Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Speaking Truth to the Lincoln Cult (Thomas DiLorenzo)

Today is Abraham Lincoln's birthday, and I thought it would be fitting to link to a recent article by one of his fiercest critics, Thomas DiLorenzo. It begins with a quote from a book by distinguished African-American author Lerone Bennett, Jr:

"Lincoln is theology, not historiology. He is a faith, he is a church, he is a religion, and he has his own priests and acolytes, most of whom have a vested interest in [him] and who are passionately opposed to anybody telling the truth about him."

DiLorenzo continues:

The gigantic collection of myths, lies, and distortions that comprise The Legend of Abraham Lincoln is the ideological cornerstone of the American warfare/welfare state. It has been invoked for generations to make the argument that if the policies of the U.S. government are not "the will of God," then at least they are the will of "Father Abraham." Moreover, this legend – this false history of America – did not arise spontaneously. It was invented and nurtured by an intergenerational army of court historians who, as Murray Rothbard once said, are absolutely indispensable to any government empire. All states, said Rothbard, depend for their existence on a series of myths about their benevolence, heroism, greatness, or even divinity.

Read the rest

No comments: