Certainly, Lincoln said things that would be considered racist in our day. He was a product of his time, and of his culture. Was he racist? I wouldn't call him that, since his attitudes toward slaves were ahead of his time. But if he said those things and had those attitudes in this day and age, then he certainly would be a racist.

I think racism is in our hearts, not in our words. If a person lived in a time of slavery and promoted humane treatment of slaves, was he a racist? I don't think so, because his heart was in the right place. I think the same thing goes for the way people treat homosexuals - if they come from a culture that disapproves of homosexuality, and they at least promote greater rights for homosexuals; then I think we should be hesitant to call them "bigots."

-Joe-