Brown's gift had deep historical signficance and recognized the vitality and legitimacy of the USA's past history.
It's only historical to England (Or the UK... or Britain or whatever)? How does this have any bearing on America's past? It fought neither with nor against US forces.
Anti-slavery? It was commissioned in 1878, 23 years after slavery didn't exist in America.
Then they made part of it basically a cup... for pencils.
Why didn't they just cut some steel out of a ship that fought at the Falklands, turn it into a coffee cup and have it symbolize America's war with Mexico?
Obama gave some admittingly classic American DVDs that did not have the same significance and could not even be watched.
So you think he did it on purpose? Is it lame because they were DVDs or because they didn't work? Are you guys really made Brown didn't get.. essentially, a knickknack?