Hatred, racism and Abraham Lincoln

I've been working through the sin of hatred and considering Abraham Lincoln's abolitionism as a predecessor to an eventual election of a black president. And with Obama such a fan of Lincoln, he's been in the news a bit lately. I've come to realize how little I actually know about Lincon's life and work.

In doing some research I came across a Lincoln quote that was such a shock because of it's somewhat overt racist language. This will probably make it into the book, though likely as a footnote because it's a bit of a tangent from the major points I'll be covering:

"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 wonder if Lincoln would have voted for Obama for president!

At any rate, I still have great respect for the man and my understanding is that these kinds of attitudes softened within him over the years. But it is still interesting to realize that racism was so prevalent in American society that even the great abolitionist participated in this kind of talk.