Lincoln was a homosexual. Yeah, right.

Remember that book on Lincoln a year ago arguing that Lincoln was homosexual and had homosexual relationships during the Civil War? It reminded me of leftists I’ve known who are chronically eager to demonstrate that various American icons, usually the most unlikely candidates, are “really” homosexual. In fact, it’s one of the standard ways in which leftists seek to drag America down, even though, of course, the same people insist that “there’s nothing wrong with that.” Thus a leftist woman once informed me with great knowingness that John Wayne was a homosexual. How did she know this? Well, “everyone” knew it. Similarly, a few years ago, while visiting the historic Fraunces Tavern in downtown New York, I happened to hear a lecture by a New York psychiatrist who gleefully presented his thesis that the Hamilton-Burr duel was actually driven by repressed homosexual desire. During the question period, I pointed out that the speaker’s argument was based on no facts at all, was purely speculative, and seemed to be motivated by the usual leftist desire to debunk America and its leading historical figures.

I was reminded of all the above by this passage in Hemingway’s 1926 novel The Sun Also Rises (p. 116) that I came upon recently. (It’s one of my favorite novels, by the way; I re-read it every few years.) Jake Barnes and his friend Bill Gorton are on a fishing trip in the mountains in Spain. Bill has just inadvertently mentioned the disabling genital wound that Jake received during the war, and is trying to make up for it.

“I think he’s a good writer, too,” Bill said. “And you’re a hell of a good guy. Anybody ever tell you you were a good guy?”

“I’m not a good guy.”

“Listen. You’re a hell of a good guy, and I’m fonder of you than anybody on earth. I couldn’t tell you that in New York. It’d mean I was a faggot. That was what the Civil War was about. Abraham Lincoln was a faggot. He was in love with General Grant. So was Jefferson Davis. Lincoln just freed the slaves on a bet. The Dred Scott case was framed by the Anti-Saloon League. Sex explains it all. The Colonel’s Lady and Judy O’Grady are Lesbians under the skin.”

Posted by Lawrence Auster at February 21, 2006 06:29 AM | Send