Who Was the Hero of Gettysburg?

It wasn't Confederate Gen. George E. Pickett, leader of the memorable, doomed charge on the Union center along Cemetery Ridge. It wasn't Robert E. Lee, leader of the Confederate army. And it wasn't Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, who held the Union line on Little Round Top. It was a Union general, Winfield Scott Hancock, who commanded the troops who held the Union line against "Pickett's Charge". Here's an inspiring short article on Hancock.

After the war, as military govenor of Texas and Louisiana, Hancock treated the locals humanely rather than punitively as was common in most of the post-war South. Because he stood by his principles in governing his district rather than dispensing the harsh treatment expected by Congress, Hancock was forced out as govenor after six months.

Thereafter, Hancock was the Democrat's nominee for President in 1876. He lost the election to Republican Rutherford B. Hayes by only 9,400 votes; and many felt that his refusal to accept campaign contributions was the deciding factor in his defeat.

I can't help but wonder what's happened to the Democrats over these last couple of decades. Can you imagine Ted Kennedy, John Kerry, Hillary Clinton, Nancy Pelosi, Howard Dean -- any prominent Democratic -- taking a principled stand on any prominent issue? How many prominent Democrats are pro-life? How many prominent Democrats support the Second Amendment? How many prominent Democrats defend traditional marriage?

Don't waste too much time trying to think of one -- there aren't any. The fundamental problem with the Democratic party today is that it is totally dominated by special interest groups: People for the American Way, Banned Parenthood, Moveon.org, PETA, the Gay & Lesbian Alliance, etc., etc. Even if there are Democrats who are pro-life, or pro-freedom, or pro-family, their views are suppressed because the Democratic party is beholden to these special interests.

And don't just take my word for it. The work of these agitprop pressure groups are already gearing up to smear and slander whoever Pres. Bush nominates for the Supreme Court. During the hearings you'll hear the talking points prepared by Banned Parenthood as Ted Kennedy trashes the nominee on his/her pro-life views; you'll be listening to research done by the Gay & Lesbian Alliance as John Kerry smears the nominee for "homophobic" statements in support of traditional families (btw, why do we feel compelled to say "traditional family" -- is there a non-traditional family? isn't really a small group and not a family?).

Today, Winfield Scott Hancock wouldn't even recognize what's now the Democratic party.