Reply #62: And why do we lionize men who owned other people as property?

[NYC Liberal]

Look at the founding fathers. The *owned human beings.* Washington, Jefferson, the lot of them. And yet we praise them, we talk about their achievements when, today, someone who trafficked in slaves would be in prison, probably for life.

Why do we praise them? Because they accomplished things, and we can appreciate and respect those accomplishments without thinking one way or another of what they did or thought personally. I voted for Obama because of his accomplishments and what I felt he would do for this country. As a leader, his accomplishments are ones to respect and to praise. What he has done thus far and what he plans to do - they are great things that hopefully can be accomplished.

That notwithstanding, yes, his views are bigoted. Period. Just as hers are. The difference between her and Barack Obama is that Obama has accomplished much. He's done many many things and those things, I support. Those things are the reasons why I voted for him. I never commented on her other views. I never claimed that she was some sort of total failure as a person, as a human being. She, too, may have done many other things - big or small - that deserve praise. That's fine - and if she has, then I will applaud those things that she has gotten right, those things that she has done, and those views that she holds which are not bigoted but worthy of praise.

I sincerely hope she changes her mind - and sees that her views here are bigoted. Just as I hope that Obama does the same. No person is perfect, and if we judged people by the worst of their deeds, or the worst of their thoughts, we'd have no one to look up to. What matters is whether or not people learn, and grow .. something I hope that both her and Obama do.