a delusional fundamentalist terrorist, even if for a good cause (as opposed to many terrorists on the other side).
Nay, the real terrorists were the southern planter class that actively bought, sold, and owned human beings.
Just because someone is bad doesn't make them a terrorist.
FF with one caveat. His execution was right before the civil war. Given the political climate of the time I wonder if he would've been more successful working within the system. I'm not an expert on the politics of that era so I'll refrain from judgement.
In many ways, John Brown was responsible for the Civil War. Many northerners expressed sentiments that today could be expressed as "He was a terrorist who did evil things in a good cause." Many northern church bells tolled to mourn his execution. The northern reaction to the John Brown raid and its aftermath is what convinced the Deep South states that they could not remain in the Union much longer. All Lincoln's election did was convince the fire-eaters that they needed to leave immediately. Without Harpers Ferry, or with a different Northern response, the Civil War could have been averted for a least a little while longer.
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