Lincoln Deified by News Media: A Reply from Valerie Protopapas

Upon the release of yet ANOTHER hagiography of Lincoln as advertised in National Review, I have sent the following "letter to the Editor:"

To the Editors:

Sirs, I notice that another hagiography of Lincoln has been loosed upon an ignorant and unsuspecting public. Indeed, Lincoln is a rank favorite among a great many conservatives; they positively worship the man. This, to anyone who knows the facts of history and not the current politically correct nonsense put forth in its name, is inexplicable!

All that we have today is a direct consequence of the policies of Abraham Lincoln:

You don't like intrusive government? Then you cannot "like" Lincoln!

You don't approve of your God-given (supposedly) constitutionally protected liberties infringed? Then you cannot "approve" of Lincoln.

You reject warfare that targets civilian non-combatants? Then you must reject Lincoln.

You condemn the current state of "race relations" in the nation? Then you must condemn Lincoln for it was his administration that pitted black against white as a strategy of war.

You bemoan the fact that the Constitution is now a worthless relic of a long-gone past? Then you must blame Lincoln for under Lincoln it was totally discarded so as to provide for the triumph of the State over the Founding Principles of the nation.

When it was claimed that Obama was the "new Lincoln," many applauded and some doubted but most of us who know Lincoln AND Obama quaked in fear. We understood that what little remained of the original nation would now be completely obliterated by the despotism begun with Lincoln and which has only gotten worse over the last one hundred and fifty years. Indeed, Obama governs much as Lincoln did, that is by ignoring not only the States and the People but the rest of the national (no longer federal) government. And though Lincoln would have rejected such a "diverse" descendant because of his race (Lincoln was no egalitarian!), he certainly would have applauded his despotic rule.

If you truly love what you say that you love - the nation founded in 1776 and defined in 1789 - then you must reject Abraham Lincoln and his legacy! If you do not, then you are no different from the liberals and progressives. You, too, want "big government," the only difference being what you want that government to do! On the other hand:

If you believe - as did Ulysses Grant and Antonin Scalia - that force of arms de-legitimized the constitutional right of succession, then you believe - as did Lincoln and his military - that "might makes right."

And if you believe - as does John Boulton - that covering some policy or action, however morally egregious, with "The Flag" grants it moral and legal validity, then you believe - as did Lincoln and his military - that "the ends justify the means." Something is right or wrong not because you are strong enough to prevail, but because you have Truth and the Right on your side.

As of now, far too many conservatives worship a man whose understanding of government was more akin to Marx than Jefferson and whose understanding of power was more akin to Hitler than Washington. As long as this situation prevails, your claim of legitimately representing the original American Republic is a lie.