Is Lincoln popular in the South? Among today's white majority, I mean?

[sharesunited]

Does old Abe get any props from Southern whites for preserving the Union and promoting the abolition of slavery?

Or is he still regarded as a trouble-making progressive?

(Oh Glenn Beck, won't you please tell us how to feel about him?)

[tanyev]

1. Are you kidding? They exploit Lincoln like nobody's business.

What an exciting year for Collin County and the many supporters who are a part of this vibrant time!

You can help us strengthen our Republican stronghold and ensure that Collin County remains strong, free and prosperous by joining us at the 42nd Annual Collin County Lincoln Day Dinner. The Lincoln Day dinner is the economic engine that supports our Republican Headquarters and enables us to continue to foster Republican ideas throughout this great county. We must be focused on the 2010 election and build upon our past Republican successes. By keeping Collin County a Republican stronghold we are able to elect both local and state candidates who share our values; however, none of this can be accomplished without your support!

We are excited to celebrate our “Living Legends”: A Tribute to Congressman Ralph M. Hall and Congressman Sam Johnson.

This is the first time Collin County has celebrated and paid tribute to these two statesmen who have served us and our country so well over the many years. We look forward to you joining us for the 2010 Lincoln Day Dinner.

On Saturday, February 6, 2010 the Collin County Republican Party will hold its 42nd Annual Lincoln Day Dinner at the Marriott Legacy Hotel in Plano, Texas. The evening will include honoring our Senior Congressmen, both Live and Silent Auctions, an excellent dinner, free covered parking in the hotel garage and, most importantly, the opportunity to socialize with your Republican friends from Collin County and beyond.

http://www.collincountygop.com/2010-lincoln-day-dinner/

[sharesunited]

3. "socialize with your Republican friends." I'm savoring that little gem.

[angrycarpenter]

4. You are right there.

They love to use him as a symbol of republicanism even though nearly everyone switched parties in the 60s-70s and really no longer have any claim on his legacy.

[LuvNewcastle]

2. My great-grandmother didn't think

much of Lincoln, but her father had fought for the Confederacy so I suppose that was understandable. Today Southerners generally admire Lincoln, with the exception of people belonging to certain groups, like the Sons of Confederate Veterans.

[Name removed]

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[Cirque du So-What]

6. I see lots of criticism of Lincoln from whites - not just in the south

and not strictly on internet discussion boards. A couple weeks ago I got a front-end alignment on my car. While standing unobtrusively in the work area, I noticed a sheet of paper taped to the side of a locker with a portrait of Lincoln printed on it. Below it, printed in large font, was the word 'WANTED.' Without much to go on, it could mean anything from a statement against the way Lincoln wielded executive power during the civil war to approval of vigilantism in the form of his assassination.

[Obamanaut]

8. Or perhaps the portrait with 'wanted' simply meant that his legacy was

such that another one like him would be welcome.

[fishwax]

7. I once got in an argument with a Mississippian who refused to drink Jim Beam because it's made one

county over from where Lincoln was born. This guy wasn't representative of southerners, of course, and in terms of his attitude towards Lincoln he was one of the more hostile I've met, but antipathy towards Lincoln isn't that unusual among white southerners. I can't say how the majority feels, I can only say I've met plenty who didn't like him.

[jmowreader]

15. I can think of better reasons to not drink Jim Beam

Clermont being one county from where Lincoln was born isn't as important as the quality of the product, and it's not a good bourbon.

[The Midway Rebel]

9. Yes, we Southeners love Lincolns but we...

will drive a Cadillac in a pinch.

[Mudoria]

10. I don't like or admire Lincoln

[Smarmie Doofus]

12. Because..... nt

[zazen]

11. the only related criticism I hear is of the self-righteousness of Northerners

Not implying you are one--just it's the most relevant criticism I encounter. But I hang in Dem and progressive circles. Can't tell you how many Northerners I've met through the years who stereotype all Southerners and act like that somehow the Union population wasn't almost as uniformly racist as the South. Many white yankees and midwesterners I met in college were aghast at all of "the Black people" at Carolina, all the while acting like I, as a native white Southerner, must be pro-slavery or something (while in fact my dad taught at NC A&T during the Greensboro riots and we used to get KKK literature dropped in our yard as a result.) So I got sick of their hypocritical double standard pretty quickly.

So, while I admire Lincoln for his brilliance and courage (and can't imagine someone that rhetorically brilliant speaking for three hours today without a teleprompter), I don't think he thought of African Americans as equals, and abolition was just a strategy to preserve the union--it wasn't his primary goal. But he was certainly head and shoulders above most of his peers, morally and intellectually, and the thought that today's Republicans bear any resemblance to him is ludicrous.

[Rowdyboy]

13. The average Southerner has little or no interest in history outside of a high school classroom....

They're interested in work, bills, sports and sex-pretty much like everyone else in the country. They do "like" Republicans though most couldn't name 5 currently holding office because in general they detest politics and politicians.

Lincoln, and other politicians from the 1800's are irrelevant to their daily lives.

[Geek_Girl]

14. Most don't seem to care. But some have revised history

Apparently the Civil war wasn't about abolishing Slavery because the South was about to do that anyway :eyes: