*ping*
While I agree with what the thrust of this article - the role of Black Confederates (I am assuming the article was refering to soldiers) is overstated. Yes, there were Blacks, both free and slave that fought in the Confederate armies but they were a minority of a minority. Southern Blacks overall - free and slave - supported the Union efforts.
I have heard this argument numerous times. Perhaps in a less articulate manner, but in the same vein, country singer Trace Adkins stated on Bill Maher's (now defunct) show that "there was a lot more to the civil war than just slavery."
OK, let's say he is right. Let's say that the Civil War was (98%) about trade regulations, economic hardships, states rights, and only 2% about slavery.
Even at 2%, the confederacy that recognized and allowed the institution of slavery to breathe and flourish, had to be destroyed. An institution where a man, woman or child, was considered chattel. They had no say in who they married, where they lived, what they could pursue professionally or vocationally, much less civil rights matters such as voting, rights to an education, equal protection under the law. An institution where one man could treat another man in practically in manner (beat, maim, kill) he wanted because he owned him.
In the same way the author reminds us the United States was born as a result of colonies seceding from the crown, I hope that it is also not lost on the author that the principle disagreement with the Crown was over taxes and the lack of representation afforded to the colonists who were taxed. That places a much lower threshold for armed conflict than depriving a person of the opportunity to have a say in where they rested their head, whether they could learn to read and write, whether they got to keep their families in tact, and whether a person had no way to address a grievance if beaten, maimed, or family member killed.
I am even more perplexed as to why there is an insistency on including references to the confederacy as part of present Southern culture. The fact that there was a southern confederacy is history; it should not be dismissed, however, it should not be saluted either. If Southern culture is to be preserved, talk, signify, memorialize those things that define Southern culture, whatever that may be. Preserving the Confederacy inescapably preserves a government, institution and way of life that denied our fellow Americans and Southerners the most basic rights that our Consitituion endeavored to protect and preserve.
well, this certainly is a damned-if-you-do,-damned-if-you-don't article.
I'm proud of my family history which is so entrenched in the south. My name-sake signed the Constitution for the state of Georgia and was a Georgia senator. His brother was one of the founders of University of GA.
I don't want to be self-destructive and I want to live in my beloved south in peace. And so if appeasing them quiets them down, so be it.
having said that, give them an inch and they'll want a mile.