The history buffs of the family want to see the movie.
I'd like to see it but I think I would find it frustrating.
I think it is especially dangerous to glorify the man ultimately responsible for the rape of the south and the idea that the rights of Federal Government are supreme over that of the states and the individual.
It is my opinion that the way in which the civil war was prosecuted, meaning the suspension of individual rights in the North, forced conscription in the North, imprisonment of dissenters in the North, the continuation of Slavery in the North, disproved any moral high ground that was held by the Federals at the beginning of the war.
Furthermore, the distinction of being the man to institute the concept of total war-and against one's own people, should rank him up there in the historical rogues gallery of brutal leaders.
And finally, it has annoyed me for years that Christians glorify the man who absolutely used their sentimentality to kill thousands of their brothers. A man who attempted to communicate to dead spirits in the White House? Sort of up there with the blasphemy of GWB who prayed in a Mosque on 9/12. (an event that has gone down the memory hole)
Here is a link to a review of the film. (Click here)
I found this review by doing a search for the term, "Lincoln Movie Propaganda." So you see, I'm certainly not biased....
Read the comments, I especially like the comments by Robert M. Shivers.
Of course the bottom line in the whole discussion of the Civil War is that civilized countries dealt with slavery without a war. The British simply bought off the big plantation owners in some of their possessions. The advent of the machine age was going to eliminate the market for slaves.
What the war did was foster a hatred for black people and Yankees that has defined the border between the North and South ever since. (perhaps a bit of an over statement)
I also really enjoy the irony of Christians who are convinced by their leaders and clergy to kill each other. Our ability to completely ignore most of the New Testament and go whole heartedly into "Just War Theory" is amazing.
Of course the timing of this movie is spot on. We have the new succession movement. There is the continual war on the Constitution. A movie about Lincoln should have particular interest in today's world.
And now, I have to go to work.
Kind of pointless as the price of farmland goes up daily and the point at which the government takes everything you own drops next year.
I will make an interesting observation, when I did a search for, "constitutional rights lost mother jones," the top links said nothing about the last four years or the famous act that protects up from terror.
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55% tax on estates valued over a million? So much for the land of the free. That is outrageous. Before I say too much maybe I better look into the tax rate on estates here in Canada.
ReplyDeleteWouldn't be so bad for some of us, but farmland prices are going through the roof!
DeleteStarted following one of your links & ended up reading about American Apparel ads. My goodness! Too bad this country is more sold on war than sex in ads. Or is it?
ReplyDeleteI like Victoria's Secret better... "I'm not that kind of angel"
DeleteThen again, if the United States hadn't stayed united, what would the outcome of WW I and WW II have been? AND, would England have re-invaded the divided country at the Civil War's end?
ReplyDeleteWhy would it really have mattered if England would have re-invaded?
DeleteWhy did it matter who won or lost WWI?
If the French and British would not have ruined Germany in the peace treaty would there have been an Adolf?
Would there have been a WWII?
If Lincoln would have been a great statesman would there have been succession?
To much good stuff here to chew on. We really need a coffee shop and a retirement check so we can really go at this stuff.
DeleteOn your last point: I have read through Lincoln's side of the Lincoln/Douglas debates and his speeches leading up to his election. His repeated mantra was that he would do nothing to mess with slavery in the South. They seceded and started shooting anyway. I am not sure you can lay that at his feet.
So many opinions, so little time.
Grace and peace.
Pumice, Lincoln is the historical representation of the Yankee or those who know better than I cause they went to University Of Oregon in 1965. So we build our own mythology the same as those who cast the southerner as Bible thumping, racists, gun nuts. I subscribe to the notion of the Noble Southerner who was put upon by the Rich Northern Industrialists. This is because I have some wonderful Southern Gentlemen in my past and because I listened to Tom Petty, "Southern Accents" album too much in college.
ReplyDeleteHey, I'm just being honest...
I would be happy to debate over coffee. Perhaps at the Blue Goat?
Years ago we were at a Civil War reenactment and heard a Confederate officer stand on a cannon and give a speech about states rights. I must say he had some important points. As we look at the Federal power grabs that have gone on since the Civil War, I also have some sympathy for the position of the south. We may be heading that way again only this time it will be Red and Blue.
DeleteDoes the Blue Goat serve sushi?
Grace and peace.