The slavery thread to end all slavery threads

[Tanker]

The problem with conspiracy theories is that people can't keep a secret. Well, maybe two people can, if one of them is dead.

 

[Frogman]

I know a man who is between 65-70 yrs of age and served in the military as a Medic during the celebrated Vietnam Era from 1963-1965. Over the years he was denied medical benefits because the Army had no record of his service. He served with a special forces unit in Laos and Cambodia. He was consistently denied any medical benefits on the grounds that his supposed 'unit' of service and dates, places, etc. did not exist in military record.

In 1994 my dad grew very sick and requested medical benefits from the VA. He did receive the benefits, but was forced to go to a military psychologist every day during his stay so they could convince him he did not serve with the 768th Combat Engineers in Laos and Cambodia in 1966. There is no record of this either, not even on the internet where even bogus records can be produced by kindergarten students.

I guess you are right though, secrets can't be kept. And I am perhaps just part of that huge right wing conspiracy we sometimes hear about. Maybe I am merely a figment of everyone's imagination...I think some people on the C/A forum would be relieved to hear that

Don't believe anyone over 30 inches tall
God Bless

Bro. Dallas

 

[Tanker]

>>>>>In 1861, slavery was legal in the District of Columbia, Delaware, Maryland, Kentucky, Missouri, and, evidently, U. S. territories <<<<<<<

Most of these are best characterized as border states and not northern states. Maryland and Kentucky are not northern states by any stretch of the imagination.

 

[Major B]

Originally posted by Frogman:
I know a man who is between 65-70 yrs of age and served in the military as a Medic during the celebrated Vietnam Era from 1963-1965. Over the years he was denied medical benefits because the Army had no record of his service. He served with a special forces unit in Laos and Cambodia. He was consistently denied any medical benefits on the grounds that his supposed 'unit' of service and dates, places, etc. did not exist in military record.

What happened to your dad's DD214? Every soldier, sailor, airman, and marine gets one when discharged. It might have bogus unit information on it, but it will show that he served.

 

[Tanker]

SheEagle has brought up the subject of whether Abraham Lincoln was racist. I think that issue misses an important point. Rather than considering whether or not Lincoln was racist, I think the most important thing to consider is how much of a racist was he? I frame things in this fashion because I believe that almost 100 percent of whites, including myself, are racist to some extent. But when Lincoln's word and acts are considered as a whole, I think he showed a much lower tendancy towards racism than most of the white men alive during his time. His remarks that show a slightly racist flavor must also be considered in the context of the politics at the time. If he had come out, for example, in favor of intermarriage between the races, he surely would have lost huge numbers of votes. And he had his eye on the election as any politician must.

But his remarks on race often show a very open mind. In speaking of the common prejudice against blacks, he said that "a universal feeling, whether well-or ill-founded, can not be safely disregarded." It cannot, that is, if you propose to become a representative and lawmaker for a body of men infested with that ill-founded feeling. It is characteristic of Lincoln that he would hint (even to an audience soaked in those feelings) that it is ill founded; it is also charateristic that he would not altogether disregard it.

A recent biographer of Lincoln has this to say about Lincoln's alleged racism:

"At Lewistown, Lincoln said that the "wise statesmen" who founded this country set up a beacon so that "when in the distant future some man, some faction, some interest, should set up a doctrine that none but rich men, or none but white men were entitled to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" the Declaration of Independence would give "courage to renew the battle." He slipped in the phrase "none but white men" to draw a parallel to other tyrannies.

And in Springfield, Lincoln would challenge Douglas to amend the Declaration of Independence, to "make it read that all men are created equal except negroes."

I affirm that these passionate invocations of the Declaration were heartfelt; that the primary point of the invocation was that all men are created equal with rights; that the primary meaning of that clause, in this context, was that black persons were included; and that this affirmation was - as he certainly testified that it was - a central belief for Lincoln. This belief, in this view, meshed with broader ideas and personal characteristics to make a racially inclusive egalitarianism the dynamic element in Lincoln's makeup". *End of quote from William Lee Miller.

So in summary, let me suggest that there are good reasons why there is a monument to Abraham Lincoln on the mall - and apparently it is not understood by those who allege he was a racist.

 

[Tanker]

Frogman, a major problem with your conspiracy theory is that there is just not any evidence for it. Other than that, it is a great theory!

 

[Tanker]

>>>>>>In 1994 my dad grew very sick and requested medical benefits from the VA. He did receive the benefits, but was forced to go to a military psychologist every day during his stay so they could convince him he did not serve with the 768th Combat Engineers in Laos and Cambodia in 1966. There is no record of this either, not even on the internet where even bogus records can be produced by kindergarten students.<<<<<

Upon discharge, every military man or woman gets a record of his or her service. It may not tell where he served in terms of geography but it does tell when he served. This document alone should be enough to get medical care.

 

[rlvaughn]

Originally posted by Tanker:
Most of these are best characterized as border states and not northern states. Maryland and Kentucky are not northern states by any stretch of the imagination.

No, they definitely were not "Northern" geographically or even philosophically, but I used the term "North" of the United States of America as opposed to the "South" or the Confederate States of America. So, as I said, those states (and some territories), which were a part of the Union, had slavery in 1861 (and some as late as 1865) - call them southern, border or whatever you will.

 

[Frogman]

Brethren,
My dad was never denied medical benefits, but the areas of his service were denied. The man who was denied benefits did not receive any forms or official recognition until the administration of Bush senior.

Bro. Dallas

 

[LadyEagle]

Originally posted by Tanker:
Frogman, a major problem with your conspiracy theory is that there is just not any evidence for it. Other than that, it is a great theory!

Ah ha! What about this?

ANDREW JOHNSON WAS INVOLVED WITH BOOTH


Approximately 7 hours before shooting the President, Booth dropped by the Washington hotel which was Vice-President Andrew Johnson's residence. Upon learning from the desk clerk that neither Johnson nor his private secretary, William A. Browning, was in the hotel, Booth wrote the following note: "Don't wish to disturb you Are you at home? J. Wilkes Booth." Browning testified before the military court that he found the note in his box later that afternoon. Did Johnson and Booth know each other? In the 1997 publication "Right or Wrong, God Judge Me": The Writings of John Wilkes Booth edited by John Rhodehamel and Louise Taper it is stated on p. 146 that Booth had previously met Johnson in Nashville in February, 1864. At the time Booth was appearing in the newly opened Wood's Theatre. Also, author Hamilton Howard in Civil War Echoes (1907) made the claim that while Johnson was military governor of Tennessee, he and Booth kept a couple of sisters as mistresses and oftentimes were seen in each other's company. Lincoln had essentially ignored Johnson after Johnson's embarrassing behavior on Inauguration Day. Mary Todd Lincoln felt Johnson was involved. On March 15, 1866, she wrote to her friend, Sally Orne:
[quoting]

"...that, that miserable inebriate Johnson, had cognizance of my husband's death - Why, was that card of Booth's, found in his box, some acquaintance certainly existed - I have been deeply impressed, with the harrowing thought, that he, had an understanding with the conspirators & they knew their man... As sure, as you & I live, Johnson, had some hand, in all this..."
[/quoting]

Some members of Congress also thought Johnson was involved and a special Assassination Committee was established to investigate any evidence linking Johnson to Lincoln's death. Nothing suspicious was ever found by the committee; yet a belief by some Americans that Johnson was somehow involved with Booth continued for many years.

Source