Reduxing Lincoln....Again

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!

I wonder why I never knew that Abe Lincoln, the Republican Party great bulwark, never viewed blacks as equals of whites. As a matter of fact, in Eric Foner's book review of historian Lerone Bennett, Jr. book "Forced Into Glory: Abraham Lincoln's White Dream" (in which he mostly slams and belittles Bennett's book), Foner quotes Bennett as writing that Lincoln "shared the racial prejudices of most of his white contemporaries."

Though not a member of The American Colonization Society, an organization formed in the early 1800's to send free blacks to Africa, Bennett writes that Lincoln was a proponent of their beliefs, according to the book review. The American Colonization Society believed that free slaves would not be able to integrate successfully into American society. The African nation of Liberia was set up to settle blacks into the African continent.

In the same book review, Foner quotes Bennett as writing that Lincoln "favored colonizing blacks outside the United States and explicitly endorsed the state's laws barring blacks from voting, serving on juries, holding office, and intermarrying with whites. He enjoyed minstrel shows and used the word "Nigger" in private conversation and sometimes in speeches."

Another author Eric Foner quotes in his book review is historian Richard Hofstadter. He is quoted as writing in his book, “The American Political Tradition,” that Lincoln opposed “bringing about in any way the social and political equality of the black and white races.” He underscores Lincoln's ability to maintain two contrary thoughts at once and "pointedly juxtaposed Lincoln's 1858 speech in Chicago affirming the equality of man with his address in pro-slavery southern Illinois the same year insisting that he opposed “bringing about in any way the social and political equality of the black and white races.”

Hmmm....Perhaps, I should not wonder why Republicans hold Abraham Lincoln in high esteem, but instead wonder why Black Republicans buy into the great myth.


Tantalizing Tibit: Loyola College Economics professor, Thomas J. DiLorenzo in his article, "The Lincoln Cult's Latest Cover-up," mentions the discovery of a copy of a letter sent by Honest Abe to the governor of Florida "imploring him... to rally political support for a constitutional amendment that would have legally enshrined slavery in the U.S. Constitution."

Remembering Mom

I wonder why I never knew how devastating separation can be? Two years ago today I lost my Mother to ovarian cancer.The time from diagnosis to her passing was 5 months, almost to the day. Not time enough for the couple of weeks she wanted us to spend at my uncle's time-share Kuaian condo. Nor time enough to say good-bye.

Among Mom's many feats of accomplishments, one made her most proud: Mom was world travelled. Over two decades of travel she landed on all but one continent: Antarctica. During each trip she saw the world's wonders, after which she returned home a little wiser about world history taught to her first hand by the citizens of the world. By the time of her death she had managed to make lasting friendships with citizens from dozens of countries. It was me who she was planning to take by the hand and to show the world.

Professionally, my Mother was an educator and a reading specialist for an urban-area elementary school. For 30+ years, with sharp focus and patience, she taught to read elementary school kids who others had given up on. She was the teacher to whom students returned years later to thank for believing in them. Parents who'd had one child in her classroom made certain my mother taught the other siblings in the family as well. Mom believed in worker's rights. As a Union leader she was a staunch believer in employees being treated fairly on the job. So Mom worked long hours to uphold teacher's rights. The two things- education and teacher's rights- not being mutually exclusive.

As a single mother who raised 4 kids, Mom was tough, smart, wise, gentle, devoted and a much-loved lady. She never stopped learning, surrounding herself with shelves full of books. Nor did she ever stop teaching. She took special joy in recounting family history to me into a tape recorder as she lay weak on her death bed.

I never knew nor had I ever thought about how tough it would be not having Mom here with me. I had not realized how resilient a thing ((or stubborn a thing) is separation/loss. Over the years I've witnessed the emotions of friends of mine who've lost their parents. I've hugged them and have grieved with them over their loss. Yet months and years afterwards they always seemed, to me, to return to some sense of normalcy. They laugh, go to work everyday, get married and have kids. They talk about everyday problems, like the high cost of taxes or bad bosses. I never knew... and they never let on... how deep the void is or how wide the chasm, and the accompanying pain and grief, that lies between them and whatever exists on the other side, where our parents now are. Now I know.

I have always believed that knowledge is power. Have felt pride in testifying that in my family I am third generation college educated. That's quite an achievement for any American family. For the past several weeks, as the anniversary (we need a more appropriate word for the more solemn occasions) of her death approached I sometimes wished there were things I could never have need to know- having to figure out how to deal with her death is at the top of that list. On the other hand, that would certainly dishonor her life's work and my family's long tradition of learning... no matter how difficult the lesson.

One of the last things Mom told me was that she "certainly had fun." Her eyes twinkled as she spoke those words, her mind racing back over whatever memory was filling it. I can take some solace in those words.

I miss you Mom.... and am packing my bags to go... somewhere.