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BainsBane

(52,999 posts)
70. Why must you ignore part of Lincoln's record
Sun Dec 2, 2012, 04:55 PM
Dec 2012

To hold him in esteem? You post reads like a grade-school version of history. Firstly, history is constantly in the process of revision. If it weren't, we would never have gotten beyond learning about kings and presidents. All history is revisionist. To hold political leaders to a 21st century standard does them a disservice. It not only ignores much of who they were, but it dismisses the difficult cultural context that they operated in. If Lincoln had thought as we do, ending slavery would have been an easy decision. His path was far more conflicted. His ability to resolve those contradicts in favor of freedom is precisely what made him such a great President.

Lincoln was NOT an abolitionist. He was a proponent of Free Soil. They were distinct movements. William Lloyd Garrison, Theodore Weld, The Grimkes, Frederick Douglass, and Sojourner Truth were abolitionists. Lincoln was far more pragmatic in seeking to stop the spread of slavery into the new territories. Yet it was Free Soil rather than abolitionism that succeeded in persuading Americans to vote to limit slavery, and that eventually let to it's end.

Lincoln was a active supporter of colonization. Read that section in The following link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham_Lincoln_and_slavery

What an idiot. milestogo Dec 2012 #1
You took the words out of my mouth. hrmjustin Dec 2012 #5
Now he thinks he's Lincoln? lsewpershad Dec 2012 #53
Remember Lincoln Logs???? Plucketeer Dec 2012 #77
This is an honestly creepy delusional person. efhmc Dec 2012 #2
I think west believed his own b.s. caveat_imperator Dec 2012 #64
Don't.... Aviation Pro Dec 2012 #3
Lincoln didn't lose re-election Lithos Dec 2012 #4
Ok Flatpicker Dec 2012 #6
he is the tea party darling tj_crackersnatch Dec 2012 #7
Welcome to DU! JimDandy Dec 2012 #35
Um...wow. Double stupid. Lincoln was re-elected in 1864, so even though his second term... Moonwalk Dec 2012 #8
(um, to Congress.) lastlib Dec 2012 #10
Lincoln lost quite a few elections and suffered 2 nervous breakdowns before becoming president Heather MC Dec 2012 #21
They booted Steele as soon as they could... Sekhmets Daughter Dec 2012 #51
He didn't do his job SummerSnow Dec 2012 #56
He was fired after the 2010 elections... Sekhmets Daughter Dec 2012 #57
Triple stupid. Lincoln was a progressive, not a regressive. Major Nikon Dec 2012 #27
Mr. West, I read about Abraham Lincoln... lastlib Dec 2012 #9
He also wasn't a racist asshole Fearless Dec 2012 #11
Although, to be fair . . . MrModerate Dec 2012 #25
Lincoln was racist BainsBane Dec 2012 #45
Does what one initially believes Fearless Dec 2012 #46
I don't think that is the relevant question BainsBane Dec 2012 #48
What do you base your assertions on Fearless Dec 2012 #67
I didn't say he detested blacks BainsBane Dec 2012 #69
No such wikipedia page exists. Looks like if it did, it wasn't exactly credible. Fearless Dec 2012 #78
Here it is BainsBane Dec 2012 #80
Your own source suggests that Fearless Dec 2012 #82
This is what it says BainsBane Dec 2012 #89
Also see Views on African Americans BainsBane Dec 2012 #71
Three days before his death Fearless Dec 2012 #83
absolutely BainsBane Dec 2012 #90
So? Fearless Dec 2012 #93
So? BainsBane Dec 2012 #94
There is a vast difference between "conflicted" and racist. Fearless Dec 2012 #95
See my other post to you BainsBane Dec 2012 #96
IIRC, Lincoln didn't end slavery SemperEadem Dec 2012 #59
Revisionist history (aka "lying") at its worst! tabasco Dec 2012 #63
