Re: Editorial, "Take down disgraceful public art", May 19.
I believe Mr. Godbout needs to brush up on his knowledge of history. Abraham Lincoln's administration had no definite plans of ending slavery as it took power and President Lincoln clearly articulated this.
Even when the Civil War was forced on him, his issuing of the Emancipation Proclamation was part of his strategy to win the war and achieve the ultimate goal of preserving the great experiment in democracy, the American Union.
He wanted to prevent the recognition of the Confederacy by European powers and he generally succeeded.
The only nation to recognize the odious Southern Confederacy was the Vatican.
Certainly, he was personally vigorously opposed to slavery, but his personal feelings came second to doing his duty to preserve the Union.
The formation of the Southern Confederacy did not prompt the Civil War, the firing on the U.S. federal military instillation, Fort Sumter, sparked it, ordered by Confederate General Pierre G.T. Beauregard.
I hope these statues are not destroyed, they can be moved to somewhere less prominent because it is part of American history and history should not be destroyed. We should be learning about it so we can be guided in the future.
By the way, I understand that the only slavery that has been practised here in British Columbia has been practised by the native population amongst themselves.
I therefore find Mr. Godbout statements comparing the American South with this mural to be somewhat ridiculous.
Paul Serup
Prince George
