Today is Abraham Lincoln’s Birthday

[Tom Paine 1949]

I’d like to recommend the 2013 movie “Lincoln,” starring Daniel Day Lewis, which tried and I think succeeded in portraying the mature Lincoln in the final down-and-dirty struggle to pass the 13th Amendment, a struggle that nearly failed even after the South was defeated.

The U.S finally has a holiday celebrating the end of slavery, on June 19th. This is the probably unfortunately named “Juneteenth National Independence Day” holiday. The Jubilee/Juneteenth holiday has African-American roots, and taps into the deep black cultural experience of slavery, emancipation, and a final century of apartheid oppression. Obviously we do not want this new holiday to be portrayed as merely a Liberal / African-American “Independence Day” counterposed to a patriotic flag-waving “White American” July 4th Independence Day … but will we succeed completely in that effort?

I think Lincoln was in many ways a leader and President too farsighted, too wise, too damn good at his job … than this hate-filled and divided country in 1860 deserved.

Lincoln was our blessing, and we were his curse. Yet he was utterly a part of this nation, having absorbed our best ideals and recognized our fatal, irresolvable contradictions.

Let nobody malign the man who accepted responsibility for finally cutting the Gordian knot of slavery in North America.

 

[Uncensored2008]

Will democrats attack the Lincoln Memorial again?

Fact check: Lincoln Memorial steps vandalized during George Floyd protests

An image on social media appears to show the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. vandalized during recent demonstrations against police brutality. This claim is true.

www.reuters.com

 

[Tom Paine 1949]

Somebody on another board reminded me that today is also Darwin’s birthday. Both great men were born on exactly the same date, February 12th, 1809.

 

[Uncensored2008]

Somebody on another board reminded me that today is also Darwin’s birthday. Both great men were born on exactly the same date, February 12th, 1809.

Do you plan to join with your fellow Nazis and vandalize the Lincoln memorial again?

 

[Tom Paine 1949]

Do you plan to join with your fellow Nazis and vandalize the Lincoln memorial again?

Well, look here. Somebody thinks being “uncensored” means … acting like an ignorant jackass.

 

[Devils_Advocate]

One issue is Lincoln would have never ended Slavery in the South had the Confederate States not left the Union and fought the Union States, so as you celebrate the man let be factual and remember Lincoln was not going to end slavery until he had to punish the Confederate States!

 

[Tom Paine 1949]

I spoke in my short recommendation of the Spielberg movie “Lincoln” about how it portrayed “the mature Lincoln in the final down-and-dirty struggle to pass the 13th Amendment, a struggle that nearly failed even after the South was defeated.”

Lincoln grew in stature and understanding throughout his life. Early on he strove above all to “save the Union” and merely prevent any expansion of slavery outside the South. To imply on the contrary that he was so infantile and petty as to somehow aim “not to end slavery until he had punish[ed] the Confederate States!” — is to malign him in a most savage and ignorant way.