I was surprised by the video we watched on Monday afternoon. I had never been taught, or exposed to the portrayal that the film conveyed about John Brown. Maybe because I am a native Kansan, and he is regarded as a hero I was ignorant to his relative insignificance among society as a whole before his death. Only after he self-martyred himself did his ideas become romanticized, and consequently became relative in public discourse. In addition it seems that his becoming a martyr diverted attention away from his reckless decisions and hand in an atrocity.
I suppose my point is that it was refreshing to have a preconceived notion of a historical figure shattered. However, I now have some reservations about a murder covering almost an entire wall in our state capital. Even if his killing could be rationalized as moral and just, it leaves a bit of a sour taste in my mouth.
Just my .02 --- ben
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What I found interesting about Brown's "legacy" is that he might have had a grandiose dream but in reality badly bungled his pursuit of that. He didn't take any steps necessary to make sure his plan had any chance whatsoever to succeed. Looking at what he actually did is what seems to often be overlooked. But who knows. Maybe martyrdom was his true goal after all.
On a side note, does anyone think Brown was influenced, if at all, by Seward's "Irrepressible Conflict" speech?
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