I understand the anger at the PC censors, but I wouldn’t mind too much if it were changed to “To care for those who shall have borne the battle and for their widows, and orphans.”
It’s really only a modest translation, not a full-bodied re-write.
But “widows” is gender specific. Spouse? Significant other? Partner? And I’m not sure about “orphans.” That has to be insensitive to somebody. Maybe “parentless children”?
Not One.
“borne the battle”
Why change “burden” to battle?
“borne the burden” is a trope Lincoln got from the Bible.
And when Lincoln made the statement, no women were in battle, so to change it would be inaccurate and gutless.
But totally pointless and uncalled for, considering that even in today’s heavily gender-integrated military the number of women killed and wounded is totally miniscule compared to the number of men. No matter what the left pretends war is still very much the domain of men.
I wouldn’t mind too much if it were changed to “To care for those who shall have borne the battle and for their widows, and orphans.”
It’s really only a modest translation, not a full-bodied re-write.
But that is simply *not* what Lincoln said.
You follow that path, you better rewrite Neil Armstrong’s words, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”
...and Shakespeare, “Friends, Romans, Countrymen, lend me your ears”.
Ever play the game "telephone"?
Are those the words of President Lincoln, or not? If you don't see the problem, you're part of it.
Widowed spouses
dangus wrote:
I understand the anger at the PC censors, but I wouldn’t mind too much if it were changed to “To care for those who shall have borne the battle and for their widows, and orphans.”
It’s really only a modest translation, not a full-bodied re-write.
However, it’s not what Pres. Lincoln said, so it’s not a quote. Now, if they want to remove it as a quote, and put it as a general mission (ugh, new agey “Mission Statement”), then fine. But it’s not a quote from Pres. Lincoln anymore.
“If it’s on the internet, it must be true” - William Shakespeare
No, rewrite. Modest or not. He said what he said. History should not be subject to the delicate little feelings of the easily offended.
Abraham Lincoln wrote it the way he wanted to say it.
Neither you (or me), nor anyone else has earned the right to re-write it.
If you want some PC quote for the ages, sit down and write your own.