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February 6th, 2013, 10:41 GMT · By

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“Lincoln” Has Major Factual Flaw, Conn. Congressman Joe Courtney Says

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Steven Spielberg’s “Lincoln” is top dog in the Oscars 2013 race Enlarge picture - Steven Spielberg’s “Lincoln” is top dog in the Oscars 2013 race
Congressman Joe Courtney from Connecticut is shocked to learn that Steven Spielberg’s movie “Lincoln,” which is the top contender at this year’s Oscars, is not entirely historically accurate.

Over the weekend, Courtney saw the film and was startled when one particular scene showed two Congressmen from his state voting against abolishing slavery, the Examiner reports.

Puzzled, he went online and did some research and got confirmation that his initial hunch was justified: there was a factual flaw in the film.

Determined to make things right, he wrote to Spielberg himself, pleading with him to change the scene before “Lincoln” came out on DVD because, he thinks, not even poetic license can justify such an inaccuracy.

“How could congressmen from Connecticut — a state that supported President Lincoln and lost thousands of her sons fighting against slavery on the Union side of the Civil War — have been on the wrong side of history?” Courtney asks.

So far, no response from Spielberg or the movie studio – but I’d be surprised if they did say anything about it.

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READER COMMENTS:


Comment #1 by: alice on 06 Feb 2013, 15:39 UTC reply to this comment

I'm surprised that Spielberg would make such an error. I'm sure he has fact checkers, on anything historical. Did they just goof up? It would be bad enough if they were AGAINST history, but to be FOR the right side and be lied about, that's really sad. sorry, Connecticut.


Comment #2 by: Ant on 06 Feb 2013, 16:01 UTC reply to this comment

But he killed all those vampires, right?


Comment #3 by: K in NY on 06 Feb 2013, 16:10 UTC reply to this comment

I think it would be remiss if the movie would go to DVD without the correction, since, unfortunately in the years to come this is how many kids will learn about history. The correction should be made. K in NY


Comment #4 by: wordwilly on 06 Feb 2013, 16:12 UTC reply to this comment

The sad thing about films like "Lincoln" is that artistic license is so often taken. There are many "errors" in the film that people who have never bothered to read history will embrace as true. Lincoln used the slavery issue as a chip to end the war, and while we may wish the cause was a matter of moral right, it was as much an issue of states rights and political power.


Comment #5 by: cockatrice on 06 Feb 2013, 16:24 UTC reply to this comment

Who really cares...it's a movie!!!!

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