Replies

Needless to say Lincoln statues need to come down, he was pro-slavery, just anti-expansion. He did in fact make this clear throughout the campaign, though perhaps many voters didn't believe him. Even in jest I wouldn't suggest banning the American flag, but how about hiding all regimental flags (essentially battle flags as well) from public view. Both sides. Maybe we can erase the war altogether, though that might kill the grievance industry.

Not really intended to restart the FR Lincoln or war debate, yes, slavery was an issue, but the idea that the war entered into to end slavery is simply incorrect. If we can bash Jefferson and Washington for slavery, Lincoln deserves credit too. In initiating the war, he had the opportunity to establish slavery as the issue he didn't

Since I understand the issue of erasing Robert E. Lee from history, he freed his slaves in 1862, what do we do with Grant, who freed his personal slave a few years earlier, but not those he managed for his father in law until 1865. His wife too.

This was the lead of his address

...but the idea that the war entered into to end slavery is simply incorrect.

The idea that the war *wasn't* about slavery from its very beginning in South Carolina is simply incorrect. Secession and the war was about slavery in the south, as can be seen in the Ordinances of Secession and the secessionist op-eds.

“Needless to say Lincoln statues need to come down. . . “

I hate to have to post the following:

“I will say then that I am not, nor ever have been in favor of bringing about in anyway the social and political equality of the white and black races - that I am not nor ever have been in favor of making voters or jurors of negroes, nor of qualifying them to hold office, nor to intermarry with white people; and I will say in addition to this that there is a physical difference between the white and black races which I believe will forever forbid the two races living together on terms of social and political equality. And inasmuch as they cannot so live, while they do remain together there must be the position of superior and inferior, and I as much as any other man am in favor of having the superior position assigned to the white race. I say upon this occasion I do not perceive that because the white man is to have the superior position the negro should be denied everything.”
-Fourth Debate with Stephen A. Douglas at Charleston, Illinois, September 18, 1858 (The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln edited by Roy P. Basler, Volume III, pp. 145-146.) To be absolutely fair - and I want to be fair - we are going to have to have a national dialog about the future of the Lincoln Memorial.