The Death of the Peaceniks

Unlike some people who claim to be anti-war and pro-civil-liberties but who shamelessly and reflexively support pretty much anything that their fellow initiates, I truly am. And, yes, I am in fact referring to Abe Lincoln again; the fact that the dude didn't just wage war (a war, mind you, that killed or maimed close to 5% of the total population and of which also destroyed nearly half of the country's wealth) but all-out total war. I cite specifically the fact that under his auspices, Union soldiers killed civilians, plundered and confiscated private property (a large percentage of these victims having never owned a single slave), raped women (a large chunk of them slaves), and burnt to the ground entire cities...........................................................................And, no, it wasn't as if his behavior to the north was any more enlightened. The man imprisoned citizens (by the thousands) merely for speaking out against the war, closed down newspapers that criticized him, ordered the largest mass execution in the history of America (38 Santee Sioux who were all strung up after five minute trials and virtually no defense), suspended the writ of habeas corpus, and even had a Congressman (whose major offense was having the temerity to disagree with his government's policies) deported to Canada.............................................................................I'm telling you here, folks, while I had always more or less thought that Nixon and FDR were the two most fascistic Presidents in American history, I realize now that that assessment was incoreect. It is Lincoln - by a mile.