[poll] Your thoughts on "Confederate History Month" ?? (Jefferson: crime, bankrupt)

[CAVA1990]

Originally Posted by PAblackbear

It's not offensive to me. It should be remembered and the men who died should be honored. the war was about alot more than just slavery.

No, it really wasn't. Nearly all reputable historians of American history (not ones who make a living off selling civil war books) agree it was about slavery, pure and simple. Any other interpretation is just modern day revisionism and a lame attempt to explain away a very, very evil thing perpetrated by a most reprehensible group of people (secessionists, slave holders and mortgage holders, and confederate leaders). Southerners should be as ashamed of this period of their history as Germans are about World War II.

[Desert kid]

Originally Posted by CAVA1990

No, it really wasn't. Nearly all reputable historians of American history (not ones who make a living off selling civil war books) agree it was about slavery, pure and simple. Any other interpretation is just modern day revisionism and a lame attempt to explain away a very, very evil thing perpetrated by a most reprehensible group of people (secessionists, slave holders and mortgage holders, and confederate leaders). Southerners should be as ashamed of this period of their history as Germans are about World War II.

Slavery wasn't the only cause, and Nazis and Confederates are not comparable, how many times must I repeat this?

[CAVA1990]

Originally Posted by Desert kid

Slavery wasn't the only cause, and Nazis and Confederates are not comparable, how many times must I repeat this?

Repeating your point over and over doesn't make it any more valid.

[Trevor92]

Originally Posted by CAVA1990

No, it really wasn't. Nearly all reputable historians of American history (not ones who make a living off selling civil war books) agree it was about slavery, pure and simple. Any other interpretation is just modern day revisionism and a lame attempt to explain away a very, very evil thing perpetrated by a most reprehensible group of people (secessionists, slave holders and mortgage holders, and confederate leaders). Southerners should be as ashamed of this period of their history as Germans are about World War II.

The idea that the war was about slavery is the perfect example of how those who win the war are able to rewrite history for their own benefit. The truth of the matter is that the United States flag has a far more racist history, even though Americans don't like to hear that, so as a society we tend to blame a part of our country that doesn't exist anymore in the Confederacy.

Slavery started under the flag of the United States. Anybody who's ever studied the historical context of the United States knows the horrible treatment, discrimination, segregation, and racism African-Americans experienced in the Union states. They also know the high number of African-Americans that fought for the Confederacy, just as a high number fought for America against the British despite the system of slavery. Another valid point is that it's estimated that 3-5% of southern whites owned slaves, and it was these individuals with money that were able to avoid the draft. The sad fact is that if you were a male of fighting age that lived in the south without enough money to buy your way out of it, you were fighting in the war, and that was usually those who did not have slaves. It was certainly not a volunteer army by any measure. And it was viewed in the south as a war resulting from an over-reaching federal government. To claim that southerners fought for any other reason is simply a one-sided, misunderstanding of history.

You can choose to read your history book written in New York or Philly, or you can choose to research several aspects of the Civil War from a wide number of sources. And then you may begin to see past the propaganda and start seeing history from a more neutral perspective. If you don't at least understand both sides of the debate, then I would argue that you're not fully educated on issue. The unfortunate truth is that racism is rooted in American history, and as a society we have to move beyond that by promoting our ideals and our future without trying to find a scapegoat. Virginia should be a tourist destination for historians as the capital of the Old South, and we should remember our history, and appreciate the world that we have due to our ancestors that fought for what they believed in, regardless of which side they were on. Just as Grant stated upon conclusion of the war, "The war is over; the Rebels are our countrymen again."

edit: just to add, I've tried to state it from a Confederate perspective, but I could also make an equally long post about how the Union viewed the war. It was truly a unique time in American history in which the truth depended on your perspective.

[richmondpics]

We should all take a trip down to the American Civil War Center and National Park Service Visitor Center in Ricmond at Historic Tredegar... There, we can examine the war from all three perspectives. Given some of the comments here from all sides, I bet we'd all learn a thing or two...

American Civil War CenterAmerican Civil War Center At Historic Tredegar In Richmond, Virginia.
Richmond National Battlefield Park - Plan Your Visit (U.S. National Park Service)

[VA Yankee]

Perhaps if the Governer had proclaimed "Civil War History Month" instead people could focus on what aspect of the conflict they feel is the most important. Many of the arguments written here are valid if you look at them through 21st century eyes but you have to interpet them with a 19th century mindset. The conflict errupted over "states rights" the question of slavery and it's move to the forefront only came later in the conflict. We as a country practiced it as did every other major country in those days. Horrible it was but so was the 100 years after the war and the systematic method of denying citizens their rights.

We as a western society still view current conflicts/wars as barbaric because we are past that point in our country's history but every country is not on the same time line as us.

Just my 2 cents

[RVA-Jsn20]

Originally Posted by VA Yankee

Perhaps if the Governor had proclaimed "Civil War History Month" instead people could focus on what aspect of the conflict they feel is the most important. Many of the arguments written here are valid if you look at them through 21st century eyes but you have to interpret them with a 19th century mindset. The conflict erupted over "states rights" the question of slavery and it's move to the forefront only came later in the conflict. We as a country practiced it as did every other major country in those days. Horrible it was but so was the 100 years after the war and the systematic method of denying citizens their rights.

We as a western society still view current conflicts/wars as barbaric because we are past that point in our country's history but every country is not on the same time line as us.

Just my 2 cents

are we?...

[RVA-Jsn20]

Originally Posted by Trevor92

The idea that the war was about slavery is the perfect example of how those who win the war are able to rewrite history for their own benefit. The truth of the matter is that the United States flag has a far more racist history, even though Americans don't like to hear that, so as a society we tend to blame a part of our country that doesn't exist anymore in the Confederacy.

Slavery started under the flag of the United States. Anybody who's ever studied the historical context of the United States knows the horrible treatment, discrimination, segregation, and racism African-Americans experienced in the Union states. They also know the high number of African-Americans that fought for the Confederacy, just as a high number fought for America against the British despite the system of slavery. Another valid point is that it's estimated that 3-5% of southern whites owned slaves, and it was these individuals with money that were able to avoid the draft. The sad fact is that if you were a male of fighting age that lived in the south without enough money to buy your way out of it, you were fighting in the war, and that was usually those who did not have slaves. It was certainly not a volunteer army by any measure. And it was viewed in the south as a war resulting from an over-reaching federal government. To claim that southerners fought for any other reason is simply a one-sided, misunderstanding of history.

You can choose to read your history book written in New York or Philly, or you can choose to research several aspects of the Civil War from a wide number of sources. And then you may begin to see past the propaganda and start seeing history from a more neutral perspective. If you don't at least understand both sides of the debate, then I would argue that you're not fully educated on issue. The unfortunate truth is that racism is rooted in American history, and as a society we have to move beyond that by promoting our ideals and our future without trying to find a scapegoat. Virginia should be a tourist destination for historians as the capital of the Old South, and we should remember our history, and appreciate the world that we have due to our ancestors that fought for what they believed in, regardless of which side they were on. Just as Grant stated upon conclusion of the war, "The war is over; the Rebels are our countrymen again."

edit: just to add, I've tried to state it from a Confederate perspective, but I could also make an equally long post about how the Union viewed the war. It was truly a unique time in American history in which the truth depended on your perspective.

Well done! And who was the last American president to own slaves again??

[VA Yankee]

Originally Posted by RVA-Jsn20

are we?...

In theory, but when it comes to certain things it does rear it's head up.

[RVA-Jsn20]

Originally Posted by VA Yankee

In theory, but when it comes to certain things it does rear it's head up.

The same was probably said 400 years ago....

and we still aren't perfect!