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Dem Congressman Claims There’s a Major Historical Error in ‘Lincoln’

Feb. 6, 2013 7:04am Billy Hallowell

HARTFORD, Conn. (TheBlaze/AP) — As Rep. Joe Courtney watched the Oscar-nominated “Lincoln” over the weekend, something didn’t seem right to him. He said Tuesday he was shocked that the film, about President Abraham Lincoln’s political struggle to abolish slavery, includes a scene in which two Connecticut congressmen vote against the 13th amendment to the Constitution, outlawing slavery.

“`Wow. Connecticut voted against abolishing slavery?’” Courtney recalled hearing audience members ask. “I obviously had the same reaction. It was really bugging me.”

He said a cursory Internet search confirmed his suspicions that the movie, directed by Steven Spielberg, was historically inaccurate. He asked the Congressional Research Service to investigate, and it reported that all four Connecticut congressmen backed the amendment in a January 1865 vote.

Rep. Joe Courtney Claims Lincoln Has Factual Inaccuracy Surrounding Slavery, Connecticut

U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney (D-CT) (2nd L) speaks as House Democratic Caucus Vice Chair Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-CA) (R), and AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka (L) listen during a news briefing after a closed caucus meeting June 27, 2012 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. Various topics were discussed during the briefing including the possible outcomes from the Supreme Court ruling of the Healthcare Reform law. Credit: Getty Images

Not, Courtney wants to set the record straight.

A spokesman for Dreamworks Pictures, which produced “Lincoln,” did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment Tuesday.

Courtney praised the film’s acting and cinematography but said artistic license does not permit it to inaccurately put Connecticut on the wrong side of history, particularly on an issue as powerful as slavery. In a letter to Spielberg, the four-term Democratic congressman includes a tally of the 1865 vote by the state’s congressional delegation and a passionate defense of the state’s role in emancipating millions of blacks.

Actor Daniel Day-Lewis (Photo Credit: AP)

“How could congressmen from Connecticut — a state that supported President Lincoln and lost thousands of her sons fighting against slavery on the Union side of the Civil War — have been on the wrong side of history?” he said in his letter.

Courtney, who majored in history at Tufts University, asked that the movie, which stars Daniel Day-Lewis as Lincoln, be corrected before its release on DVD.

“Lincoln,” which leads the Oscars with 12 nominations, also stars Sally Field as Mary Todd Lincoln and Tommy Lee Jones as Thaddeus Stevens. It has earned more than $170 million at the box office.

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Comments (247)

rbowers
Posted on February 6, 2013 at 5:42pm
Growing up in the South before the history of the War of Northern Aggression was rewritten, we learned that the major cause of conflict was the government’s insistance that Southern cotton be sold to Northern textile mills instead of England, which paid a better price. This is what riled the masses, who were nonslave owners. It was not a question of slavery. Sort of like us being told today that we have to ship supplies of natural gas and oil to Northern cities instead of to China. Same old, same old.

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Bill1776
Posted on February 6, 2013 at 5:38pm
Slaves don’t own guns! Obama and the democrats want to take away our Second Amendment rights and make us all slaves.

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raptor45
Posted on February 6, 2013 at 5:36pm
We can argue about the causes of the Civil War until we’re blue in the face and there will be no general agreement about between the warring factions. I conclude it was about States Rights which included the right to own slaves, but the right and the desire to leave the Union was a heartfelt desire of many states then, just as it is now. Washington has and always will used the various states as colonies for its support and that won’t change until we have a war on Washington, wipe out the rats in those houses and start over.

The abolition of slavery was a good thing but it didn’t change the life of blacks very much because in reality they were a scorned race then, just like they are now and just like they will be in another 100 years.

Blacks and whites can get along well enough when they choose but the business of liking each other and accepting each other’s cultural differences in close proximity is a whole different ball of wax and I suspect that the races will never embrace each other as equals. They cannot and they will not because despite all the legislation and political correct speak, we are not equals and never will be.

All you have to do is look around at the average, run of the mill North American black today and you realize that the race just hasn’t come that far despite all the programs, aid and assistance it receives.
People can never rise higher than the level of their confession and that, in itself, is a terrible burden they place upon thems

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FedUpLibBS
Posted on February 6, 2013 at 5:25pm
Pity these Liberals can’t properly scrutinize a real trash movie like … GASLAND!!!

