William Bennett at the Values Voter Summit (AlterNet, 9/22/09):
I don’t know why more of the African American leadership doesn’t talk about Frederick Douglass…. Probably because of his deep devotion to Lincoln, and his deep devotion to this country.
Frederick Douglass at the dedication of the Freedman’s Monument in Memory of Abraham Lincoln (4/14/1876):
It must be admitted, truth compels me to admit, even here in the presence of the monument we have erected to his memory, Abraham Lincoln was not, in the fullest sense of the word, either our man or our model. In his interests, in his associations, in his habits of thought and in his prejudices, he was a white man.
He was preeminently the white manâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s president, entirely devoted to the welfare of white men. He was ready and willing at any time during the first years of his administration to deny, postpone and sacrifice the rights of humanity in the colored people to promote the welfare of the white people of this country. In all his education and feeling he was an American of the Americans. He came into the presidential chair upon one principle alone, namely, opposition to the extension of slavery. His arguments in furtherance of this policy had their motive and mainspring in his patriotic devotion to the interests of his own race. To protect, defend and perpetuate slavery in the states where it existed Abraham Lincoln was not less ready than any other President to draw the sword of the nation. He was ready to execute all the supposed guarantees of the United States Constitution in favor of the slave system anywhere inside the slave states. He was willing to pursue, recapture and send back the fugitive slave to his master, and to suppress a slave rising for liberty, though his guilty master were already in arms against the government. The race to which we belong were not the special objects of his consideration.
Knowing this, I concede to you, my white fellow-citizens, a pre-eminence in this worship at once full and supreme. First, midst and last, you and yours were the objects of his deepest affection and his most earnest solicitude. You are the children of Abraham Lincoln. We are at best only his step-children; children by adoption, children by forces of circumstances and necessity.
While the historical accuracy regarding Douglass’s view of Lincoln is welcome, what I noted was Bennett’s assertion that “the African American leadership” doesn’t talk about Douglass because of his “deep devotion to this country.”
Translation: “African-American leaders are un-American.”
Thanks, Jim – now we know the real reason “why more of the African American leadership doesn’t talk about Frederick Douglass”, don’t we?
And how history is twisted by those determined to keep us ignorant.
Now, I use “leadership” in quotes – they’re the “leadership” recognized by the powers that be and their PR flacks in the corpress, aren’t they?
Douglass also said “Power concedes nothing without a demand.” These “leaders” have no interest in making demands of the rulers that would truly lead to social and economic equality, do they?
Dr. King was murdered because he, like Douglass, went beyond limits of acceptable dissent – limits which these “leaders” are all too comfortable with, aren’t they?
And when they speak of him, they conveniently leave out that linking of poverty and racism with war and greed, don’t they?
The old, and sadly apropos, saw goes, “With friends like these” …
How easy it is for history to be distorted by those who want it to conform to their expectations and whims. Like all of those bogus quotes from our founders and Lincoln among others written in the 1890’s and plague us today? I thank them for printing this, it is welcome.
The ideals of this country have alway been better than the reality. The tenuous popular democracy and personal liberties that we enjoy today are almost accidental. The founding fathers said things without thinking them through. The growth of freedom has been the result of people’s insistence on taking the Declaration of Independence, the Federalist Papers and the US Constitution as meaning what they say.
Since WW II at least, while personal liberty and social justice has expanded somewhat, the cause of democracy has been under attack by imperialism and militarism rationalized as defense of democracy. When a President appropriates more power to his office in the name of national security no subsequent President will voluntarily aschew the perogatives of the office.
A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. FAIR cherry picked the words of Frederick Douglass. consider this quote “I am a Republican, a black, dyed in the wool Republican, and I never intend to belong to any other party than the party of freedom and progress. ” Also this, “I recognize the Republican party as the sheet anchor of the colored man’s political hopes and the ark of his safety. ” AND I cannot imagine that any colored man would ever belong to the party of slavery, the Democrat party. FAIR can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, BUT that does not give them the chalice of truth.
That’s a pretty goddamn big cherry, Lemuel – and unless you’re questioning the veracity of the quote, I’m not sure what you’re point is.
Neither party was “the party of freedom and progress” then, and neither is now. Douglass understood that 130 odd years ago, and many black “leaders” understand that today – and yet still throw their lot in with the Democrats for their own personal benefit, as I’m sure many did then with the Republicans.
And if you’re trying to convince me that Rush Limbaugh et al are closet egalitarians who yearn deeply for a nation in which persons are not judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character … well, you’re gonna have to do a whole hell of a lot better than that.
Two fries short of a happy meal
You should reference the entirety of Douglas’ speech. This section doesn’t convey the depth of respect Douglas had for Lincoln as a man and his accomplishments in ending slavery.
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