“I will say then that I am not, nor ever have been in favor of bringing about in anyway the social and political equality of the white and black races – that I am not nor ever have been in favor of making voters or jurors of negroes, nor of qualifying them to hold office, nor to intermarry with white people; and I will say in addition to this that there is a physical difference between the white and black races which I believe will forever forbid the two races living together on terms of social and political equality. And inasmuch as they cannot so live, while they do remain together there must be the position of superior and inferior, and I as much as any other man am in favor of having the superior position assigned to the white race. I say upon this occasion I do not perceive that because the white man is to have the superior position the negro should be denied everything.” - Abraham Lincoln.
1 comment:
At first I couldn't believe he'd said that. Then I thought to myself he did abolish slavery. In this day and age it might be easy to judge and feel he should never have said that but he was a product of his time and a politician. He worked with what he had (superstitions, majority opinion, ruling class mentality) or he might never have been elected. Wonder what he would've thought of Barack? And why he was depressed throughout his life?
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