Conspiracies, sheeple, the universe and everything

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by Bubblehead1980

he is different

They always are. This has been said by every hater of every president we've ever had.

Originally Posted by Bubblehead1980

Lincoln launched a war of aggression

No, he didn't. That onus falls on Jefferson Davis and Francis Pickens. Lincoln said he wouldn't fire the first shot, and he didn't. Argue about it all you want, but that's the bottom line.

Lincoln suspended habeas corpus

In a limited area, for a limited time. If Maryland went with the South Washington would be cut off from the rest of the country. Once Maryland was secure the order was rescinded and the prisoners released. Hardly the act of a tyrant. There was much controversy at the time, but Congress eventually agreed with Lincoln. Here is a very good study on the subject.
http://quod.lib.umich.edu/j/jala/262...;view=fulltext

jailed his critics for simply speaking out against him

Yes, powers were abused, and not all by the president. I'm not about to justify all his actions, but considering the times it was not to be unexpected, and when things calmed down the prisoners were released. I agree that this was wrong, and the ends never justify the means, but none of this justifies labelling Lincoln a "tyrant". At the end he was doing everything he could to make reunion peaceable and forgiving.

among his many other crimes.

You haven't shown that the previous doings were crimes. Was the suspension legal? He argued that it was, and successfully.

All over slavery which was on it's way out anyway.

But I thought the war wasn't about slavery. For Lincoln the war was about preserving the Union. He was the product of the generation who rebelled against Britain, who said "We must all hang together or most assuredly we will all hang separately", and there is ample evidence that he believed the country could not survive divided, that one or both parts would soon be absorbed by one European power or another.

I agree that Lincoln had his flaws. All men do, and men who have the drive to achieve power have those flaws magnified. That said, I also believe that his motives, taken in the context of the time, were pure.

Originally Posted by Bubblehead1980

Absolutely. Lincoln was a divisive figure to begin with but instead of trying to work with the states

You mean the states that seceded simply because Lincoln was elected, without even trying to work out an equitable solution?

respecting their rights, their culture

In his inaugural address he did everything he could to placate those States and gave an eloquent statement on his beliefs concerning slavery and secession. He did indeed respect their rights.

and understanding slavery was on it's way out

In that same address he reiterated that he wasn't trying to abolish slavery in the Southern States. Also, you'll have a hard time proving that slavery was "on the way out" when all the seceeding states cited slavery as their main reason for seceding in the first place.

he launched a war without justification.

Except of course for the part where he didn't launch the war.

Then the manner in which he prosecuted said war, such as allowing Sherman to pursue scorched earth policy, is just reprehensible

That's a valid argument, but you haven't been arguing it, just using it to justify your accusation of tyrrany.

Sure, there is a suspension clause but to jail someone for criticizing your war against fellow American's simply standing up to a tyrannical government?

Let me see if I have this straight: Lincoln is a tyrant because he jailed people for criticizing him, but they stood against him because he was already a tyrant. Which came first?

I can understand your thinking on this, but you are still expressing yourself as one who has long ago made up his mind and refuses to see any possibility that he might be mistaken. You're not debating, you're shouting.