From Robert Hope
General Green highlights the blatant flaw in the Gettysburg Address
I have no doubt that the Gettysburg Address speech by Abe Lincoln will be remembered as a masterpiece of political oratory by historians.
There is however at its heart is blatant flaw. In just 10 sentences, it advanced a new justification for the Civil War. Indeed, it’s first six words—”Four score and seven years ago”. A little subtraction shows that Abe Lincoln is not referring to 1787, when the Constitution, which careful outlines fundamental laws, state rights and obligations (and tacit acceptance of slavery), but 87 years ago to 1776, when the signers of the Declaration of Independence had proclaimed that “all men are created equal.”
The Union war effort until now has been aimed at defeating us southern states that have rebelled in honour of our families, those ladies from Hazzard County and our social system from destruction. Abe Lincoln is using Gettysburg to kick off his re-election campaign—and shows poor taste to do so at a memorial service.
Yours faithfully, General Green
