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Epoch Times
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Epoch Times
Abraham Lincoln's Advice on Learning, Work, Smartphones, and Anxiety
When most Americans hear the name Abraham Lincoln, certain images jump to mind. He's the rail splitter who made it to the White House, served as president during the Civil War, wrote the Gettysburg Address, and was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth. He was tall and lanky and often wore a stovepipe hat. His statue in Washington is encased by a facsimile of a Greek temple, the image of which appears on the back of our $5 bill. On the front is his careworn face with its sunken cheeks, trim beard, and rather large right ear. Dig deeper, and we find a man whose words and life have much to teach us today, particularly teens and 20-somethings. Let's take a look. Get Yourself an Education Had Lincoln depended only on his bits and pieces of formal schooling for his learning, he likely would have ended up semi-literate. Inspired by his stepmother, Sarah, and driven by a burning desire to read and to write well, he instead put the meager resources of his prairie cabin home to good use to
Chicago Tribune
06-07-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Editorial: The idea of America, under stress
Four score and seven years ago. The words — as archaic as they sound to today's ears — still cause a stir in many an American heart. Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address is rightly celebrated as one of a handful of American political speeches that live on and inspire, because it defines in remarkably economical language the idea of America — what America is supposed to be. Speaking at the dedication of the military cemetery at Gettysburg in November 1863, Lincoln encapsulated the principles for which so many young Americans had given their lives four months before: 'that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.' Union Gen. George Meade's troops had repelled Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's forces in the Pennsylvania countryside on the day before the nation's 87th birthday. The following day, July 4, 1863, Gen. Ulysses S. Grant won the monthslong battle of Vicksburg in Mississippi, a strategic triumph. The Civil War would last nearly two more years, but its outcome was determined on that Fourth of July, exactly four score and seven years after this nation's founding. During this holiday weekend, we think Americans observing the functioning of our government under the second administration of President Donald Trump could use some refreshers on the idea of America, as articulated perfectly by Lincoln, preserved on the battlefield by those Union soldiers, and painstakingly scaffolded by this country's founders some seven-plus decades before that conflagration. Did we mention that two of those founding fathers, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, both died on the same day — on the Fourth of July? The passing of the two old rivals — the second and third U.S. presidents; the nation's first frenemies, you might say — occurred on the 50th anniversary of the nation's birth. There were the rights enumerated in the Jefferson-penned Declaration of Independence — life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness — and then there was the harder task of ensuring those rights wouldn't be trampled by those who would later govern us. We've heard a lot since Trump's return to power about checks and balances. We now have an executive branch that arguably is the most aggressive in the lifetimes of virtually anyone alive today in terms of acting unilaterally to pursue its agenda. That is an agenda that has seen people in our country with court-ordered protections seized and sent to foreign prisons. It is an agenda in which members of this administration, including the president himself, are suggesting that some naturalized citizens ought to have their citizenship revoked. (See our Friday editorial.) It is an agenda where the executive branch sees fit to eliminate entire agencies created by law without consulting Congress. It is, in other words, exactly the kind of behavior about which our founders warned us — and attempted to equip us with the means to resist. 'If men were angels, no government would be necessary,' stated Federalist Paper No. 51 (attributed to either James Madison or Alexander Hamilton), the clearest articulation of the system of checks and balances. 'If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary. In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself.' It is one matter to set up a governmental system that prevents any single person from ruling by fiat. It is another matter for the occupants of various offices in those separate branches to exercise the authority given to them to ensure our system of government persists as the framers intended. That brings us back to the Federalist papers, which provide the best insights into what kept the framers up at night. Madison's Federalist No. 10 fretted about the pernicious effect of 'factions' — what today we call partisanship or division. Madison identified multiple causes of 'faction,' including one that is particularly resonant right now — 'an attachment to different leaders ambitiously contending for pre-eminence and power.' And he memorably described the risk of excessive partisanship: dividing 'mankind into parties, inflam(ing) them with mutual animosity and render(ing) them much more disposed to vex and oppress each other than to co-operate for their common good.' We see examples of this phenomenon all too frequently in today's politics. Under this administration, the federal government has in many cases become a threat rather than a support to smaller governing bodies and other institutions. Universities are threatened financially if they don't adhere to Trumpian orthodoxy. Independent media are attacked in court. State and local governments are threatened financially if they don't adopt policies a majority of their citizens don't support. Madison viewed an empowered federal government as a bulwark against oppressive partisanship, which he thought more likely to emanate from smaller governments. But the framers were fully aware, at the same time, of the risk of cults of personalities and other forms of demagoguery. When asked whether the U.S. under the then-proposed Constitution would ultimately be a republic or a monarchy, Benjamin Franklin famously responded, 'A republic, if you can keep it.' Among the many tasks assigned to us as ordinary citizens, there is no more important one than that — preserving our system of government as it was intended to function. Because as our founders knew so well, human nature recoils all too often at the inconveniences and frustrations of self-government. We are not among those who believe democracy in the U.S. is seriously imperiled, at least as we write. But we do believe it is undergoing a stress test unseen since Lincoln spoke 162 years ago. 'If you can keep it.' Franklin's words for generations have seemed like an historic relic — a window into the nation's infancy. They feel all too current now.
Miami Herald
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Miami Herald
Meet the tap dancing queen from Fort Lauderdale who made a splash on ‘Drag Race'
Before she was lip syncing for $50,000 on national television, Suzie Toot was an up-and-coming drag queen in Fort Lauderdale performing for free. She'd show up to open stages at bars that don't exist anymore and leave smelling like cigarettes. She worked hard as a cast member at Lips, the iconic Fort Lauderdale drag venue now rebranded as Aquaplex. And she'd perform her favorite number, a Liza Minnelli-inspired lip sync, sometimes for crowds of just 10 people. But things have changed for Toot, the drag persona of 25-year-old Ben Shaevitz. After a memorable appearance this year on season 17 of MTV's 'RuPaul's Drag Race,' Toot performed the same Liza number in front of an audience of 2,000 in London. Toot is not known for the flips, dips and splits that South Florida's drag scene specializes in. She prefers 1920s flapper dresses and tap dance shoes over glamorous evening gowns and towering heels. She's more likely to perform to Lady Gaga's niche jazz records than her pop hits. Her drag style stuck out in South Florida and on 'Drag Race,' where her fellow contestants weren't sold on her aesthetic — that is, until she outlasted most of them in the competition. 'I love being talked about, whether it's positive or negative,' Shaevitz told the Miami Herald, laughing. 'It's funny how my 'Drag Race' experience, in a lot of ways, reflected my experience coming up in the drag scene in Fort Lauderdale because I was so different and I looked so crazy. I'm a polarizing figure, but I love it.' Shaevitz's Toot went from underdog to semi-finalist, nearly making it to the end to snatch the $200,000 grand prize. Though she didn't win the crown, the drag artist still feels like a winner. And she loves the attention, even when she's the butt of the joke. She won $50,000 during the show's 'Lip Sync LaLaPaRuza Smackdown.' She endeared fans with her comedy, like tap dancing the Gettysburg Address in Morse code. She's touring the country with her cabaret-style act. And her feature film debut, a camp horror flick filmed in Fort Lauderdale, is now streaming on Hulu in time for Pride Month. Toot, alongside season 17 co-star Lucky Starzzz, is among a growing crop of South Florida drag queens who have been elevating the local drag scene to international acclaim, like fellow 'Drag Race' alumni Morphine Love Dion, Mhi'ya Iman Le'Paige and Malaysia Babydoll Foxx. In the pantheon of South Florida drag legends, Toot emerged as an unlikely reality TV star, a fan favorite and an internet meme. But for her friends back home, the Suzie Toot success story is no surprise. From theater kid to tap dancing drag queen Born in New York and raised in Wellington in Palm Beach, Suzie Toot's creator, Shaevitz attended Lynn University in Boca Raton for its 'tiny but mighty' musical theater program. He'd often joke with friends about what they would be like as drag queens, and during the pandemic, 'we had all the time in the world.' That's when Suzie Toot — with her Betty Boop-esque makeup, curly red hair and niche musical theater antics — came to be. 'Weird stuff, the old classics. This big melting pot of my loves and my interest became the Suzie character,' Shaevitz said. After dropping out of college, Shaevitz moved to Fort Lauderdale to pursue a career in regional theater and, eventually, drag full time. 'This is where everything is. There's theater. There's drag. It just pulled me over,' Shaevitz said. 'And it's my favorite place in Florida. I'll say it. Sorry, Miami. Sorry, Orlando. Fort Lauderdale is where to f------ be.' Shaevitz worked tirelessly developing a tap-dancing, live-singing cabaret act. He found friendship — and his first drag gig — with fellow Fort Lauderdale cabaret drag artist Eric Swanson, who performs as Miss Bouvèé. It all started with a message from Shaevitz on Instagram asking for a guest spot at a show, Swanson said. '[Toot] was brand new on the scene then, and I was giving love to anybody who wanted to sing and come share the stage,' Swanson said. 'And she was exactly as she is now. She has not changed. She is an old soul in a little, young person's body.' Swanson and Shaevitz applied their musical talents as the stars of 'Big Easy Queens,' a campy, raunchy, bloody horror movie musical set in New Orleans and filmed in South Florida. The independent film premiered in Fort Lauderdale in 2023 during Popcorn Frights, South Florida's largest genre film festival, and is now available to stream on Hulu as of Saturday. Swanson, 42, recalled a conversation he had with Shaevitz in their dressing room about where his career may go. 'I said, 'This is good. You're going to get calls from people,'' Swanson said. Soon after, Shaevitz got the call from 'Drag Race.' 'And the rest is history,' said Swanson. 'A win for the weirdos' When Kai Gomez met Shaevitz at a drag competition in Wilton Manors, he had a feeling he couldn't shake. 'Before the competition started, I was like, 'OK, you and me are going to the end,'' said Gomez, who performs in drag as King Vyper. Sure enough, they both landed in the top four, and the hosts were about to announce the top two finalists. King Vyper was called. Suzie Toot was called. 'And they tell us both that we didn't make the top two,' Gomez said. They've been friends ever since, supporting each others' careers and performing together. One of Gomez's favorite moments with Shaevitz was their 'Cuban Pete' number for a Halloween show. He dressed as Jim Carrey's 'The Mask' and Shaevitz was dressed as Lucille Ball. While Shaevitz and Gomez's alternative styles of drag are unique in South Florida, Gomez said it's validating to see how well Toot has done on and off 'Drag Race.' 'It makes me so proud. It's a win for the weirdos,' Gomez said. '[Toot] wasn't very favored because she was the artsy fartsy girly. She was the theater girly. But as soon as she started getting to those challenges, she was knocking them out the park.' And it's a win for South Florida's drag scene as a whole, Gomez said. Toot's success underscores drag's continued popularity in South Florida, despite the state government's anti-drag policies and rhetoric of the last few years. 'We really do have heavy hitter performers here,' Gomez said. In April, drag fans packed R House, a popular Wynwood restaurant, to watch Toot on 'Drag Race.' Though she was eliminated that episode, the mood was celebratory. At midnight that night, it was Shaevitz's 25th birthday. 'Once again, I love attention,' Shaevitz said. 'So hey, people are saying 'so sorry.' They're still talking to me.'
Newsweek
17-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Kindergarten Class Gets History Lesson—No One Prepared for Their Reaction
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A kindergarten art teacher has left internet viewers in stitches after sharing her students' unexpectedly emotional reaction to learning about the fate of former President Abraham Lincoln. Cal (@ca1ib3ast), who teaches an art class, posted a video on TikTok that quickly went viral, garnering more than 2.1 million likes and over 10.1 million views. In the clip, Cal describes how her young students were shocked to discover what happened to the 16th president of the United States. "My kindergarten class lost their minds when I broke the news about Abraham Lincoln," reads the text overlaying the video. One child is heard gasping and exclaiming, "Did Abraham Lincoln die?" as the rest of the class erupts into tears. Cal, clearly caught off guard, can be heard laughing in disbelief at the intense response. @ca1ib3ast in my defense i was not prepared for this question because this is art class ♬ original sound - cal "In my defense i was not prepared for this question because this is art class," she wrote in the video's caption. Abraham Lincoln served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. A self-taught lawyer with humble beginnings, Lincoln is best known for leading the country through the Civil War, abolishing slavery, and delivering the Gettysburg Address. He was shot by John Wilkes Booth at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C. The dramatic classroom moment resonated with thousands of TikTok users, who shared their own reactions and stories in the comments. "You giggling is sending me they are distraught girl," said one user. Stock image: A class of kindergarten children sits on the floor with hands raised. Stock image: A class of kindergarten children sits on the floor with hands raised. Halfpoint/iStock / Getty Images Plus "The GASPS AMIDST THE COLORING NOISES. I love these children," commented Sam. "The combined wailing would've sent me," added Stephanie. One parent shared a similar experience: "This was my daughter in kindergarten when she found out about MLK jr. She hung the picture she colored in class next to her bed for MONTHS after." Another viewer noted how children often perceive historical figures as part of the present: "No but there is something about the way we talk about him that makes them think he is modern. My daughter literally went and asked my mom if she helped vote him in office. I JUST REALIZED SHE TOTALLY DOESN'T KNOW HE IS DEAD." Even fellow educators chimed in with relatable stories: "This happened in my class as well! One of my students was so visibly upset about it the following day so I asked if he was ok and he said 'no. I miss Abraham Lincoln;' " shared another teacher. Newsweek reached out to @ca1ib3ast for comment via TikTok. We could not verify the details of the case. Do you have any viral videos or pictures that you want to share? We want to see the best ones! Send them in to life@ and they could appear on our site.
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Gettysburg Borough Council president backs Station Project
GETTYSBURG, Pa. (WHTM) — A campaign to stop a proposed apartment complex in Gettysburg did little to persuade the borough's council president. Matt Moon came out in support of the Gettysburg Station Project — a development that would add 180 apartments as well as retail and restaurant space between Carlisle and Stratton streets. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now 'From the borough's point of view, one of their key drivers would be economic growth, growing our tax base, lessening the tax burden on every resident in town and letting this parcel sit unused and wasting away is not effective,' Moon said. Many residents and local businesses opposed the project, arguing it would not blend with the historic area and would increase the tax burden. The land sits across the railroad tracks from the train station where President Abraham Lincoln arrived in 1863 before giving his famous Gettysburg Address. The Rabbit Transit station there would need to relocate. Opposition of Gettysburg Station Project grows; Borough promises economic growth Signs popped up with the phrases 'save historic Gettysburg' and 'stop Gettysburg Station Project.' A campaign, called Save Historic Gettysburg, also launched a website and petition. However, the project moves on. Next, PennDOT, the planning commission and other agencies will review the project in the coming months. The commission is currently reviewing the land division plan, which it will likely approve as long as the developers meet the ordinance requirements. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