Indeed. Fearless Dec 2012 #66
Why must you ignore part of Lincoln's record BainsBane Dec 2012 #70
ZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzz ...... tabasco Dec 2012 #73
Which is why you refuse to read the link BainsBane Dec 2012 #79
lots of educated fools out there, too SemperEadem Dec 2012 #87
I do believe I prefaced my post with SemperEadem Dec 2012 #85
Also see BainsBane Dec 2012 #72
I don't care about Lincoln SemperEadem Dec 2012 #86
actually it was lincoln's father who was against slavery newspeak Dec 2012 #97
CBS "takes a closer look" 99th_Monkey Dec 2012 #12
"And Abraham Lincoln tortured people, too..." Ken Burch Dec 2012 #13
Yes. And far more single-term congresscritters have slipped into obscurity or irrelevance. . . Journeyman Dec 2012 #14
Shut up already! radicalliberal Dec 2012 #15
As The Firesign Theatre once put it... Ken Burch Dec 2012 #16
Delusions of grandeur. :rolleyes: Bernardo de La Paz Dec 2012 #17
How many war crimes did Lincoln commit when he was in the Army? jmowreader Dec 2012 #18
The difference is.... NickP Dec 2012 #19
Colonel, I knew Abe Lincoln. Arkana Dec 2012 #20
+1 aaaaaa5a Dec 2012 #29
The President only served one term in the senate LadyHawkAZ Dec 2012 #22
Same as obama Garion_55 Dec 2012 #23
There ya go repugs donco Dec 2012 #24
You mean Vice President of Toilet Bowl Inspections for W. Palm Beach Left Coast2020 Dec 2012 #42
Davy Crockett only served one term then promptly left the country Brother Buzz Dec 2012 #26
Flat out delusional. nt aaaaaa5a Dec 2012 #28
and if the R's keep coming up with these T-bagger candidates, they'll all be one-term wonders wordpix Dec 2012 #30
'cuse me while I get this out and use it.... 47of74 Dec 2012 #31
Phail. Jamaal510 Dec 2012 #32
Allen West injured a prisoner. AtheistCrusader Dec 2012 #33
when equating oneself to Lincoln, that's the equivalent of naming... Javaman Dec 2012 #34
Lincoln killed zombies, too. SomeGuyInEagan Dec 2012 #36
Please run for president! Renew Deal Dec 2012 #37
What a jerk racer_tim Dec 2012 #38
Welcome to DU! hrmjustin Dec 2012 #68
I knew Abraham Lincoln. Tab Dec 2012 #39
Looks like... SoapBox Dec 2012 #40
Yeah, and what a difference 165 years makes. Loser. n/t jtuck004 Dec 2012 #41
So this nut Third Doctor Dec 2012 #43
For this statement mzteaze Dec 2012 #44
>facepalm< chef jeff Dec 2012 #47
Lamestream Media Continues to Iggy Dec 2012 #49
Has he congratulated Patrick Murphy yet? jopacaco Dec 2012 #50
geesh! heaven05 Dec 2012 #52
I think West is confusing Napoleon with Lincoln. no_hypocrisy Dec 2012 #54
Which way to go on this: 1) Run, WEST, run!1 or, 2) You, Rep., are NO Abe LINCOLN!1 n/t UTUSN Dec 2012 #55
first he made Harriet Tubman roll over in her grave Enrique Dec 2012 #58
Seems that Rethugs,,,, Cryptoad Dec 2012 #60
sounds like a threat to me. mzteris Dec 2012 #61
Reminds me of what Carl Sagan said: NYC Liberal Dec 2012 #62
He is needs professional help... and-justice-for-all Dec 2012 #65
So Allen West is the new Abraham Lincoln just as Rick Santorum is the new George Washington? Douglas Carpenter Dec 2012 #74
But Lincoln was an intelligent man... lin_e65 Dec 2012 #75
LOL. At least he's an AMUSING jackass. NC_Nurse Dec 2012 #76
No, that was Herman Cain... teknomanzer Dec 2012 #88
Hey, Allen MurrayDelph Dec 2012 #81
Remember the old urban legend Lincoln /Kennedy coincidences?? PossumSqueezins Dec 2012 #84
Lincoln will be forever remembered as one of our greatest presidents BainsBane Dec 2012 #91
This message was self-deleted by its author freethought Dec 2012 #92
Yeah, but Lincoln wasn't a nutcase. n/t freethought Dec 2012 #98
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