Subscribe to Breaking NewsWithers: Douglass and Lincoln
Frederick Douglass had no use for Abraham Lincoln. The American abolitionist thought the country’s first Republican president was cool at best on the slavery question and timid when it came to fighting the Civil War.
The two men looked at each from completely different viewpoints. Lincoln was a politician who had to meet the demands of competing and contradictory public interests (and win a war at the same time). Douglass, a former slave, was an advocate for those in bondage and northern blacks whose freedom was consistently under attack.
Writer James Oakes does yeoman’s work in describing the relationship between the two in his The Radical and the Republican, a book worth reading for its history and lessons for today’s times. It’s easy to be disappointed with President Barack Obama when it comes to gay and lesbian issues, especially with Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. However our disappointment should not cloud our vision. Obama, aside from being temperamentally deliberative, has to cobble together a number of communities that have antagonistic points of view. Essentially he has to create the space for what is possible, not what is desirable. When the Civil War started Douglass wanted black soldiers enlisted in the Union war effort (the desirable). Lincoln understood when the war started he would have lost political support (the possible) if black men were put in Union military uniforms.
None of this means we shouldn’t be funky about Obama and his White House. Nor does it mean we should keep our displeasure silent. Douglass never did and Lincoln was the better for it.
James, it’s kinda like watchin’ “Cooley High” and hearing the Five Stairsteps sing “Ooh Child.” (It’s more hopeful than “Let the Sunshine In” at the end of “Hair.”)
Frederick Douglass was so intense that whites accorded him respect and authority when they didn’t have to. He was the Ur-hero. Seriously. You look at what this man faced in his life, and what he did with himself…his actions would be impressive enough, but his intellect still shames us today. Shames and enlightens and prods and encourages.
There are times when we let others take our power. We can stop that and change that.
Nice article. Obama should study his betters.
Maybe someone can do some investigating and find why Canada was able to allow gays to serve openly in their military without the country falling into the void. And while at it, look at the other countries who have done the same thing successfully. I don’t recall the media announcing that these countries have left the planet or are in total chaos. Or is it being hidden by the Christian Taliban?
It sounds like the “home of the free and the brave” is not so free or brave although a lot of lip service is given to both.
DADT is stalled by a gutless President. I suggest we make July 4th Military Coming Out Day. We urge every member of the military to declare that day that they are gay – whether they are or not. That would be civil disobedience.
Frederick Douglass is one of my heroes James. I appreciate your comparison of the Civil War times with its racial issues to the present GLBT civil rights war. I agree that Obama is in a somewhat comparable situation to Lincoln. Black regiments were created to fight for the Union side. Douglass knew that racial respect depended upon blacks serving in the military. And he was right. But in these modern times it would be hard to think of what a gay regiment might look like. A regiment of gay linguists, cunning though it might be, would not translate today. Separate but equal…not. We must serve side by side.
A few days ago I went to a military website and chased down blogs on gays in the military/don’t ask don’t tell. The blogs were dominated by anti-gay commentary. Many of these young military bloggers seem to be saying they are already massively confused about what they are doing in the war and to be challenged about their social programming and personal attractions in the midst of that mess could really push them over the edge. No, not all young folks are over the anti-gay thing. Especially those in the military.
It looks to me like what the military needs is some diversity training. Probably like they did when women were integrated. Of course I agree with former Army chief Clifford Alexander but I don’t think those in the service that disagree should be called lemmings or just ignorant. They need education. Maybe our GLBT organizations should be lobbying for Obama to do the educational groundwork for the eventual transition to integration. Is there a film on Gay integration in the military in other countries that have instituted it that would be an effective educational tool?
Another issue of concern to the Obama military must be how will U.S. gay service people be sold to the very homophobic Iraqi’s and Afgans. Yes, compare the Civil War white south being attacked by a Union black regiment for an interesting thought. Today in Iraq you don’t want to be out or you’ll likely be dead.
These are just thoughts to throw out there for the ongoing battle for civil rights. It’s more complicated than just black or white.
Mr. Withers – this is the best comparison anyone has made to point out the similarities between an effective leader of the past and the current President. Let’s hope that President Obama is even more successful than President Lincoln was in moving us toward greater equality.
Great point and article.