REVISIONISTS
07/19/2010 2:27I LOATHE REVISIONISTS
That is my title. I know of no better way of saying it. Among those who want to rewrite history are many of the leaders of secular universities and their goal is to either not teach about some of this nation's founding fathers (because they might have actually … GASP … owned slaves, took land from the “Indians,” etc. etc. etc.) or they are quite willing to make up history to suit how they think things should have been? And for this they completely make up a story out of whole-cloth in order to help substantiate their false beliefs. The sad truth is that most people are too lazy to do any reading on their own so they end up believing what they have heard, even if it is patently and in most cases provably untrue.
Today's blog will not be about those particular liberals though... today's blog will be about a quote that I support: however, it is attributed to a man who most probably never said it. (The problem is that it was only quoted by one source and years after it was supposed to have happened.)
All-in-all I am a person who likes history... the good and the bad, and EXACTLY how it happened! I like reading about the successes and the failures of real people. It is one of the things I love about the Bible... God, sugar-coats nothing! He simply had things recorded exactly how they happened; that is the way I like to read secular history as well, foibles and all!
Even when a history rewrite adds value to what I personally believe or support, I am still against it. I don't need what I stand for propped up with false teachings or lies. Besides, what I believe... I believe: regardless whether or not I have the support of anyone else. I suppose I am just either sure enough, or arrogant enough (take your pick) to not really care about or feel like I need vindication by my peers.
I read an article in the Courier Journal about ten days ago. (Before talking about the article I would like to explain that I never buy a copy of their paper. They are quite liberal in their reporting and I would never do anything to help them continue on in their business. However, whenever anyone leaves an old paper in the break-room I do read many of the articles.)
There was an excellent and well-written article on the editorial page: it was titled, FARM ANIMAL RIGHTS. If I were grading the content I would give it a mark in the high 90's for making some salient points without going overboard in what was being said. Overall I thought the article showed some good common sense. But, you knew a “but” or “however” was coming... didn't you?
In closing the gentleman from Indiana used a quote from one of my seven favorite presidents... Abraham Lincoln. I won't tell you, at least for this blog, who all of the other six are or their order, I will say though that John Adams and Ronald Reagan are also on that list. (And of course I mean the sixth president “Quincy Adams” and not the second president John senior who was a lost reprobate. In this case the apple fell far from the tree... thank God!)
Because I like history and often read about our leaders I was somewhat surprised to read the following quote that Abraham Lincoln was supposed to have said. “I'm in favor of animal rights as well as human rights. That is the way of the whole human being.” In one sense such a quote would not have been out of character for him.
He was known to NOT BE A HUNTER. Which in the 1800's was mostly unheard of for a man not to kill animals. Also, Mr. Lincoln appointed Henry Bergh to a diplomatic post in Russia and upon returning home Mr. Bergh started the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. (ASPCA) This was done in 1866. Mr. Bergh gave many speeches about cruelty to horses, dogs, and he was adamantly against cock-fights and the such.
Many of Lincoln's friends wrote stories about times they were with him and he would deter from whatever he was doing to help an animal that was in need. One example was that while riding horses with a friend, Mr. Lincoln got down to help a little pig that was stuck in the mud and crying. And in extricating the pig he got muddied himself. He also was the first president who began the practice of pardoning a turkey at Thanksgiving. In addition, while at the White House he had cats and a dog as personal pets.
All of these things were known to me... yet, the quote in question I had never heard. (Mr. Lincoln) “I'm in favor of animal rights as well as human rights. That is the way of the whole human being.” So, I searched the best that I could and I CAN NOT FIND THAT HE ACTUALLY MADE THAT STATEMENT!
I don't think, given his history with animals, that it was necessarily wrong to imagine Lincoln might have thought something like that... but it is clearly wrong to report him as having said that unless you can find a good source for it. Again, I loathe revisionists... even if it supports my own position.
Originally that is all that I intended to write, I just wanted to correct a wrong in an otherwise good article. Because I am on the subject (animals) I thought that I would like to write just a little more. At least two more thoughts for the day that I found to be interesting. “How did the Pilgrims interpret the dominion of man over animals in the Book of Genesis?” And, in our country, “when was the first law recorded that gave animals certain protections?
The Pilgrims felt that dominion meant, “responsible stewardship, rather than ownership.” In their constitution and recorded in rite number 92 and passed by the Massachusetts Bay Colony they stated: "No man shall exercise any Tirrany or Crueltie toward any bruite Creature which are usuallie kept for man's use."
Although other countries had made similar laws to protect animals (from people) before the Pilgrims did in our own country... the first laws written in America for the protection of animals... drum roll please... the year... 1641! Can you imagine that? 460 years ago laws were written where men saw the need to take care of animals. And (of course) that was 135 years before the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
So, the next time you hear someone say that no one ever saw the need to protect animals until the crazy people from PETA showed up... you can with full assurance say they are wrong. It was the “crazy” Christian Pilgrims (Puritans) who first saw the need!
You can always email me at clarkmatthews1@aol.com
posted by Robin Johnson @ 2:24 PM
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