Why was it so important

[bjorn_skurj]

Except to the south...which, of course, was OK.

One might argue that the elimination of the very great evil that was slavery is worth the tolerating of a lesser evil. And as I said before, those troops at Fort Sumter didn't fire on themselves. Do you want to start talking about "Bloody Kansas?"

[bobbob1313]

Except to the south...which, of course, was OK.

 

Because the policies and ideals of the United States government haven't changed in the 150 years since the civil war.

 

I mean, are you really that bitter about something that happened 150 years ago? I hope you are at least consisten and constantly complain about slavery.

[bjorn_skurj]

Not too many people in the north really care about the Civil War anymore, but it really did deal a huge blow to the south.

[bobbob1313]

Not too many people in the north really care about the Civil War anymore, but it really did deal a huge blow to the south.

 

I know. My father's side of the family used to do the whole aristocratic southern family thing (we had a plantation and even a US Senator for the great state of Maryland at one point) and I'm sure it hit us hard. But nobody carries a grudge about it. Because it was like 7 generations ago.

[bjorn_skurj]

Hey, look at Ireland. Those people are still pissed off, but I will note that it seems that once they stopped trying to blow up the British and concentrated on the future by building their economy, a "miracle" occurred.

[sanhozay]

Post number one makes the baby jesus cry.

[Sweet Papa Crimbo]

Because the policies and ideals of the United States government haven't changed in the 150 years since the civil war.

 

I mean, are you really that bitter about something that happened 150 years ago? I hope you are at least consisten and constantly complain about slavery.

 

 

See my post from Monday re: slavery in the third world. I wish we could have enough moral indignation to allow us to actually do something about this relic of a barbaric time.

 

Actually, I'm not bitter about anything. I just take a bit of exception with the paternalistic tone that gets filtered through this type discussion. There's a southern accent where I come from, and in certain parts of this fair country, I am viewed as an 'ignorant redneck'

 

If some of my online friends don't understand a Southerner's attitude toward the Civil War, then it is understandable. The South was defeated, devastated, occupied and held up to ridicule and scorn for decades. We saw terroristic groups rise to take the place of a reasoned authority. We responded to a newly 'freed' segment of our society with atrocious and disgusting segration laws (which were gleefully mirrored in much of the country).

 

There IS a duality to this Southern thing.

 

Our sons spill their blood regularly on foreign shores to protect this country. Much of the south is infinitely more inclusive than the rest of the country.

 

Maybe the South won in the long run. Look at the Presidents since 1968: it's the South and the NEW America (California) that have won elections.

 

We just don't forget the past because it has made us who we are. And I'm done apologizing for venerating Robert E. Lee AND Martin Luther King. If you don't get it...fine.

[ryman 317]

I think this entire post is pretty freakin sad. Of course slavery was an abomination, but there were plenty of people north of the Mason Dixon line that had no interest in fighting a war to end slavery. Maybe the more educated historians out there can correct me ( and possibly already have, I admit I have not read every post), but I don't believe the Civil War would have ever been fought over slavery alone. And to somehow make the United States forces seem righteous for ending slavery in light of the horrendous massacres and genocide they would soon perpetrate on the Native populations seems like a hell of a stretch for me.

 

Can't we all just admit the mistakes of our past (and present) and move on!

 

Damnation!