Great men [and women] have the courage to fight for their freedom, rights. Truly great men [and women] are willing to fight, die for the lives of others. Ultimately, Lincoln recognized that he was a marked man, but still fought for the freedom of others; even though this might not be what he had in mind when the war started.
It is my opinion that Lincoln was the greatest President our country has every had. It is interesting to read some of his (real) quotes on slavery, as such show a real progression of his beliefs regarding the appropriateness of African Americans having the same opportunities afforded to White Americans. It is interesting to note that at this time women were not allowed to vote in federal elections. So it is a fiction to think that slavery was our only contradiction.
Lincoln benefited from growing up in a new, "somewhat" democratic environment free from the rule of “Kings.” So even though it is clear that a great deal of our founding fathers did not think very highly of Africans (and were basically rich men that wanted to be free of the King's taxes, etc., to make a living), the positive steps that our founding fathers took also outlined the tension created by slavery (felt even at the time of writing the Constitution) and paved the way for this issue to be addressed in the future by men willing to die for this issue; one thing that our founding fathers were not willing to do (after this country's tiring revolution).
So even though our founding fathers were not perfect (and who was, is?), its was their desire to be “free” from the King (a freedom they would ultimately fight for) that led to principles that couldn’t be ignored forever with respect to all people, men and women. Unwittingly or not, our founding fathers put the ball in motion.
Many criticize our founding fathers for owning slaves or their opinions regarding Africans. I understand this criticism, but think it is sometimes too simplified. For example, if you had the power to eliminate all of the founding fathers from history that owned slaves would you? Do you think that our country would be in a better or worse place? Maybe there wouldn’t be the USA?
I don't have the answers, but I do think it is too simplified to fully discount what our founding fathers did for us all because they owned slaves. Of course it does not help their reputations; and moreover, it puts more context around their motivations. Basically, I think the writing of the Constitution was special, but do agree that the evils of slavery make it seem more "ordinary" today.
If you think that we needed our specific founding fathers, or that we are better off because of them, then there was probably something special about some of them that wasn’t readily available in other men (and we will never know) and it was this something (faults and all) that paved the way with some generally universal principles that would become tools for future men and women to make further improvements, which the founding fathers did not have the energy or strength to tackle after the revolution.
If we look back at history, it is clear that people of our world’s past (and from each continent) did things that we now consider barbaric. In many countries these acts still continue. Of course one people's barbarity is of little comfort to the victims of another.
Needless to say, when history finally ends, it is likely that we will all be part of the same quilt sewn equally together by us all, as our actions, good or bad are undeniably linked. In the here and now, this link is not easily visible as we each have offsetting roles that we assume, or are perceived to assume, and defend.
Much like the basic principle of physics that each action has an opposite and equal reaction, we each take a position -- some ying and some yang, and some standing on the lines that separate others. But, in the end there are no innocent adults. This innocents, and right to be free of guilt leaves us all with our childhood.
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