We hail the first individuals who questioned our relationship with England
and dared to speak of independence as great leaders, great independent
thinkers. We (or at least our history books) totally ignore those who had
the moral fortitude to recognize slavery for what it was and to free their
slaves.
Instead, we fixate on the slaveowners as our great leaders, as if
slaveowning was only a minor blemish on their otherwise great careers.
If that is the case, I still think we must give Nazis the same benefit. They
were only following the culture and morals of their society. Other Western
countries denounced their behaviour, but other Western countries also
denounced American slavery.
Paul