Favorite Character in Amer. History!!

Dr. Bob did ask for favorites but I can't believe some of the names here. Sherman - absolute scum of a human being. Lincoln and TR - two of the most blatantly unconstitutional Presidents ever. And, of course, that great American, Winston Churchill.

Many founders ought to make the list - GW, TJ, etc. Madison and Henry outstanding among them. I think preachers need more consideration, too. John Harvard, Witherspoon, Edwards, Brainerd, Judson....

Women...S.D. O'Connor absolutely not. A betrayer of Reagan and the Constitution. I like most of the others Scarlett pointed out, though, and there are many, many more like Dolley Madison for one who allowed absolutely no alcohol in the white house. Abigail Adams - a strong woman.

 

Sherman ended the civil war. Was it better in the long run? Did he save more lives in the long run?

Yes.

 

I don't blame Sherman for the invasion of the CSA, DD, I blame Lincoln.

 

Lets see...

I would agree with Jackson and Lee and Washington of course...Edwards, how could you leave him out of all of this? Very influencial.

I would like to add another Jackson to the list...Andrew Jackson who was one of the most constitutional presidents that I know anything about (of course I don't have detailed knowlege about all of them) Any man willing to die for the honor of his wife is a mans man in my book. Also, if you want to note women, I would say that most if not all of the great men listed here would'nt have been near the men they were without their wives and mothers.
The greated women aren't the ones that get fame in their own right but those who are behind these great men.

As far as Sherman???? He would go on the same list as names like Saddam...Osama.....how about Hitler? Stalin??

By the way...in the way we would torture Sherman and his men we would have to do something to him for all of the innocent southern girls who were raped by those men.
To sum up, he would probably make my top five WORST list of americans.

 

Off the top of my head...
Billy Sunday.

In HIS service;
Jim

 

Once again, the Baptist Board proves you cannot have a decent conversation, or dare voice opinion, without somebody slamming you, or using the word scum or something stupid like that.

Preacher Greg, if'n you can find one American History textbook, covering WWII, without Churchill in it, I'll put an extry $1 in yer offering.

 

But he was a character.........he is an important figure in our history.

Anyhoo, sorry about the rant.

 

Just got through invoking the memory of Sir Winston in another forum.

Love him or hate him, you had to admire his charm and quick wit he'd often display. His encounter with Lady Astor (who was not the head of his fan club) is priceless:

LA: "Sir Winston, if I were your wife, I'd poison your tea!

WC: "Madam, if you were MY wife....I'd drink it!

He could take it as well as receive it, too.

Leaning over to ask of FDR [Don't get me started on him.] about how well he thought the band of the Royal Navy performed just after finishing their stirring rendition of "God Save the King," aboard one of their vessels anchored off of Canada's Atlantic coast, he got this reply:

"Without a doubt, it was the best performance of 'My Country Tis of Thee' I've ever heard."

And, to show their gratefulness for guiding them through the war, what did the Brits do for him?

They promptly voted him out of office!

 

Now, getting back to AMERICAN history, my vote goes to Floridian Daniel James, Jr. (1925-1978)

Growing up in depression era Pensacola he had to fight constantly to move up the economic ladder. He was such a scrapper that he was dubbed "The Panther."

He longed to serve his country, and WWII gave him the chance. Unfortunately he proved to be such an excellent flying instructor, he never did see any face-to-face aerial combat until the Korean War.

Then there was that lull for about 12 years in which he served in a few mundane positions until he was transferred to Thailand, and led the mission that resulted in the highest kill number of any single aerial mission of that conflict.

Tapped to become the base commander of Wheelus Air Base in northern Libya (one like many here in the US that had its dependent living quarters on the outer perimeter), it was he who stood defiantly at the main gate as the Libyan military's tanks encircled the base waiting for the 72-hour deadline they'd given Col. James to expire before these tanks would roll through the family housing area. The 72 hours arrived, the tanks rolled in, but they found nothing.