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raymeo12
Posted on February 6, 2013 at 4:53pm
This is awful,,,Let’s ban the film, burn all copies of it and lock-up everyone associated with this horrible injustice!! Who cares how someone voted 115 years ago?? Really,,who cares.
If this congressman cared as much about whats happening now, instead of then, He & we would be better off.

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laurencetribe
Posted on February 6, 2013 at 4:45pm
Add your comments

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laurencetribe
Posted on February 6, 2013 at 4:45pm
Fascinating reading! If the present liars, cheats and thieves in command of this nation can keep the people focused on past errors and omissions, few will recognize the political power, authority and influence generated to create a one-world socialist “republic”. Or haven’t you noticed that the present regime, D’s and R’s, is systematically destroying the huge and uniquely American middle class. Interesting, too, that the many Americans largely dependent upon government still see them- selves as a “free” people, thanks to a government educational system and its complying products.

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thebeckster
Posted on February 6, 2013 at 4:41pm
Now if the good Cingressman could also clarify that the REPUBLICANS were the good guys in freeing the slaves, while the DEMOCRATS had to be dragged into the Civil Rights Era KICKING and SCREAMING…

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Chaly
Posted on February 6, 2013 at 4:36pm
Well, I wasn’t there so I have to think the war was about a lot of things just like the ones today. However, it does look to me as though mainly the eastern half of the U.S. is trying to destroy this country and send us all into slavery! Slavery, by the way, is the current term for socialism, right?.

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elosogrande
Posted on February 6, 2013 at 4:31pm
I don’t like seeing Donald Trmka, who UI believe is nothing more than a thug, sharing the stage with members of The U.S. Congress. From the look on his face, In my opinion, he was there to make sure that these Congressmen said what they were told to say and nothing more.

Take a good look at who’s running your country.

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Salamander
Posted on February 6, 2013 at 4:28pm
Why are so many African-Americans Democrats, while Lincoln was a Republican? Well, it’s because so many African-Americans believe what they hear, not what they experience! Not all, but far too many! Dem’s ain’t chem-trails up there, they are contrails! There’s a difference, and if you weren’t so ‘appreciative’ of your public education, you’d know that! But, it’s easier to ‘be cool’ than to be all you can be! A mind IS a terrible thing to waste–ALMOST as terrible as a vote!

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Salamander
Posted on February 6, 2013 at 4:24pm
Hmmm, well, a little family research shows that my Southern relatives didn’t own slaves, but ny Northern one’s did! Ho-hum! Another miscarriage of history in honor of the agenda-driven politically correct!

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Salamander
Posted on February 6, 2013 at 4:22pm
ENCIINOM — Your bias overwhelms your ability to reason! Please don’t be that way! It makes it really difficult for everyone! You are THE POSTER CHILD for what is wrong with the Democratic Party! And, by the way, the Republican Party isn’t THAT far behind! But you have your facts contaminated with you bias! And, THAT is an unforgiveable gaff!

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sanvitodeinormandie
Posted on February 6, 2013 at 4:21pm
There’s a lot more wrong/in error than just this one incident regarding two congressional voters from Ct.!!!!!!!

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gaillard1217
Posted on February 6, 2013 at 4:20pm
Wonder if he knows Lincoln was a republican- also wonder if he knows a higher percentage of republicans voted for the Civil Rights Act of ’64 than did democrats? yep, it’s there for all to see- without that high %-age of republican support the dems would have failed to pass the CRA of 1964.

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jeeree
Posted on February 6, 2013 at 3:51pm
The war was about slavery. Mason Dixon line, Jay Hawks, Kansas Wars, New States whether they would be free or slave, John Brown, Underground R.R. ect. It was also about property rights. What if the feds came in and said turn in all your vehicles, tractors, generators, chainsaws, motorcycles, ect. leaving you with no way to work or till your fields, that is what slaves were to many. The abolitionists were not offering any recompense, if they had, the war would not have been as long, if it would have even had happened at all. Joseph Smith in the 1840′s proposed selling federal lands to pay for freeing Slave’s as part of his Presidential Platform before being murdered by a Mob. What would have happened if he had succeeded?? By the way, Congressmen can change their vote’s after a bill is passed. Isn’t that the shizz.

