E.J. Dionne Jr. - Washington Post on Lincoln

[David Lockmiller]

On Presidents Day 2022, E.J. Dionne Jr. wrote of Lincoln:

We should not deny that Lincoln — especially during his 1858 Senate campaign, when he was pursuing his era’s swing voters, who were racist — declared himself opposed to “bringing about in any way the social and political equality of the white and black races” and spoke of “a physical difference” between them.

But Lincoln said this in the course of arguing against the far more racist position of his opponent, Stephen A. Douglas. Lincoln was speaking against the spread of slavery and in defense of common humanity across racial lines. “In the right to eat the bread, without the leave of anyone else, which his own hand earns,” he said of Black Americans, “he is my equal, and the equal of Judge Douglas, and the equal of every living man.”

Yes, Lincoln pandered to and in some ways partook in the racism of his time. We can recognize this and still honor him for saving the Union, ending slavery and cleansing its stain on our Constitution — even if the embarrassed Founders omitted the actual word — by pushing through the 13th Amendment.

[GustD45]

I believe too many people currently calling themselves "woke" need to truly study history and stop judging the past with present mores. Lincoln was a man of his time. He knew he needed votes and the only way to do that was to pander to people Lincoln wouldn't normally associate. During the war, and even before when he was President-elect Lincoln had to walk a political tight-rope. Lincoln always knew he wasn't going to please everyone. Lincoln saved the union in spite of itself.

[AussieMick]

100% agreement from me.

I wonder how the people who are currently taking a high moral ground with respect to Lincoln on racial issues, would have managed in 1860. Would they have discussed their views on black-white equality in all things ( including voting, employment opportunity, marriage and sexual affairs) ? Would they think that publicly expounding those views would have assisted in the elimination of slavery or improving the lives of Black Americans ( I choose not to use the term Afro-Americans) ?
Would they have had the courage and foresight of Abraham Lincoln?

[Amy L.]

And what would have happened if Lincoln weren't elected? Without his self-reliant leadership?

I appreciated someone's analogy - The past, if one were to visit it, is like a foreign country.

(Appreciate it especially an ex-pat, where adapting is like learning to walk backwards.)

[AussieMick]

Amy, it was LP Hartley, UK writer, who said The past is a foreign country, they do things differently there.

[LincolnMan]

Good comments here. Yes, it seems some modern day writers do enjoy pointing out Lincoln’s statements about race that today are cringe worthy. Yet, like we have written so often- Lincoln’s achievements speak for themselves. He was big enough to be inconsistent, said W. E. B. Du Bois.