Quote Originally Posted by spankythehippo View Post
In the case of Washington, the fact he had slaves is purely superficial. What good he did is what he should be remembered for, unless his crimes cannot atone for his positive behaviour. But there is no harm in knowing the bad sides of people, is there?
No there is no harm in acknowledging Washington had some grey in his life at all at all.

To be honest it paints a truer picture of the man and explains better certain motivations better if we can see the man and not the god.

Churchill was a warmongering braggart who spent most his time spending money and blowing his own trumpet, if it hadnt been for the fact that every once in a while a warmonger is right he wouldnt even be remembered today. Effectively he was a poor milliary man and an even worse politician but he did have a deep conviction in the historical project of Empire and it's inherrant rightness.

Effectively that is what Britain needed at that particular moment and it's what saved his reputation for later generations.(at least till now anyway)