“Jefferson Davis was a treasonous traitor.”
Yes, which is why we should learn all about him, because before he became treasonous traitor, he was a Patriotic American citizen. Just like Benedict Arnold, I never knew that Arnold was a very well connected and a celebrated hero up until he did the unthinkable and turned traitor. It is important to know that traitors are not always dirty little lurking weasels looking for an opportunity to betray their country, often they are righteous honorable men up to just before the point they betray. It is important to see historical figures as human beings and to understand their situation in the events surrounding them. Knowing all this will server to remind us to be vigilant in whom we put in power today.
The more I know about Benedict Arnold the sadder I feel for him and our nation, yes he deserves the traitor brand, but I also recognize he was the hero of Saratoga. If only he could have continued to be the hero of Saratoga rather then the traitor of his country. Knowing more about Jeff Davis might help me better understand the times he lived in and what they mean to today.
Good post. The events of 1861 should also serve as a reminder of how easy it is to drift into a bloody war of attrition.