for America as a whole. His Emancipation Proclamation which supposedly freed all the slaves did not really do anything. It only freed the slaves who were already previously free. I do not understand if it was the fact of freeing any slaves was the exciting part to many people, or if it was the fact that he was doing anything against slavery that got people all riled up. Whatever the case may be, people in Springfield truly do love him. We even started a giant museum and library in his name and honor. The really weird part is that he was not even born in Illinois, he was in fact born in Kentucky. All he had to do with Illinois was that he rode through and stayed a couple times, he lived here for a brief time, and he gave his acceptance of the presidential nomination here. Of course that sounds like important stuff, but many presidents spread out there personal stuff like that. I do not really like how Springfield has just claimed them as their own son or something. I suppose other states have claimed presidents like this, but I think they do actually have just cause to do this. For instance, in California, that is where Ronald Regan got his start as an actor, and I think that is where he was born, but I am not sure. i do not really understand what gives Springfield the right to steal Lincoln away from his homeland of Kentucky like that. Maybe this is because Springfield does not really have anything else important or historical to show for us. However, I am okay with this fact because i can accept that Springfield is just a boring type of place.