The 1619 Project (in the New York Times Magazine)

[David Lockmiller]

(09-09-2020 04:03 AM)Amy L. Wrote:  But Sept 7. David L. made the following assertion, which was a good point:

"Politicians 'improve' President Lincoln's quotations because on any particular subject matter President Lincoln did not say or write the 'correct' words at the time and thereby conveyed the 'wrong' message on the particular subject matter under current discussion. It's sort of a public service not appreciated by 'purists',..."

Just because Harry Jaffa says the Lyceum speech means [this], does that make it so? . . . .

I could not find the complete story about Lincoln's discussion with a group of men who apparently had made to Lincoln an invalid assertion of important fact. And directly to the valid point that you make, Amy, Lincoln asks of the men:

"How many legs will a sheep have if you call his tail a leg?"

They answered "Five."

"You are mistaken," replied Lincoln, "for calling a tail a leg does not make it so."

And, to the point Amy was making: "Just because Harry Jaffa says the Lyceum speech means [this], does that make it so?"