How Lincoln Was Dissed

[brtmchl]

How is Lincoln " dissed today?"

Has anyone read this article or this book that is contained within? It seems there is a question as to whether Lincoln was gay. The article attempts to play both sides, but has anyone read C. A. Tripp's book, The Intimate World of Abraham Lincoln?

Is it me, or will people stretch anything in order to make a claim? Whether Lincoln was gay or not cannot be proven now, so in my oppinion I think it is disrespectful to make any claim that he was. He had a loving wife and children. To make this claim now, only seems to wreak of agendas in todays society.

The fact that there are books claiming this by people claiming to be authors and researches is shameful. If there was any real evidence then that is one thing, but it seems to me, based on this article, this claim is based entirely on the idea that Lincoln, in his younger years through his adult life, may have shared a bed with other men.

I know that in this day, immediately one may leap to the conclusion that he must be gay. But again, as talked about in numerous threads, one has to account for the time period. Am I wrong that boarding houses routinely boarded more than one person in a room or bed? Houses were much smaller and guests and relatives often shared beds. Atzerodt was found in bed with two others when he was arrested. One instance implied that Lincoln shared a bed with a friend Joshua Speed, implying that the two must have been lovers. Didn't terms such as " slept with" imply travel with also?

Lincoln had many enemies during his political career, especially as President. Wouldn't this " claim that Lincoln was gay " have ignited a frenzy to his critics. Lincoln lost his Senate bid to Douglas. Two years later, however, he found himself running against the same man for the presidency. When Douglas was told of Lincoln's victory, he unselfishly told his informants: "You have nominated a very able and very honest man." Democrats and newspapers were ruthless in this period, if there were rumors of Lincoln's sexuality would it not have been used against him politically? I can't believe that McClellan would have passed on it. You would think that as someone claiming to be a historian or reasearcher he would take the era into consideration, I do, and I am only a novice.

Before I am attacked for being anti gay, back off. I am simply stating that to make these claims to such a great man without proof is damaging. We think of Lincoln as Honest Abe, The Great Emancipator, The Liberator, and Father Abraham. Lincoln’s integrity and insistence on honesty became even more apparent in his law practice as detailed in his book, An Honest Calling: The Law Practice of Abraham Lincoln, Mark Steiner. People recognized his integrity and were soon asking him to act as judge or mediator in various contests, fights, and arguments. According to Robert Rutledge of New Salem, "Lincoln's judgment was final in all that region of country. People relied implicitly upon his honesty, integrity, and impartiality." "Mary Todd Lincoln once wrote to a friend that "Mr. Lincoln . . . is almost monomaniac on the subject of honesty."

To make the claim that Lincoln was gay, goes further than his sexuality. Leading a double life and having affairs, any affair, man or woman destroys the IDEA of Lincoln. It leads to new implications that Lincoln is dishonest, a betrayer, and an adulterer.

http://quod.lib.umich.edu/j/jala/2629860...w=fulltext