In fairness to Lincoln, the military wanted to execute 303 men, but Lincoln would only allow death sentences for those involved in rapes or massacres of civilians.
This reminds me of the problems people have when selecting sports stars as GOATs. Are you taking them out of context and comparing them to today’s best athletes, or are you leaving them in context and seeing how much better they are than the others of their time?
Shhhh…people don’t want to hear about relativism, because then they don’t look good next to historical figures.
Let me add just how awful the park is. You have to drive there obviously, and the approach is laden with kitschy cowboy and old west themed tourist traps and overpriced hotels. Then you pay $20 for a parking space and get to gaze at the thing from a mile away. Exit through the gift shop where you can buy a plastic replica made in Shenzhen. Quintessentially American.
Well, when you put it like that, I guess Trump does deserve to go on Mount Rushmore.
That’s a hell of a concession.
The entire idea of Mount Rushmore really is contrary to the spirit of America. We have presidents, not kings. It’s said that if George Washington wanted to stay in power, he could have easily done so and basically become a king. His contemporary critics were afraid he’d do exactly that.
But Washington knew that we didn’t need kings, and he started the tradition of presidents retiring after two terms. I suspect he’d look at Mount Rushmore and be offended at the idea of treating presidents like that.
Anyways, rather than adding somebody new, we should just knock all of the existing portraits off, and admit it was always in poor taste.
Should but won’t. The nation can’t even bring itself to knock the portraits off Stone Mountain, idolizing its literal enemies.
I hadn’t heard of Stone Mountain. Here’s some details from its Wikipedia page.
Stone Mountain is a quartz monzonite dome monadnock and the site of Stone Mountain Park, 15 miles (24 km) east of Atlanta, Georgia. The park is the most visited tourist site in the state of Georgia.
Stone Mountain, once owned by the Venable Brothers, was purchased by the state of Georgia in 1958 “as a memorial to the Confederacy.”
A memorial to the Confederacy is the most visited tourist site in the state of Georgia…
Stone Mountain Park officially opened on April 14, 1965 – 100 years to the day after Lincoln’s assassination
Fuck me, that’s trashy even for trash. Celebrating the assassination of President Lincoln.
The park today is owned by the state of Georgia.
Of course it is.
Stone Mountain is well known for not only its geology, but also the enormous rock relief on its north face, the largest bas-relief artwork in the world. The carving, completed in 1972, depicts three Confederate leaders, Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee, and Stonewall Jackson.
Imagine spending all that money to commemorate a thing that’s 100 years old and only lasted 4 years, just because it’s the only way you can think of to be outwardly racist.
The park itself is actually really nice they just need to remove the awful mural. I don’t care if they leave it blank or replace it with a carving honoring Native Americans but it needs to go.
Destroy the mural. Take down the confederate flags and any other confederate memorabilia. Rename the park to Abraham Lincoln Park, and rename Stone Mountain itself to Emancipation mountain.
It’s swell that the park is nice, but taking down the mural isn’t enough. We need to spit on its history.
only lasted 4 years
Do they commemorate the confederation or do they commemorate the old way of life that existed way before the confederation, and the confederation was only supposed to continue it?
There must also be some feelings of alienation to be ruled by presidents who they didn’t want. In times of Trump it’s interesting to see that there is not necessarily an agreement but also no understanding of the motives of the South.
(Indigenous holy site)
Right, like I think people forget that we did this to a native American holy site/cliff. Intentionally. Because we really are the fucking worst.
This would be more impactful if it compared these people to others of their time. Just how awful were they compared to everyone else? Christopher Columbus, for example, was a piece of shit even compared to others in his own time.
Lets also not forget that Thomas Jefferson was a real piece of work, even by the low standards of the US revolutionary elite: • Raped his slaves, then enslaved kids that resulted from those rapes • Tied to the above: actually managed to horrify french aristocrats. In one case when they noticed one of his slaves was clearly his kid. (Note that they had to get special permission to have slaves in the embassy in France) • Was Trump-levels of eager when it came to invading and conquering Canada before the war of 1812 and was a major player in starting that war.
If you think US is only country that has a dark history. I hate to break it to you bud. Shit even the worst of US history doesn’t touch some current countries crimes.
I don’t think anyone implies that.
Appears that way. Funny how everyone is trying to get to US but also talks shit about US.
you really are salty, chief
lol, “everyone”
I left that shithole country over a decade ago. Enjoy your racist, shit-gibbon of a president, your broken healthcare, your predatory private prisons, your horrible “stroads” through the middle of your towns, and your HFCS laden ultra-processed slop you call food.
It’s all yours, friend. You deserve it.
Can confirm, I’m not trying to get to the US. I don’t even want to holiday there at the moment, it’s a fucking hellscape.
Oh no! 😭
People in Spain are not proud about their history in America. It’s recognized as brutal and shameful conquest, not some great adventure like in US.
Whataboutism: not just for tankies!
