Freedom's Song: Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War, at Ford's Theatre 

This is a terrific show! Everyone should see it. It covers all the bases with great songs about the Union, the Confederacy, slaves, and the women left at home during the war. The script is mostly the exact words of Abraham Lincoln presented in the most interesting way. And there's a surprise near the end that could only happen at Ford's Theatre. Go see Freedom's Song: Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War, at Ford's Theatre.

A detailed review is at http://dcmetrotheaterarts.com/…/freedoms-song-abraham-linc…/

History Day for Students

Every year the MoCo Historical Society assists MoCo students to participate in National History Day. High School and Middle School students write papers, prepare websites, make exhibits, etc., about history subjects they select. Volunteer judges review them and select winners to go to state judging.

Having been a judge for two years, I can say that the students are amazing. They prepare items on historical subjects that are usually far above what one would expect from young people their age.

Congratulations to all the students and judges who helped.

Announced and Almost-Announced Candidates So Far

Here are the candidates for U.S. Senator from Maryland and 8th MD District Congressman so far:

U.S. Senator from Maryland:
Chris Van Hollen - announced
Donna Edwards - reported ready to announce tomorrow
Kathleen Kennedy Townsend - announced she is thinking about running

8th MD District Congressman:
Kumar Barve - announced
Jamie Raskin - reported ready to announce soon
Ariana Kelly - announced she is thinking about running
Kathleen Matthews - announced she is thinking about running

Others are rumored to be ready to announce, or thinking about running. Watch here for lists of those who have officially announced or are reported close to announcing or thinking about running.

Roger Berliner Runs Great Conference on Infrastructure and Growth

MoCo Council Member Roger Berliner organized and ran a great conference today. The subject was "Infrastructure and Growth: Are We Keeping Pace?" and included MoCo Executive Ike Leggett, MoCo Council President George Leventhal, MoCo Council Members Nancy Floreen, Craig Rice, Sidney Katz, State Delegate Marc Korman, and others. Also present were MoCo Board of Education members Pat O'Neill, Mike Durso, Jill Ortman-Fouse, Rebecca Smondrowski.

Topics discussed included whether school construction and transportation projects are appropriate for needs and what other options should be considered. Council Member Berliner encouraged everyone to look at things from different perspectives.

It was an excellent event, with lots of information from many sources.

Congressman Chris Van Hollen Running for U.S. Senate in Maryland

Congressman Chris Van Hollen is the first to formally announce that he is running for the U.S. Senate in Maryland, now that Barbara Mikulski has said she will not be running.

It's a very smart move by Congressman Van Hollen, making it clear to all those thinking of running that he is definitely in the race. Everyone knows he is very smart, a great campaigner, and liked by a great many people. He would make a terrific U.S. Senator.

This also opens up the question of who will succeed Van Hollen as Congressman from the 8th District in Maryland. That district has some very liberal areas, including my home in Leisure World, but also some conservative areas in Frederick and Carroll counties. There are probably a lot of people tonight thinking about running for Congress to replace Van Hollen. We'll see what happens in the next few days and weeks.

150th Anniversary of the Second Inaugural of President Abraham Lincoln

Today, March 4, is the 150th Anniversary of the 2nd Inaugural of President Abraham Lincoln. The Inaugural Address delivered by this most amazing man was an amazing speech.

It was almost the end of the Civil War and most people probably expected a speech congratulating the soldiers and the Union, which would have been fine.

However, what people heard from President Lincoln was almost poetic and is well worth reading in detail:

  "On the occasion corresponding to this four years ago all thoughts were anxiously directed to an impending civil war. All dreaded it, all sought to avert it. While the inaugural address was being delivered from this place, devoted altogether to saving the Union without war, insurgent agents were in the city seeking to destroy it without war—seeking to dissolve the Union and divide effects by negotiation. Both parties deprecated war, but one of them would make war rather than let the nation survive, and the other would accept war rather than let it perish, and the war came.
  "One-eighth of the whole population were colored slaves, not distributed generally over the Union, but localized in the southern part of it. These slaves constituted a peculiar and powerful interest. All knew that this interest was somehow the cause of the war. To strengthen, perpetuate, and extend this interest was the object for which the insurgents would rend the Union even by war, while the Government claimed no right to do more than to restrict the territorial enlargement of it. Neither party expected for the war the magnitude or the duration which it has already attained. Neither anticipated that the cause of the conflict might cease with or even before the conflict itself should cease. Each looked for an easier triumph, and a result less fundamental and astounding. Both read the same Bible and pray to the same God, and each invokes His aid against the other. It may seem strange that any men should dare to ask a just God's assistance in wringing their bread from the sweat of other men's faces, but let us judge not, that we be not judged. The prayers of both could not be answered. That of neither has been answered fully. The Almighty has His own purposes. "Woe unto the world because of offenses; for it must needs be that offenses come, but woe to that man by whom the offense cometh." If we shall suppose that American slavery is one of those offenses which, in the providence of God, must needs come, but which, having continued through His appointed time, He now wills to remove, and that He gives to both North and South this terrible war as the woe due to those by whom the offense came, shall we discern therein any departure from those divine attributes which the believers in a living God always ascribe to Him? Fondly do we hope, fervently do we pray, that this mighty scourge of war may speedily pass away. Yet, if God wills that it continue until all the wealth piled by the bondsman's two hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil shall be sunk, and until every drop of blood drawn with the lash shall be paid by another drawn with the sword, as was said three thousand years ago, so still it must be said "the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether."

  "With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations."