THE PAST IS PROLOGUE
Written by my good friend and constitutional scholar, Scott N. Bradley.
At the beginning of the American Revolution, the great patriot Patrick Henry stated, "I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided; and that is the lamp of experience. I know of no way of judging the future but by the past."
In The Tempest, William Shakespeare (act 1, scene 1) observed "What's past is prologue," meaning, the experience of the past is but an introduction to that which is to come.
In many ways, history repeats itself. If we are willing to learn the lessons of history, perhaps the nation may avoid the mistakes of the past.
President Buhari gave an excellent speech. However, "prologue" is the wrong word in the context it is used: "A few people have privately voiced fears that on coming back to office I shall go after them. These fears are groundless. There will be no paying off old scores. The past is prologue." We can parse the word which way we want, it does not make it correct.
Obioma Nnaemeka, PhDChancellor's Distinguished Professor
President, Association of African Women Scholars (AAWS)
Dept. of World Languages & Cultures Phone: 317-278-2038; 317-274-0062 (messages)
Cavanaugh Hall 543A Fax: 317-278-7375Indiana University E-mail: nnaemeka@iupui.edu
425 University BoulevardIndianapolis, IN 46202 USA
From: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com [usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com] on behalf of Bode [ominira@gmail.com]
Sent: Saturday, May 30, 2015 1:47 PM
To: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Re-"The Past Is Prologue"
There are many phrases in that speech that makes me suspect I know who may have contributed to the speech from this list! In any case, CAO, neither the prologue nor the epilogue are part of Act, one introduces the audience to the first Act and the other provides additional information not known to the audience even after the final Act. How can the past come after the final Act of Buhari's Presidency, that is just about to begin? By saying the past is prologue, could he be saying the past is not the main Act or focus of his presidency? I agree as an idiom, it could mean a lot more…
Bode
On 5/30/15, 1:01 PM, "Chidi Anthony Opara" <chidi.opara@gmail.com> wrote:
President Buhari while trying to debunk opinions in some quarters that he would be vindictive in power said in his inaugural speech that "the past is prologue".
One have been at lost at what the president meant by that quote, within the context of the message he was trying to pass across.
The president surely, could not have meant that he would preface (start) this present with the past, which is what his quote potrayed in my opinion.
What about "the past is epilogue"?
CAO.
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