I don't think I can defend either "Manifest Destiny" or Reconstruction, except perhaps in the most general terms, allowing that much of it was not... well... pretty.
I guess that’s my point BroJoeK. Either we own it - good, bad, or indifferent - or we delude ourselves and lie to each other (like DegenerateLamp does). I know that you are not personally responsible for the Trail of Tears or the reconstruction but the nation that we hold allegiance to did those things and hold responsibility for them. And I don’t hold lost causers personally responsible for the actions of the insurrectionists (but they should have their eyes open regarding the movement that they are apologists for).
Case in point is the knee-jerk response of lost causers when we state the fact that the south went to war to protect the institution of slavery. One of them will invariably point out (in an indignant and melodramatic tone) that slavery existed in one form or another in the north. While technically true, it is irrelevant to the actions of the rebels.
Of course the reason they make this claim is to open the door for some sort of invalidation of our assertion claiming the doctrine of unclean hands (you can’t point out our guilt when you have guilt of your own). Yes, there was some vestiges of slavery remaining in the north. But yes, the north was actively doing something about it. And equally true is the fact that no, the north wasn’t imposing their practice of slavery on the south like the south was imposing their practice of slavery on the north.