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The idea that Lincoln was some kind of ideological purist is utter nonsense.


True. I almost didn't include Lincoln because of this. But even if Lincoln hated black people outright (highly unlikely), history remembers him (somewhat incorrectly) as a believer in human rights. In reality he was probably just trying to hold the U.S. together and prevent the South's succession.

But if this is the case, then it was his belief in his country that motivated him and that qualifies Lincoln as a believer. In my mind that was enough to not delete his name after typing it. :)


I used to think this until I read book The Long Pursuit. It's highly likely that Lincoln thought slavery was intrinsically bad.

It's a thin-ish book and I highly recommend it.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Long-Pursuit-Lincolns-Thirty-Year/...




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