That's a good question. Seems ironic doesn't it?Trackhead M2 wrote:Dear dj1,doublejm1 wrote:Many people say that TR was racist and believed that whites were the superior race.
Why did he have Booker T. Washington to the White House for dinner then?
Strike Swiftly,
TH-M2
Teddy Roosevelt's Legacy
Re: Teddy Roosevelt's Legacy
Re: Teddy Roosevelt's Legacy
If the defintion of a racist is someone who believes his race is superior to another or others that doesn't mean he will necessarily dislike or disdane members of other races. Indeed in the period in discussion it was quite possible for individuals to be "racist" by that defintion and yet have friends and/or people they admired who belonged to different "racial" groups. It's only when one starts to define racist as those who hate the members of other races that interacctions become strained/ironic.
Re: Teddy Roosevelt's Legacy
Great point.LWD wrote:If the defintion of a racist is someone who believes his race is superior to another or others that doesn't mean he will necessarily dislike or disdane members of other races. Indeed in the period in discussion it was quite possible for individuals to be "racist" by that defintion and yet have friends and/or people they admired who belonged to different "racial" groups. It's only when one starts to define racist as those who hate the members of other races that interacctions become strained/ironic.
Re: Teddy Roosevelt's Legacy
I'll definitely check this out.OpanaPointer wrote:Have you ever seen "Rough Riders"? It's a TBS mini-series, followed up "Gettysburg". Rather fun, but the use of original dialog makes it sound strange to the modern ear.
Re: Teddy Roosevelt's Legacy
Can anyone recommend any Teddy books worth reading?
Re: Teddy Roosevelt's Legacy
Do you think any other president's likeness should be on Mount Rushmore?Trackhead M2 wrote:Dear OP,OpanaPointer wrote:He also greatly admired the Native Americans. He had vacqueros in his expeditions on many occasions. "Many people" don't know much about TR.Trackhead M2 wrote:Dear dj1,doublejm1 wrote:Many people say that TR was racist and believed that whites were the superior race.
Why did he have Booker T. Washington to the White House for dinner then?
Strike Swiftly,
TH-M2
He's on Mount Rushmore for a reason.
Strike Swiftly,
TH-M2
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Re: Teddy Roosevelt's Legacy
Here's an interesting book by Teddy Roosevelt:
Theodore Roosevelt
Not only was Roosevelt exceptional in theory, but he was good in the practical as well.
Globalization41.
Theodore Roosevelt
Not only was Roosevelt exceptional in theory, but he was good in the practical as well.
Globalization41.
Re: Teddy Roosevelt's Legacy
The Bully Pulpit, by Doris Kearns Goodwin is a parallel biography of TR and William Howard Taft. I found it very interesting and informative.doublejm1 wrote:Can anyone recommend any Teddy books worth reading?
Also, recently the documentary film maker Ken Burns released "The Roosevelts" about TR, FDR and Eleanor. It was excellent.
Re: Teddy Roosevelt's Legacy
Theodore Roosevelt was a student of history. He was a fairly good writer...his multi-volume "Winning of the West" is still cited today. "Racist"? Everything in the past seems to be judged by the moral standards of today...what seems to be in agreement with today's view is acceptable, what is not - isn't. There have been several books published about TR's "racism". All have judged the man according to the post Hitler, modern construct - TR held "racist" views therefore he is a somewhat bad man in that respect. Some of these "scholars" have even called him a proto-Fascist! Ridiculous but that's what some have said.
In TR's time, his opinions were the norm among his social class and milieu. TR held the view that the Anglo-Saxon was the greatest amongst humanity. He even used the word Aryan in some of his books. His bedtime reading consisted of Gustav Le Bon's "The Psychology of Peoples" as well as Houston Stewart Chamberlain's "Foundations of the Nineteenth Century" (an author condemned for being an influence on Hitler and the Nazis)....he was very familiar with the writings of Arthur de Gobineau (his "Inequality of Human Races" as well as his less known aristocratic fiction such as "The Renaissance") . Gobineau was the founder of what we today call "biological racism".
Below is a link to Roosevelt's review of Chamberlain's book. It's from his book "History as Literature". TR has many criticisms of the book ( it's peevish character) but he also fundamentally agrees with Chamberlain that the mixing of races is bad. Overall, he seems to like it, especially for the passages on Jesus (and Chamberlain believed Christ was an Aryan).
http://www.bartleby.com/56/8.html
In TR's time, his opinions were the norm among his social class and milieu. TR held the view that the Anglo-Saxon was the greatest amongst humanity. He even used the word Aryan in some of his books. His bedtime reading consisted of Gustav Le Bon's "The Psychology of Peoples" as well as Houston Stewart Chamberlain's "Foundations of the Nineteenth Century" (an author condemned for being an influence on Hitler and the Nazis)....he was very familiar with the writings of Arthur de Gobineau (his "Inequality of Human Races" as well as his less known aristocratic fiction such as "The Renaissance") . Gobineau was the founder of what we today call "biological racism".
Below is a link to Roosevelt's review of Chamberlain's book. It's from his book "History as Literature". TR has many criticisms of the book ( it's peevish character) but he also fundamentally agrees with Chamberlain that the mixing of races is bad. Overall, he seems to like it, especially for the passages on Jesus (and Chamberlain believed Christ was an Aryan).
http://www.bartleby.com/56/8.html
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- Member
- Posts: 1453
- Joined: 13 Mar 2002, 03:52
- Location: California
Re: Teddy Roosevelt's Legacy
Despite 1900s chauvinism, Roosevelt and the Christians excelled in facilitating wealth creation within U.S. borders. ... Racism is due to the fact that humans evolved from wild pack animals. A smooth, gradual blend would work better than a lumpy porridge.
Globalization41.
Globalization41.