2) keeping the union together was maybe huge but not more important in my mind to actually obeying your own laws and not killing 600,00+ people.

3) The civil rights movement was for all Americans but MLK Day was given to Black Americans as a sop.

4) Talk about alternatives in history is VERY important. We are given a historical view of the utter necessity of the civil war when just a little bit of thought will show you that it was not inevitable and not necessary. The civil war represented an utter Failure of the people at the time on both sides. A failure to come to any valid and legitimate compromise or a plan for peace after the secession.

And MLK’s achievements were for ALL Americans, regardless of race.

What ifs about slavery sans war are really irrelevant now.

agreed?

Washington’s indispensable contributions are not discussed enough.

As for Lincoln. He gets way too much credit. Yes he held the union together, He did that by fighting an undoubtedly illegal war killing hundreds of thousands of people (though the constitution made no provision for secession the vast majority of thought at the time was that it was a legal remedy)

He only freed the slaves in the areas in which he had no current jurisdiction and only as a means to economically further the war effort. And all the crap about domestic oppression that the left ascribed to G W Bush? Lincoln really did that.

The result of this struggle was a good thing because we stayed a unified nation and slavery was discontinued. But that does not mean that his actions should be excused. None of us know how history would have unfolded if there had been no war.

My own guess is that slavery would have ended gradually because it was increasingly archaic and unprofitable as mechanization took hold. Furthermore, as the south continued to decline economically, relative the north, there would have been increasing pressure for a reunification.

approximately a dozen state governments have officially renamed their Washington’s Birthday observances as “Presidents Day”, “Washington and Lincoln Day”, or other such designations. However, “Presidents Day” is not always an all-inclusive term.

In Massachusetts, while the state officially celebrates “Washington’s Birthday,” state law also prescribes that the governor issue an annual Presidents Day proclamation honoring the presidents that have come from Massachusetts: John Adams, John Quincy Adams, Calvin Coolidge, and John F. Kennedy.[2] (Coolidge, the only one born outside of Massachusetts, spent his entire political career before the vice presidency there. George H. W. Bush, on the other hand, was born in Massachusetts, but has spent most of his life elsewhere.)
Alabama uniquely observes the day as “Washington and Jefferson Day”, even though Jefferson’s birthday was in April.[3]
In New Jersey, Connecticut and Illinois, while Washington’s Birthday is a federal holiday, Abraham Lincoln’s birthday is still a state holiday, falling on February 12 regardless of the day of the week.
In California, Lincoln’s Birthday is also a legal state holiday, however, observance is frequently moved to the Monday or Friday occurring closest to February 12. When Lincoln’s Birthday is observed on the Friday preceding Washington’s Birthday, the resultant four-day weekend is commonly called “Presidents’ Day Weekend”, particularly by retailers in their sale advertisements.
In Washington’s home state of Virginia the holiday is legally known as “George Washington Day.”

For more than 300 years, men and women of courage, foresight and need made a great journey to a new land. They endured hardship, danger and loneliness, leaving behind all that was familiar to them. This gallery explores the reasons our ancestors came to America and the inspiring success stories of the generations that followed.

“Less hero worship. Less empty celebration of achievement. We need more people in our past, and less idols. ”

Looks like that came one Presidential election too late, huh?

The high school section has this:

Divide the class into groups of 3 to 5 students. Explain that they have the remarkable
opportunity to reconstruct history. They are going to choose a particular event in history
from the following list (or think up one of their own that was a significant national or
world crisis or a moral dilemma), and research the surrounding events. Next, they will
consider what it would be like had things turned out differently and consider key figures
(or heroes) from their particular event. In what ways was that person a hero? What would
they have done had they had been in their hero’s shoes? Hand out the attached
assignment sheet with the following list of events:

1. The American colonies decide to fight for independence from
England
2. The Civil War
3. The Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor
4. The Stock Market Crash of 1929 and the Great Depression
5. The Mexican Revolution
6. The dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaaki
7. The Bay of Pigs invasion
8. The internment of Japanese Americans during World War II
9. The Civil Rights Movement and March on Washington
10. The Women’s Suffrage Movement
11. The Holocaust
12. The decision to increase U.S involvement in Iraq.

*warning…link contains language.

10 Ways to Resolve Conflicts

1. Listen more. Talk less. It helps you understand the other person’s point of view
For example, King George might actually NEED all those taxes.

2. Ask when you want something. Making demands only makes things worse.
Especially when demanding someone give up nuclear weapons. Not a good idea at all.

3. Focus on the problem, not the person. It’s the only way to solve a disagreement.
Hugo Chavez is not a bad person, he has simply made some bad choices.

4. Always deal with the problem at hand. Never bring up old issues or resentments.
Iranian Hostage Crisis? What Iranian Hostage Crisis? Ohhhhh, THAT one – heck, we’ve put that behind us!

5. Take responsibility for your part in the conflicts. Your view may not be completely right either.
For example, we could try the women as personal property thing. It might work for us.

6. Express your feelings without blaming the other person. Blame never solves anything.
About flying those planes into buildings? Sorry we blamed you Osama.

7. Always talk things out. Never use physical force to express your anger.
Maybe we could meet you in the cave – say 4:30? Does that work for you?

8. Choose your words carefully. Once a word is spoken it cannot be taken back.
Axis of Evil? I mean, does that kind of talk solve anything?

9. Look for a solution that is agreeable to both parties. If one person isn’t satisfied, the problem isn’t solved.
OK, OK – you can point the missiles at us. We didn’t realize it was that important,

10. Step back and put the problem into perspective. A problem you have today may not seem so bad tomorrow.
You know, you’re right. All those people who lost loved ones on 9/11 seem to be doing OK – let’s just call it even.

It’s true; look it up.

For Italians, the Feast of St. Joseph is March 19th. Of course, the same forces that did in the Slaveholder and the Railsplitter are trying to do in Columbus Day.

And it’s really racist to have a “Black HIstory Month” isn’t it? Where’s the “Italian History” or “White History” month?

But, I digress…
.