I haven't read Reynolds' book, but I agree with his overall thesis, as you are presenting it–ie, that understanding Calvinism and Puritanism holds the key to understanding Brown. I don't agree with Reynolds' idea that our President should be asked to pardon Brown, though. Brown was not a hero to the African American community with which my family has been interconnected for several generations, as I have shared with you. Abraham Lincoln and Dr. King were. This could be a generational shift in emphasis. I am not sure.

Let me again take this opportunity to wish you a happy and prosperous holiday! As you can see, your readers are both reluctant to let you go, and happy for you at the same time. Congratulations on finishing your two projects. Also, my best wishes to Michaela. Sherree

I linked to the article on John Brown by David Blight at HNN that you reference on your “Friend’s List” and found it to be the most insightful article on this issue that I have read to date. I agree with Blight’s conclusion that in considering Brown’s legacy, our responses reveal as much about ourselves as they reveal about Brown. Blight also cautions against simplistic interpretations, as do the majority of your contributors, and adds that any figure in history connected, in our collective national memory, to the imagery of Christ is problematic on many levels.

From my perspective, Brown seems to have seen himself as both Jehovah of the Old Testament and Jesus of Nazareth of the New Testament, and consciously manipulated his own–what appeared to be–self delusion, proving to me that he was sane. I don’t think that a truly psychotic person can be so brilliantly calculated. The problem comes in with the “hacking” aspect of the righteous executions. Were the men who were hacked to death killed to avenge the tens of thousands of slaves brutalized in our nation‘s history and to bring about an end to the institution of slavery, or were they hacked to death because something much darker took over the executioners, as generally happens when vigilante justice is meted out, (particularly since the executions followed the brutal execution of anti slavery men by the pro slavery group)

In one historian’s assessment of Brown’s actions, it was noted that Brown’s men killed the proslavery men the way in which they did in order to keep from being discovered by other pro slavery neighbors. I found that assessment to be bending facts and common sense to fit a theory. If this were true, a couple of sword blows would have done the job, it seems. (I read this article several months ago and did not bookmark it, so I don’t remember who this was.)

To me, an often overlooked abolitionist who truly transcended his time is Silas Soule. Soule not only abhorred slavery; he fought to end it, and was also morally consistent, and refused the order of Chivington, (himself an abolitionist) when Chivington ordered him to kill innocent Cheyenne women and children at Sand Creek. Soule then testified against Chivington.

I definitely don't mind responding to comments. Actually, it's nice to know that regular postings are not necessary to keep readers engaged and active on comment boards.

By the way, Brown didn't kill indiscriminantly. He specifically targeted his victims. Reading the actual history is a bit harder than simply throwing out sarcastic comments, but it does open one up to what actually happened.