Colonel James himself flew out the final military transport jet full of wives, children, and the final contingent of troops just two hours before.

His final position was to serve as head of the North American Air Defense Command headquarted beneath Cheyenne Mountain in Colorado during the final days of the Ford administration.

This was the time that many here in the US suggested that we nuke those Soviets to show them who's boss. Had they succeeded, it would have been General James who would be the one to "push the button."

James retired from his illustrious career in early February, 1977. Just a couple weeks into the Carter administration. Twenty-three days later James was dead.

At the flying school where he'd served 30 years prior, they sought to keep his memory alive by doing two things: naming the engineering section in his honor and erecting a memorial to stand in front of it. It took the school a while to find it, but it succeeded in eventually finding what was perhaps the last remaining F-4 Phantom figher aircraft James had flown.

At its dedication, the President of the US himself was there to unveil it.

This was the very first time any sitting President had ever visited this flying school, but Ronald Reagan himself also knew of Daniel James's career too and was happy to set foot on Tuskegee Institute's famed soil.

General James: A Tuskegee Airman and the first black four-star general in the US military.

When someone back in the early 1970's asked Gen. James about the difference him and the more well-known group called the Black Panthers, his reply was simple:

"This Black Panther fights FOR his country."

And this white man living in the South honestly believes to this day that James deserved every military and civilian honor they ever bestowed on him, and a lot more that they should have.

 

Why did you attach a "confused" emoticon to your reply? [An honest question, by the way.]

Statues here in Richmond (I took them with B&W film):

http://members.aol.com/baptistnrichmond/Stuart.jpg
http://members.aol.com/baptistnrichmond/Jackson.jpg
http://members.aol.com/baptistnrichmond/Lee.jpg

I am not very far from St. John's Church, where Patrick Henry made that speech. Excellent choice.

http://members.aol.com/baptistnrichmond/church.jpg

Lastly, that joke was EXCELLENT, Galatian!!

 

My choices:
1. Robert Edward Lee (a great Christian general)

2. Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson (also a
great Christian and outstanding military
genius. His tactics are still studies today)

3. Ronald Reagan (one of the best presidents
this country has ever and will ever have)


I would never put Andrew Jackson in the same category with these great men. What he did to the Cherokee and other Eastern First Nations people was a disgrace to the nation and to Tennessee.

 

Although it's never been conclusively proven, did you know that it's within the realm of possibility that it was Jefferson Davis who may have administered the first oath of alliegence to the US to Abraham Lincoln?

Moreover, had the federal officials implemented one of Davis's suggestions he put forth as Secy of War under President Pierce, there may not have ever been a firing upon Ft. Sumter?

And, how about Davis's being in drag when he was finally arrested in 1865?

Both Lincoln and Davis were born only about 100 miles from each other in the very same state.

What does all of this PROVE? Absolutely NOTHING!

 

Wow, too many to count...I would have to say that I like Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson, Patrick Henry, and George Washington. I'm probably forgetting someone though...I also like Lester Roloff in Christian American history

 

Now there is a name I have not heard in years....

WOW!

 

Yeah, it seems like people don't talk about him as much anymore. I admire his Christianity though.

 

Ah, to make mention of Christians who have made a huge impact, I'd have to say
Jonathan Edwards
and <a href="http://members.aol.com/intoutreach/Nettleton.html" target="_blank">
Asahel Nettleton</a> would be my favorites. Edwards doubly as the greatest theologian and also greatest philosopher America has produced.

 

I have heard of a statue of Lincoln (I believe it is in Richmond) that locals keep covered in birdseed (we'll leave it to the imagination why birdseed? , well-maybe a hint-What do birds do after they eat? )

Anything to that? If so, could you supply a picture?

 

There's a new book being published dealing with Edward's world-wide influnce. It looks promising, though a little pricey.

Link---&gt; Jonathan Edwards at Home and Abroad