[ronald reagan]

A friend of mine recently told me in a passionate monologue that Lincoln was the black man's best friend, and the primary force behind equality. And he even quoted Obama, among others, in his defense of Lincoln. Most of his 'facts' were directly from his college history textbook, and his memory of k-12 schooling. Listening to him, it makes perfect sense. And 99% of Americans would agree with him. In fact, up until just a few years ago, so would I. But today, I'm educated. And being educated, is far different than 'knowing something'. For instance, in 1400 -- we 'knew' the earth was flat. Before that, we "knew" the earth was the center of the universe, and especially the center of the solar system. Other things we've "known" throughout history include aristotle's idea that life generated from nothing. He "knew" that mice spontaneously appeared from garbage. Alligators from mud at the bottom of the water.

I "knew" Lincoln as a just man who fought the civil war because he believed Blacks were equal to whites. But I LEARNED something very different when I simply looked into it a little deeper. Here's what I found:

While I was at the hotel to—day, an elderly gentleman called upon me to know whether I was really in favor of producing a perfect equality between the negroes and white people... I will say then that I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of bringing about in any way 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 ***** should be denied every thing. I do not understand that because I do not want a ***** woman for a slave I must necessarily want her for a wife. [Cheers and laughter.] My understanding is that I can just let her alone. I am now in my fiftieth year, and I certainly never have had a black woman for either a slave or a wife. So it seems to me quite possible for us to get along without making either slaves or wives of negroes. I will add to this that I have never seen, to my knowledge, a man, woman or child who was in favor of producing a perfect equality, social and political, between negroes and white men... I will also add to the remarks I have made, that I have never had the least apprehension that I or my friends would marry negroes if there was no law to keep them from it, but as Judge Douglas and his friends seem to be in great apprehension that they might, if there were no law to keep them from it, I give him the most solemn pledge that I will to the very last stand by the law of this State, which forbids the marrying of white people with negroes. I will add one further word, which is this: that I do not understand that there is any place where an alteration of the social and political relations of the ***** and the white man can be made except in the State Legislature—not in the Congress of the United States—...

Lincoln wasn't a freedom lover. He was a commander in chief, trying to preserve the union. Slavery was part of the deal, necessary to win the war and the support of factions of the nation that might not support the conflict. He was simply stating that he did not support slavery, but made crystal clear -- that did not mean anything other than just that. He thought whites were superior, and blacks were inferior. He didn't believe that being antislavery meant that one had to marry the "*****" he felt should be free. In fact, he felt and stated emphatically and consistently that the ***** he felt should be freed from slavery, should never be part of the rest of society.

Funny how history writes its own story sometimes. Luckily, we have the rest of the story, if we're willing to take the blinders off.

Thoughts?