Absolutely!
On January 27, 1838, Abraham Lincoln spoke at the Young Men’s Lyceum of Springfield, Illinois. Lincoln said:
“At what point shall we expect the approach of danger? By what means shall we fortify against it? ... Shall we expect some transatlantic military giant to step the Ocean and crush us at a blow? Never! All the armies of Europe, Asia, and Africa combined, with all the treasure of the earth (our own excepted) in their military chest, with a Bonaparte for a commander, could not, by force, take a drink from the Ohio, or make a track on the Blue Ridge, in a trial of a thousand years.”
“At what point then is the approach of danger to be expected? I answer, if it ever reaches us, it must spring up amongst us. It cannot come from abroad. If destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen, we must live through all time, or die by suicide.”
To an Ole Seagull, Lincoln is warning that the greatest threats to our American republic and stability would not come from external forces but from within; if the United States were to fail, it would be because of its internal conflicts and failures. At Gettysburg, after one of the most significant internal conflicts that any nation has ever seen, Lincoln said, “that these dead shall not have died in vain– that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”
Our government is not some abstract thing; it consists “of people” elected “by the people” [us] allegedly “for the people.” The Ole Seagull has a question: “Is he one of the people being served?” The answer to him, and perhaps to you, could depend on whether answers to questions like the following are “True” or “False:”
1. Considering how America withdrew from Afghanistan, President Biden should be giving military advice to Israel on how to fight a war?
2. Students and organizations saying, supporting, or tolerating “Death to America” should be able to receive government loans and grants?
3. America’s borders are secure?
4. Descendants of African slaves in the U.S. should receive reparations?
5. The U.S. Government directly took part in the wholesale massacres and violence against African slaves in the U.S?
6. The U.S. Government did not directly take part in the wholesale massacres and violence against Native Americans?
7. The U. S. Government violated one or more treaties between it and African slaves?
8. The U. S. Government did not violate one or more treaties between it and Native Americans?
9. Tying entitlement to government services and benefits to income is fair?
10. The action of Russian invading Ukraine and the terrorist attacks by Hamas against Israel on October 17, 2023, are examples of the dwindling impact of America as a deterrent against aggression and terrorism?
11. Illegal aliens should receive shelter, healthcare and food even while thousands of American citizens are homeless within miles of where the illegal aliens are receiving such benefits?
12. The average illegal alien loves America and what it stands for?
13. Abortions should not be permitted in at least the following situations: Life-threatening conditions for the mother, rape or incest, and fetal abnormalities that would cause death shortly after birth or a life of extreme suffering, or lack of viability?
14. “Transgenders” should have their own athletic competitions, Olympics, etc.?
15. America is not being invaded by illegal aliens?