Posted on 11/18/2012 11:43:36 AM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
With only a limited theatrical release last week, Steven Spielberg’s latest work of imaginative fiction is scheduled for wide release today. I know Hollywood plays fast and loose with history, but when they go out of their way to get the wallpaper in Lincoln’s office exactly right, and use a recording of his actual watch as the sound effect for his movie watch, but pay little deference to his actual statements or opinions… something must be said.
People are seriously calling the Lincoln movie a “much needed civics lesson.” In reality it’s essentially a 2.5 hour courtroom drama about slavery that never happened. Reviews everywhere celebrate the performance of Daniel Day-Lewis in the title role, and he should be celebrated. He stunningly and artfully brought the fictional character of our grade school textbooks to life.
The film focuses entirely on the final years of Lincoln’s life, from the tail end of the war to his inevitable assassination (spoiler alert). Lincoln and his dagger-tongued Cabinet bicker about how to end the war and slavery at the same time. The Confederates want to negotiate a peace, and so does Lincoln, but see they’ve just got to end slavery before the war ends, not after… because… well no reason really.
Starting the story at the end allows the writers to conveniently ignore the uncomfortable history that lead up to it. Sort of how “Passion of the Christ” allowed Mel Gibson to ignore anything Jesus actually taught. Here’s some of what was suspiciously left out.
Before the movie began Lincoln imposed a blockade on Southern ports with no declaration of war from Congress. He suspended habeas corpus, which is the protection against unlawful imprisonment. When a Chief Justice of the Supreme Court called this unconstitutional Lincoln signed his own arrest warrant for the Justice...
(Excerpt) Read more at examiner.com ...
A much better idea!
Thank God somebody else thought War Horse was a joke.
Spielberg’s glory days are over.
[such as they were]
All he can do now is jerk tears out of viewers by tortuous force, if necessary.
Also, Lincoln freed no one with his proclamation. Slavery was constitutional. Bad, yes, but constitutional. If his proclamation ended slavery, then why do we have the 13th amendment?
Sounds like what we face with Obamacare...
And the jack-booted thugs will be in charge.
I would go out of my way to not watch it.
We are already bombarded with constant propaganda, I have no intention of paying to watch more.
As you said platitudes are not helpful. The truth is that the civil war was about states rights. However, one of those rights had to do with slavery. The vast majority of southerners would probably have given up the institution of slavery if it meant that the u.s. would have left the confederacy alone (especially if the war had not started until the cotton gin was in widespread use). However the wealthy minority of plantation owners would never accept it and they had most of the influence.
Furthermore, if the issue of slavery was off the table- the north would still have fought just as hard to keep the south from leaving. One majpr difference would be that the south might have been able to obtain england as an ally as england was very antislavery at the time. That may have made a difference, although I doubt it.
I think the lessons to take from that unfortunate time in history is to wait until you have a good chance at success before you attempt independence, don’t let emotion get in the way of judgement before going to war, be realistic about your chances, and if the timing isn’t right the you continue to prepare until it is. Also make damn sure that what you are fighting for is worth it.
After reading the history of the revolutionary war, i’ve come to the conclusion that the rebels (washington, franklin, et al.) were very lucky. England did some very stupid things and misread the situation in north america- if they hadn’t the east coast and probably more would still be under the crown now.
Excellent post.
Too many people want to play the “ends justify the means” game when it comes to Lincoln.
The Civil War is the most shameful event in American history, and the blame lies on both sides.
Pithy truth.
I’m not sure at this point that the America we grew up in was the America of the Founders.
The more I learn about the history of our Founding, the more I realize just how far we have strayed.
And I like these quotes, which i believe are valid:
Abraham Lincoln (1809—1865. 16th President from 1861 to 1865; led his country through its greatest constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union while ending slavery, and promoting economic and financial modernization) — It is the duty of nations, as well as of men, to own their dependence upon the overruling power of God and to recognize the sublime truth announced in the Holy Scriptures and proven by all history, that those nations only are blessed whose God is the Lord...
But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious Hand which preserved us in peace, and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us; and we have vainly imagined in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced be some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us!
It behooves us, then, to humble ourselves before the offended Power, to confess our national sins, and to pray for clemency and forgiveness.
Now, therefore, in compliance with the request, and fully concurring in the views of the Senate, I do, by this my proclamation, designate and set apart Thursday, the 30th day of April, 1863, as a day of national humiliation, fasting, and prayer. And I do hereby request all the People to abstain, on that day, from their ordinary secular pursuits, and to unite, at their several places of public worship and their respective homes, in keeping the day holy to the Lord, and devoted to the humble discharge of the religious duties proper to that solemn occasion.