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liberalsruseless
Posted on February 6, 2013 at 3:46pm
Good for the Congressman. Too often events are portrayed to support an ideology, rather than the truth. Spilberg needs to acknowledge the error

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catnip24
Posted on February 6, 2013 at 3:44pm
maybe this congressman should do some more serious fact finding and be more concerned about the real lincoln, and not the fabled lincoln everyone wants portrayed. where’s the concern about lincoln’s violation of the constitution that brought on the civil war? where’s lincoln’s quotes that he wanted to send the blacks back to africa or have them make their own country outside the united states? where does it show lincoln’s bouts with depression and his homosexuality?
if this congressman wants true fact finding then let it begun.
looking at america now it’s too bad the south didn’t win that war.

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DogsLoveFreedom
Posted on February 6, 2013 at 3:44pm
Hollywood is always concerned about political correctness so what happened? I’m tired of revisionist slavery history. And if it’s in a movie it must be true, Hollywood should be careful the ignorant people will believe anything without researching. Much like the Benghazi video lie that caused riots and deaths and brought attention to a video that would never have seen the light of day. I mean that little video was really bad.

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BurntHills
Posted on February 6, 2013 at 3:43pm
‘wrong side of History’. what BS. most of the democrat Confederate soldiers were slaveless, and fighting against Lincoln because the North had become dictators who looked down on the entire population of the South, not JUST the slave-owners.

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FreeCarolJoy
Posted on February 6, 2013 at 3:40pm
Per David Barton, it was not a big fight to pass. It passed easily. I think that movie was meant to distort our great president and make him look like a corrupt individual. Now more and more is coming out. I wondered after seeing who was in the film and making the film how much was changed for an agenda. Soon they will be doing it to Reagan. Michael Douglas, really?

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jeeree
Posted on February 6, 2013 at 3:37pm
The war was about slavery. Mason Dixon line, Jay Hawks, Kansas Wars, New States whether they would be free or slave, John Brown, Underground R.R. ect. It was also about property rights. What if the feds came in and said turn in all your vehicles, tractors, generators, chainsaws, motorcycles, ect. leaving you with no way to work or till your fields, that is what slaves were to many. The abolitionists were not offering any recompense, if they had, the war would not have been as long, if it would have even had happened at all. Joseph Smith in the 1840′s proposed selling federal lands to pay for freeing Slave’s as part of his Presidential Platform before being murdered by a Mob. What would have happened if he had succeeded??

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z32tt
Posted on February 6, 2013 at 3:29pm
LOL. Yes, that is the “major historical error” in that movie – how terrible to depict CT in such a light! Gimme a break! Let me address the elephant in the room because apparently nobody researches American history anymore. Abraham Lincoln was a racist. Don’t believe me? Here is a quote from a speech he gave:

“I will say then that I am not, nor ever have been in favor of bringing about in anyway the social and political equality of the white and black races – that I am not nor ever have been in favor of making voters or jurors of negroes, nor of qualifying them to hold office, nor to intermarry with white people; and I will say in addition to this that there is a physical difference between the white and black races which I believe will forever forbid the two races living together on terms of social and political equality. And inasmuch as they cannot so live, while they do remain together there must be the position of superior and inferior, and I as much as any other man am in favor of having the superior position assigned to the white race. I say upon this occasion I do not perceive that because the white man is to have the superior position the ***** should be denied everything.”
by:

Abraham Lincoln
(1809-1865) 16th US President

Source:

Fourth Debate with Stephen A. Douglas at Charleston, Illinois, September 18, 1858
(The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln edited by Roy P. Basler, Volume III, pp. 145-146.)

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- strawberry411a
  Posted on February 6, 2013 at 3:34pm
  Racist or product of his time and place?
  
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- z32tt
  Posted on February 6, 2013 at 3:53pm
  Perhaps both, but that doesn’t justify his beliefs or actions.
  
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Mike Austin
Posted on February 6, 2013 at 3:26pm
Forget about a movie. What is trumpka doing there?

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strawberry411a
Posted on February 6, 2013 at 3:01pm
Hey ENCINO”mom”; you guys had a civil war in the middle east at one point didn’t you……..ENCINO ‘mom”.

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