This has been a week full of annoying, disrespectful school kids and annoying visitors! And I don't know what people have been reading this week, but more than ever before, this week included numerous visitors who acted totally surprised and even offended when I told them that Abraham Lincoln was a Republican. As part of my house tour, I include that Lincoln was officially nominated as the Republican candidate for President right in his own back parlor--150 years ago this month. Some people pulled me aside after we finished our tour the other day, and the husband said, "You meant that he was a Democrat, right?" No, he was a Republican. "Are you sure???" Yes. He was the first Republican Presidential candidate. The wife said, "Well he freed the slaves right?" Yes. "That doesn't sound like something a Republican would do." It was all I could do to bite my tongue at this point. (As a government employee, I cannot talk politics with anyone while in uniform.) What I wish I could have said is that it was something a Republican would do because Republicans have always stood for whatever is moral. The very next day I had another lady grill me on the fact that Lincoln was a Republican.Then, today I had a meeting with my supervisor Laura. She had reviewed a new program I developed to be presented this summer. I must say it's an awesome program--I talk about all of the photographs and paintings that were done of Lincoln in 1860, illustrating the Lincoln that was presented to the American people at the time of his election. I discuss how his image helped him become President. Anyway, Laura said that I should include a section about Obama in my program. NO!!! I said, "Well, Obama compares himself to Lincoln a lot, and some people [including myself--but I couldn't say that] don't agree with that comparison. Also, a lot of people, as I have found this week, are confused by whether Lincoln was Republican or Democrat. I think that talking about Obama in a Lincoln program would only increase that confusion. It would also make it appear as if the National Park Service agrees with the idea that Obama is similar to Lincoln." She did not agree with me, but after my continued refusal to include Obama in my program, she finally gave in. Politics were crazy then, and they're crazy now.
All I can say is that I am so excited for a break from everything when I head out to Utah tomorrow! I will really miss Greg and the animal children, but I am SO excited to see my family and to get away from the Lincoln Home for a few days :-)