All this being done, in sincerity and truth, let us then rest humbly in the hope, authorized by the Divine teachings, that the united cry of the Nation will be heard on high, and answered with blessings, no less the pardon of our national sins, and the restoration of our now divided and suffering Country, to its former happy condition of unity and peace. (Proclamation for National Day of Humiliation, Fasting, and Prayer; http://peacebyjesus.witnesstoday.org/ProclamationNationalFastDay.html)
• Intelligence, patriotism, Christianity, and a firm reliance on Him who has never yet forsaken this favored land, are still competent to adjust in the best way all our present difficulties. (A Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents, 1789-1897, James D. Richardson, editor [Published by Authority of Congress, 1899), Vol. VI, p. 11, from his First Inaugural, March 4, 1861])
• That every man may receive at least a moderate education, and thereby be enabled to read the histories of his own and other countries, by which he may duly appreciate the value of our free institutions, appears to be an object of vital importance, even on this account alone, to say nothing of the advantages and satisfaction to be derived from all being able to read the Scriptures, and other works both of a religious and moral nature for themselves. (The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln, Roy P. Basler, editor [New Jersey: Rutgers University Press, 1953], Vol. I, p. 8, from his "Communication to the People of Sangamo County," March 9, 1832)
• [Attributed] As a ruler I doubt if any president has ever shown such trust in God, or in public documents so frequently referred to Divine aid. Often did he remark to friends and to delegations that his hope for our success rested in his conviction that God would bless our efforts, because we were trying to do right. To the address of a large religious body he replied, "Thanks be unto God, who, in our national trials, giveth us the Churches." To a minister who said he hoped the Lord was on our side, he replied that it gave him no concern whether the Lord was on our side or not "For," he added, "I know the Lord is always on the side of right;" and with deep feeling added, "But God is my witness that it is my constant anxiety and prayer that both myself and this nation should be on the Lord's side." (Rev. Matthew Simpson, D.D, May 4, 1865, Funeral address, Methodist Episcopal Church, Springfield, Illinois; http://beck.library.emory.edu/lincoln/sermon.php?id=simpson.001)
Thank you for your informed post and balance
Very fitting and sobering.
Sadly, that terrible movie is based on one of the greatest theatre experiences of my life. The National Theatre of Great Britain’s “War Horse.” Spielberg - a suburban child of California - had no idea how to present the horror of World War I. And he dared to complain that “real” horses were not as talented as “puppet” horses. DUH! The play has humans manipulating huge “puppet” horses with great emotion and beauty. The movie has very pretty horses who, naturally, don’t know how to act!
Personally, for me, Mr. Spielberg’s movie career ended with the brilliant “Jaws.”
I something believe you are exactly right.
Well stated!
Facts: I don’t think the South was excluded from 1860 election - SC seceded in December after the election.
DDL hasn’t really done much and it’s been 20 years since “Last of the Mohicans”, a great movie.
My husband is interested in this Lincoln movie - he’s a Yankee with military forebears thereof - and he’s a movie nut so seeing a Spielberg movie is something he’d naturally do.
I’m sure he figures I’m not really hep on it. Not a fan of either.
I wonder if the movie even mentions that Lincoln was a Republican?
I don’t agree with some, I believe if they had forsworn slavery (which in practicality they couldn’t), there would have been tremendous pressure to stop the ‘war of northern aggression’ as Lincoln would have lost his moral authority and imperative and Manifest Destiny wasn’t enough particularly when it meant a bloody civil war. One caveat however, had the war ceased and the south seceded under such a scenario, a land war in American was inevitable at some time in the future as both sides would have felt a stirring of Manifest Destiny.
The South however, was locked into it’s own destiny as it couldn’t and didn’t want to forswear slavery as much of their economy and their very Gentry depended upon it. Yes there were other factors involved, States rights not being the least, but it was the Old World (slavery) vs. the New World (Industrialization) and it was the burning hearts of anti-slavery movement that fueled the North and the misguided pride of the south that fueled their defeat and any chance of them winning a future conflict with the North dwindled every decade that slipped by. The South was eager for the war.
Yes, to the South it wasn’t about slavery, but to the North, it was all about slavery.
And for other reasons, I don’t think it was as much a matter of luck as it was matter of distance and cost. Both sides where smart enough to realize that it was just a matter of attrition until the British lost. They weren’t fighting aboriginals, they were fighting people just like them and unlike wars in Europe, it took considerable resources and time to get and maintain troops over here that where otherwise deterring France, Spain and the ever looming Prussians and the nascent Junkers.
No, the South voted in that election, and they began to secede between his election and inaugaration.
“the blame lies on both sides”......
You are exactly right, the north was wrong, the south was wrong and most of all slavery was wrong.
Interesting, obviously we are both using hypotheticals, but i’m curious as to why you think waiting would have made the south more likely to lose the war? Would a more industrialized south have a better chance, or are you assuming the south either wouldn’t have industrialized or that the north would have been able to enlarge the industrial gap as time went on?
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