Learning from Lincoln: Both Onscreen and Off

Townhall,com ^ | December 8, 2012 | Daniel Doherty

[nothingnew]

That is your opinion to which you are entitled. Nothing more

Thank you me Lord.

FMCDH(BITS)

[robowombat]

Cultish adulation of politicians only blinds one to political realities and reduces history to a cartoonish story line with simplistic heroes and villains. Elevating any politician to the level of a secular deity as has been done first by the GOP and then by the leftist statists who came after reflects poorly on what is supposed to be a republic. Our leaders are not gods but men. Seeing them as gods, as Lincoln seated like Zeus at Olympia in a pseudo-Greek temple is a monument to the debasement of the republic. Lincoln was a clever politician nothing more. He stumbled into a civil war because he as most men in the North, could not believe the South was really serious about separating. He compounded his blunder by pushing the states of the upper South out of the Union by apportioning his call for volunteers to those states as well as the North. Lincoln the President is worth studying not as some comic book figure but as the relentless pragmatist who would do what ever it took to win. A man with no fixed principles but clear goals and objectives he is a model of the ruthless power driven success oriented leader. Unfortunately he is not around to deal with the Muslims. I am sure he could figure out how to do a Burning billy Sherman act on them while claiming he was liberating them for a ‘new birth of freedom’ or something.

[robowombat]

The bigger the killer the greater the retrospective stature. Romanians consider Vlad Tepes as one of their greatest heroes. Russians cling to the image of the all powerful Vozd Joseph Stalin.Today Stalin has once more been elevated into the pantheon of Russia's greatest heroes. Lincoln was successful, he fought a great war, hundreds of thousands died, it was grand. He is a hero.

[EternalVigilance]

Outstanding.

[robowombat]

And yours are something more?

[Kaslin]

Not at all

[Neoliberalnot]

And why was Lincoln’s life worth one more penny than any of those boys he sent to certain death to kill their fellow Americans.

[Paperdoll]

My goodness! Where did you get your education? From Obama? If ever anyone needed the Lord, you do.

[Neoliberalnot]

Why not simply address the subject matter rather than make a personal attack ?

[Paperdoll]

I do not think of Abraham Lincoln s a politician, a god, or even an idol of any kind. I think of him as a human being who, through his faith, rose above difficult times, rejection, the and stupidity of his peers to achieve through human trial and error the goals God had in mind for him. I also think of him as a kindred soul.

[Paperdoll]

Your warped vision of Abraham Lincoln requires inquiry as to the source of your unworthy rant. The entire nation deeply mourned the untimely demise of a great and loved American. The tracks of his funeral train were lined with many thousands of his countrymen standing in silent honor of their valiant leader.

[lentulusgracchus]

(Article) After all, given the grossly partisan antics we’ve seen thus far, it certainly can’t hurt.

Are you kidding? Lincoln's entire presidency was one long train of "grossly partisan antics". What do you call a civil war in which one kills rather than persuades -- "statesmanship"?

[lentulusgracchus]

The entire nation deeply mourned the untimely demise of a great and loved American.

He wasn't great and loved until after he was safely dead.

[Chickensoup]

Interesting that there was a character who looked exactly like Ted Kennedy.

I had heard that speilberg apologized for Showing Republicans in a good light in the film when it opened in NYC but I cannot find the link to confirm this.

[Neoliberalnot]

My unworthy rant rests with the 650,000 young men and boys in their graves. Your warped view simply rests on a single menacing monster most responsible for not allowing southern states to separate in peace. You clearly place greater value on paper of big government over the lives of people. The Jesus Christ I follow sees all people of equal value.

[Paperdoll]

Freedom has never been free.

I, too, believe all people are born equal. Of course some of them were born black. The economy of the south depended on black slaves, who definitely were not treated equally.

The Civil War and President Lincoln’s emancipation paraoclamation ended slavery, and apparently the South will never get over it.

[Paperdoll]

The Civil War rages on......

[central_va]

The economy of the south depended on black slaves, who definitely were not treated equally.

Only the absolutely largest plantations had slaves and were profitable. The average farmer picked his own damn cotton. The ENTIRE economy of the South did not depend on slavery. That is just bull$h1t. Only 15% of households had slaves. Feeding and housing slaves cradle to grave was an expensive proposition.

[central_va]

The Civil War and President Lincoln’s emancipation paraoclamation[sic] ended slavery,

Apparently you know nothing....

[Neoliberalnot]

I am not from the South. My family fought for the North, but yet I see the massive evil that was done. The Africans were sold by their own people and ended up far better off here regardless. Less than 10% of southerners owned slaves. Most people today are simply slaves to big government. Try living out from under government and find your property taken, be caged like a lower animal, or killed by a swat team. Lincoln did not start the war to end slavery but to expand his power and to him killing 600 or 6 million was of little consequence.