Slavery and the Civil War
A few weeks ago I got into a tussle with some folks who disagreed with my perspective on the Civil War. They took issue with my contention that those who try to say that the Civil War was about 'States Rights', and not about Slavery, are simply trying to avoid painful reality. The reality that in many cases our ancestors fought to protect Slavery. In my family I can trace back to people who fought on both sides of the war. It doesn't make them bad people, and it doesn't mean that I am ashamed of them. They were simply wrong. They were born into a different age, and brought up in a belief system that was wrong.
The problem in the South is that they're only one generation removed from the Civil Rights movement. They're still trying to come grips with it's social impacts. Many; if not most, of the South's current white leaders were born into families that hated the North, and supported the segregation of the races. It was a part of everyday life, and people were killed over the efforts to change that. The fact that Trent Lott supported segregation in his youth is no surprise, but the fact that he made a statement that appeared to still support it, was what led to his downfall.
I was surfing today and ran across two documents that I think pretty much sum up why I feel the way I do. Take a look at the Declaration of Causes - Georgia's Secession. Then go read the Confederate Constitution. As you read them, note the mention of Slavery.
In Georgia's declaration, the issue of Slavery is everywhere. In fact, after the opening statement it is mentioned in the very next sentence. The words Slave and Slavery show up 37 times in what is a relatively short document. In the case of the Confederate Constitution is is the first item mentioned after the set up of the government is finished.
Do you see it differently, let me know...mj
4:26:04 PM 
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