Talk:Cullen Baker

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This account of Cullen Baker seems afully one-sided for an encyclopedia entry. Although I am not a historian, I do know a good deal about the subject of Cullen Baker.

The author of this piece takes liberties with conclusions to Baker's intent and mindset. Although I would personally agree that no man in the ilk of outlaw and murderer should be considered a hero, history shows a quite different Cullen Baker than this author.

For Example: While it is true that Baker did kill many people, the where many unfortunate incidents that led to his behavior. As a poor child, he had gained a bad reputation as a youth for doing nothing more than defending himself against wealthy bullies. Later, after he had joined the Army, he was assigned to a trip to Texas; while there he became engaged in helping the indigent war widows in the area and over stayed his assigned leave; he was thus labled a deserter.

His most infamous crime, the killing of a black police officer in Texas, is said to have been provoked by the heavy-handedness of a drunken police officer.

His reputation as a "Robin Hood" came from an actual incident in which Baker did in fact learn of a theft of horses and recovered them from the thief. Baker then returned the stolen horses to their rightful owner.

Please remember that Baker's action were supported by many who felt that the Confederacy was just and that recontruction was not. It was a strong feeling during Baker's time.

No, I do not think that Baker was a hero, but the tone of the Baker entry is far from encyclopidiac. Let's not start calling men names and handing out lables. Let's simply provide the facts as we know them

[edit] additional references?

I am not sure of who Cullen Baker was. I am not a historian, nor am I an american, so this is definately out of my league. The reason I decided to look up Cullen Baker was because of some references to a Col Baker (later identified as Cullen Baker) within the text "Slave Narratives: a Folk History of Slavery in the United States - From Interviews with Former Slaves Arkansas Narratives, Part 6".

I have only just started reading these narratives, and whilst I read the interviews with recently emancipated slaves with caution; especially where the former slaves are reflecting positively upon their time in slavery, I think that if there is reference to Cullen (Col) Baker that it may be worth including these references.

I was obviously not around at the time of the civil war, so I really have no intention of including my opinion in the Wikipedia article. I personally think that recently released slaves with positive reflections upon that time could be the result of several things including a deeply ingrained social etiquette as well as the relative uncertainty and unpredictability of their freedom compared to the predictability of slavery which seems to have been more attractive to some of the interviewees.

Again, I am not a historian, and I do not want to get into a deep discussion about the validity of references. I also do not want to get into an argument as to the nature of Cullen Baker as a person.

I do however think that it is important to include primary references without any additional bias, and as such, some specific comments from the Slave Narratives may warrent inclusion within this article. These narratives are available at http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/11709.

I will include a link to the Gutenberg article and try to some extent objectively refer to this primary source (Doc Quinn), whilst acknowledging that like many primary sources there is a possibility for subjectivity.

If there is someone with somewhat greater knowledge of the topic, feel free to step in and take charge. Again, not my area of interest or expertise, I just thought that this article could use expanding.

Tmov81 09:27, 6 March 2007 (UTC)