Leonard Pitts, from the Miami Herald wrote an article about the myth that Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves. He says the Emancipation Proclamation was a military measure to destabilize the rebellious south and did not apply in slave holding states. http://www.miamiherald.com/living/columnists/leonard-pitts/story/857544.html
However, he does point to the fact that Lincoln abhorred slavery and believed in the humanity of blacks. Lincoln’s primary goal was to save the Union. And so, the Union of the United States remains.
But what kind of Union? We are witnessing today in the inauguration of the 44th President. The main theme is hope and confidence. We can be down in the gutter, but hope is the light at the end of the tunnel. I do hope for a greater Union. President Obama has been clear that it will take work and sacrifice. He is asking for all to do their part.
The United States is in virtual bankruptcy. I have awakened in my own personal life , the value of myself without a penny. I lost a big source of my usual income in the last year as a realtor in Miami. But in the process right now of rebuilding, I haven’t lost my dignity, self-respect or self-value. (more…)