Cicil War Question.

[NJGOAT]

Originally Posted by Grandstander

I do not see why. It begins by clearly stating the opposite of what you both claim to have thought it meant.

Where is the ambiguity in that? How could anyone read that and get "Lincoln wanted to provoke the war" from it?

Again, when I read it closer, I "got" what you were saying, but on first glance I read it the way ovcatto did. I think the following part...

If there was to be war, Lincoln of course preferred that the South appeared to be the aggressors. To that end he maneuvered matters to bring about that result.

...gave the impression that what you were implying was that Lincoln wanted war in some capacity and worked to make it happen. It almost comes across as implying that the North were in fact the aggressors.

Regardless, I think we are all on the same page now. It is obvious that we were simply misreading/interpreting what you wrote, a situation that has now been clarified.

[Grandstander]

Originally Posted by NJGOAT

Regardless, I think we are all on the same page now. It is obvious that we were simply misreading/interpreting what you wrote, a situation that has now been clarified.

Oh yeah? Well I insist on a prolonged and tedious series of argumentative posts where nothing is ever resolved and no one is reading them except the combatants and after a time they aren't even reading them, just responding...and sustain the fury until eventually some moderator happens along and closes the thread.

However, I wish for either you or ovcatto to appear to be the aggressor who starts the hostilities, so I will need to think of some sort of insufferably egotistical, irresistibly provocative post which masquerades as an innocent appearing attempt to elevate myself above all this petty bickering.

Let me consult with my staff writers.