> > The bigot is a large part of that, of course. Wilson was probably the > most > > racist President of the 20th Century - he might well have been the most > > racist President since (once again) the unlamented James Buchanan. He > > actually served to move the status of African Americans _backwards_ by a > > considerable margin. > > > Gautam > > > Now see you are just wrong. You are equating failure to do something about > slavery with racism. Are you calling Jefferson a racist also? > > Here is a poor site ranking, well he picks the top one, presidents: > > http://www.yankthechain.com/history.html > > Kevin T. > > I'm afraid that I have no idea what you are referring to. Wilson had > nothing to do with slavery, slavery having been taken care of by a > significantly taller (and better) President. Wilson _was_ a racist bastard, > but slavery doesn't really go into the issue. I _would_ call Jefferson a > racist, of course, but that's not a damning insult for a man of the 18th > century, for God's sake. He was far in advance of his time, which is what > you give him credit for. Wilson was far behind his. Buchanan was nothing > more than an incompetent who fiddled while Rome burned. Had he moved > swiftly and forcefully to defeat the first stirrings of the Civil War - as > Andrew Jackson had done - it's at least possible that the whole conflict > would never have happened, and it's certain that the North would have been > in a far more advantageous position. Instead he adopted the ludicrous > position that secession was unconstitutional but the Federal Government did > not have the power to prevent it and (until the last few months of his > Presidency) stocked his Cabinet with people (some might call them traitors) > who actively aided secessionists. > > Gautam
Sorry I wasn't more clear. 1. I only put that site up as a joke, didn't mean for it to be taken seriously; that's why I said it was poor. 2. I meant Buchanan not Wilson. Buchanan was not racist, at least I can find no mention of it. If you can great, but I am assuming right now that it was a poor off-hand remark. Lincoln made remarks that were racist and Andrew Johnson has been shown to be a racist. Buchanan, again, was screwed by the supreme court two days into his presidency and it was down-hill from there. Please, Gautam I am not trying to make this an 'issue'. You freely stated that you did no research on Buchanan, but what you say is wrong. Here: http://gi.grolier.com/presidents/ea/bios/15pbuch.html quote: As the war dragged on, the nation sought a scapegoat and found one in ex-President Buchanan. Perhaps no American President has been so vilified for political purposes. The Republicans, especially, fabricated stories and twisted facts to depict Buchanan as a traitor, a proslavery conspirator, and the principal author of the war. Those who could have set the record straight were silenced by wartime censorship and intimidation. After the war, their statements were ignored. Buchanan, in retirement, published a documented account of his administration, Mr. Buchanan's Administration on the Eve of the Rebellion (1866), but it received scant attention. Recent scholarship recognizes that Buchanan devoted all his talent to averting the catastrophe and that no other policy gave better promise of a peaceful settlement. Kevin T. PA proud
