On November 5, 2006, Saddam Hussein was sentenced to death by hanging for crimes against the people he governed. He murdered over 100,000 Iraqis during campaigns against rebel uprisings. In these attacks he used nerve agents to wipe out entire villages (Washington Post). Now, imagine in 150 years he could be worshiped as a martyr, savior, and perhaps a deity. Twenty-foot statues could be erected in his memory and his birthday could be celebrated as a national holiday. Which is what happened to the most ruthless tyrant in United States history, Abraham Lincoln?

“I will say then that I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of bringing about in any way the social and political equality of the white and black races, [applause]-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.” – Abraham Lincoln (Lincoln, Fourth Debate)

Before anyone can attack the god-like persona of Lincoln they have to discredit his legacy. Lincoln’s two most historical accomplishments are The Emancipation Proclamation and saving the Union during The War of Northern Aggression. In the previous direct quote from Lincoln, he makes it obvious that he was a white supremacist. He was against slavery, but only in the way many people today are against hiring illegal immigrants for cheaper labor. He didn’t believe anyone should be in bondage, but he also held the belief that there should never be a biracial society and Negroes (as he referred to slaves of African descent) should not be allowed to have equality nor citizenship.
During his second State of the Union address he presented a portion of his plan to deport all black people. “I cannot make it better known than it already is that I strongly favor colonization…” (Lincoln, Second State) Plans were researched and developed to send all blacks to Liberia, Haiti, Panama, or a number of other places during his presidency. In the first Lincoln-Douglas debate he said, “My first impulse would be to free all the slaves, and send them to Liberia, to their own native land. “ (Lincoln, First Debate) Lincoln made it very clear that he not only didn’t like the fact that black people were in the bondage of slavery, but rather he didn’t like that black people were around at all. Black people had no place in Lincoln’s ideal society.

By now it should be easy to see that when the southern states succeeded from the Union and the most gruesome war in American history was fought, it was not because of slavery. While, at the time, many referred to the colonies’ succession, not 100 years earlier, and argued that if the southern states felt the need to leave the Union, they should be allowed to do so, Lincoln's attitude was one of resentment against the confederacy, and he was determined to make sure that the South never tried to succeed again. Lincoln sent 75,000 militia men to put down an “insurrection.” (University of Virginia) There would be no compromise. There would be no negotiation. By the end of The War of Northern Aggression there will have been more than 620,000 casualties. (Public Broadcasting) Then why did Lincoln go to war?

More than keeping the Union together, he had to keep his sovereignty together. Lincoln would have lost approximately 75 percent of all ports in the United States, along with a very large portion of taxes. He wanted to colonize other nations with free blacks, but how could he accomplish this if he couldn’t keep his own nation together? Lincoln’s record shows that he would not suffer an uprising quietly. During the Sioux Uprising of 1862, Lincoln personally authorized the execution of 39 Sioux as a punishment for the uprising. The whole conflict was caused by the United States government failure to pay the Sioux for the purchase of tribal lands (University of Missouri). The Sioux men that were committed to death never received a fair trial.

Then why would Lincoln free the slaves?

Lincoln freed the slaves in order to attack the southern states economically. In a letter to Horace Greeley he says, “If I could save the Union without freeing any slave I would do it” (Lincoln, Three Letters). Lincoln understood that once the Union was restored, if he destroyed the labor force of the southern plantations he could ruin the economy of the South making his victory that much stronger. He also used it a pawn in a nearing re-election political campaign

What if Lincoln was never assassinated?

One can only speculate on what the world could be like if Lincoln was never assassinated. Would he have continued his plans to deport the black race? Would there even be a Barack Obama presidency? Would the civil rights movement of the 1960s have taken place if Lincoln hadn’t been stopped from his white supremacist ways? These items are just food for thought.

In conclusion, Abraham Lincoln was a bigoted white supremacist. He was a warmonger, a tyrant, and a figure shrouded in illusion. When Lincoln was killed he had just won the war. He was already an elevated figure because of that, but when he was killed he became a martyr. Lincoln, to some people, is a Christ-like figure that died on Good Friday for the sins of the nation. Temples of worship have been built in his honor, cities have been named after him, he is celebrated on President’s Day along with George Washington, his likeness is on American currency, and he is the subject of Hollywood movies. People don’t want to believe that their idols and heroes could have more in common with myth than truth.

Works Cited

Lincoln, A. (1858, August 21). "First Lincoln-Douglas Debate" Ottawa, Illinois. Lincoln, A. (1858, September 18). "Fourth Lincoln-Douglas Debate" Charleston, Illionois. Lincoln, A. (1862, December 1). "Second State of the Union Address" Lincoln, A. (n.d.). Three Letters from Lincoln. Retrieved March 22, 2012, from Internet Archive: http://archive.org/details/threelettersfrom00linc Public Broadcasting Service. (n.d.). The Great War Resources. Retrieved March 27, 2012, from http://www.pbs.org/greatwar/resources/casdeath_pop.html Olusoga, D. (Producer), Salmon, C. (Writer), & Olusoga, D. (Director). (2010). Abraham Lincoln: Saint or Sinner [Motion Picture]. University of Missouri, Kansas City - School of Law. (n.d.). Chronology of the Dakota Conflict (Sioux Uprising) Trials. Retrieved March 27, 2012 University of Virginia. (1861, April 15). Key Events in the Presidency of Abraham Lincoln. Retrieved March 27, 2012, from http://millercenter.org/president/keyevents/lincoln Washington Post. (n.d.). Saddam Hussein - Life and Death of a Dictator. Retrieved March 27, 2012