His birthplace is here in Staunton, Virginia — as is His presidential library. But many of us are quick to point out that his political rise happened in New Jersey. His racism and narcissism were nurtured not so much in a southern state. An honest appraisal of his career is instructive and I really appreciate any straight-up articles such as this one.
I couldn’t include everything in the article, but his racism was probably engendered by his father’s own political views and then he took them to heights of his own. It’s indicative of his character that many people in his day thought he was more racist than the people around him. You can’t wholly fault him for embracing eugenics since it was THE science of the day, but again, he was supposed to be this highly educated man (who definitely thought he was better than almost anyone else) and he was really a racist pig.
Eugenics was the science of the day, but the forced sterilizations and institutional horrors should have given anyone with a drop of compassion pause. Joseph Spencer DeJarnette (also a native of Staunton) is another shame on our city's history. Racism and eugenics went hand in hand:
When I read about what happened in the name of science back then, I get a chill because there are those today who would do similar in the name of “science” today. Like that guy who blew himself up at the fertility clinic because he didn’t believe people should be born without their permission (an impossibility). He was just a nut, but there are those who think we should curtail childbirth in the name of global climate change and they have a lot more power to make those wrong-headed notions happen.
I’m not sure HE “let” his wife do anything. I can cut HIM a bit of slack for the stroke.
That his cabinet and chief of staff allowed her to usurp the president’s position is what I object to…similar to how I object to Biden’s crew trying to hide his dementia from the American people. The people are sovereign and the president works for us, not the other way around. We have a right to know.
All your points are valid. Who are the other two of your top three?
OK, the question of his power to control his wife is a good one.
I'll leave out recent Presidents, just to avoid inflaming folks.
James Buchanan is on everyone's list as well as mine. He even told Lincoln that he hated the job. Did nothing to avert the war everyone knew was coming.
Andrew Johnson. Tried to pretend nothing happened and let the Southern states back in.
I'm tempted to add JQ Adams and Martin van Buren, but I don't have enough facts to make that case.
His birthplace is here in Staunton, Virginia — as is His presidential library. But many of us are quick to point out that his political rise happened in New Jersey. His racism and narcissism were nurtured not so much in a southern state. An honest appraisal of his career is instructive and I really appreciate any straight-up articles such as this one.
I couldn’t include everything in the article, but his racism was probably engendered by his father’s own political views and then he took them to heights of his own. It’s indicative of his character that many people in his day thought he was more racist than the people around him. You can’t wholly fault him for embracing eugenics since it was THE science of the day, but again, he was supposed to be this highly educated man (who definitely thought he was better than almost anyone else) and he was really a racist pig.
Eugenics was the science of the day, but the forced sterilizations and institutional horrors should have given anyone with a drop of compassion pause. Joseph Spencer DeJarnette (also a native of Staunton) is another shame on our city's history. Racism and eugenics went hand in hand:
https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/dejarnette-joseph-s-1866-1957/
When I read about what happened in the name of science back then, I get a chill because there are those today who would do similar in the name of “science” today. Like that guy who blew himself up at the fertility clinic because he didn’t believe people should be born without their permission (an impossibility). He was just a nut, but there are those who think we should curtail childbirth in the name of global climate change and they have a lot more power to make those wrong-headed notions happen.
He was in the three worst. And even without considering the racism:
* He caused WW I to end on false premises; Germany expected a 14 Points peace and instead they got Versailles. Thus, Hitler and WW II.
* He invoked censorship on anyone opposing the war, and threw Eugene Debs in prison for it.
* He ruined his health campaigning for a treaty which he had never solicited any public input for. Then let his wife be the acting President.
I’m not sure HE “let” his wife do anything. I can cut HIM a bit of slack for the stroke.
That his cabinet and chief of staff allowed her to usurp the president’s position is what I object to…similar to how I object to Biden’s crew trying to hide his dementia from the American people. The people are sovereign and the president works for us, not the other way around. We have a right to know.
All your points are valid. Who are the other two of your top three?
OK, the question of his power to control his wife is a good one.
I'll leave out recent Presidents, just to avoid inflaming folks.
James Buchanan is on everyone's list as well as mine. He even told Lincoln that he hated the job. Did nothing to avert the war everyone knew was coming.
Andrew Johnson. Tried to pretend nothing happened and let the Southern states back in.
I'm tempted to add JQ Adams and Martin van Buren, but I don't have enough facts to make that case.
Yours?