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Why do conservatives continually misquote Lincoln?
http://www.factcheck.org/article415.html
"Supporters of President Bush and the war in Iraq often quote Abraham Lincoln as saying members of Congress who act to damage military morale in wartime "are saboteurs, and should be arrested, exiled or hanged."
Republican candidate Diana Irey used the "quote" recently in her campaign against Democratic Rep. John Murtha of Pennsylvania, and it has appeared thousands of times on the Internet, in newspaper articles and letters to the editor, and in Republican speeches. But Lincoln never said that. The conservative author who touched off the misquotation frenzy, J. Michael Waller, concedes that the words are his, not Lincoln's. Waller says he never meant to put quote marks around them, and blames an editor for the mistake and the failure to correct it. We also note other serious historical errors in the Waller article containing the bogus quote. Update Aug. 26: Candidate Irey retracted the quote and apologized hours after this article appeared.
The despicable conservatives in question deliberately made up Lincoln "quotes" for there own political purposes. See a few questions below for yet another disgraceful example.
I recommend that these self-serving scum be drawn and quartered in front of the Lincoln Memorial.
At the very least they should be forced to read a few hundred books about the man they claim to admire so much.
Juan: Believe me, there are people who know. They're called scholars. We have primary records of Lincoln's letters and speeches, etc.
And, obviously, if some "quote" appears in 2006 that NEVER appeared anywhere before, of course it's made up. It's not like Abe is still around doing interviews.
7 Answers
- Anonymous1 decade agoFavorite Answer
I suppose conservatives use the misquote because it is presented to them as a real and accurate quote.
Waller blames the editor for not reading his mind and removing the quote marks!
- Anonymous1 decade ago
Isn't it obvious they're trying to use Abe as a spokesperson for them...it's kind of rediculous especially when they're promoting neoconservativism and Abe was an anti-federalist...can't they just respect him and let the man rest in peace. Besides, the republican party in the 1800s is a farcry from where it is today.
- Disneyland GuruLv 71 decade ago
No one currently alive was around when Lincoln was president to hear what he actually said. People have no choice but to research to find things he said. If the material is incorrect, how is one to know?
- Caroline SLv 41 decade ago
Because some quote sites say different things than other ones and some people think they know what he said even if they didn't know.
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- 1 decade ago
Because he is hero figure, and they interpret his words for their own agenda..not sure if that is just a republican thing or a POLITICIAN thing...
- Anonymous1 decade ago
I've never heard anyone say that. Sounds like yet another strawman you libs are determined to kill.
