Show me a single southern leader of the times whose position was more racially enlightened than Lincoln's. One who advocated the end of slavery. One who thought that a Black man stood on equal footing as a White man. Just one southern leader, that's all I ask.
You missed the point entirely. You wish me to judge Lincoln only in light of his contemporaries in order to judge his degree of racism, eh? Well, guess what? That is what I ask all of you south bashers before going off half cocked and calling for the disinterment of those brave Confederate soldiers because they were traitors according to your modern, centralized-goverment-is-good sensibilities. Lincoln, according to my modern sensibilities was a racist.
I both instances, it is wrong to apply the social values of our time in judging the words and actions of the people of the mid 19th century. Lincoln, according to my historically attuned sensibilites was the Great Emancipator.
Get it? Leave the freakin' Confederate soldiers in peace, already.