If he were alive today with the type of information we have and with the benefit of hindsight he might have a completely changed view.
in either case it's so strange to me to judge someone from one or two sentences.
Not to mention that he actively promoted colonialism. He pushed Roosevelt to colonize. He was a critical part of making colonial-settler attitudes mainstream in Europe.
Would I also be wrong for judging CNN for beating the drums of war for Iraq on behalf of George Bush? Words matter. Those who write should be judged by their words. Those who influence positions should be judged by the causes they furthered. Doesn’t matter if they wrote wonderful children’s novels.
But Barrack also enormously expanded the "random death from the skies" program, deportations, and espionage prosecutions against earnest whistleblowers.
We need to know all the defining facts about people, even if it colors our perceptions. Those of us capable of nuance can note it.
> "Doesn’t matter if they wrote wonderful children’s novels. "
Can you see the contradiction in your argument?