I think that's only part of it. "Waving the bloody shirt" has long been a useful political tactic, and I think it is politically advantageous to some extent to constantly bash the South, especially when you are courting Liberal voters.
I also think some of it is just "Rah Rah team!" When people live in states that are on one side of the conflict or the other, they adopt those state histories as their own, and they cheer their states past as they would a sports team.
Also, a lot of people want to be on the side of the winners, and of course there is the ever present propaganda on the topic which states the war was fought entirely over slavery, with the good side fighting the evil side.
People want to be on the "good" side.
I still don’t get it, Lamp. The war is over. Why do so many freepers want to make sure that our great southern members have to get it rammed down their throats that they lost the war and that it was for an evil cause? What does it accomplish? Nothing! Your part of the country is fighting to keep America a safe, secure republic and yet even some freepers hate you! I just don’t get it. It saddens me.
I love the south. Always have since the first time I was taken to a battlefield and exposed to the writings of Margaret Mitchell. I’m also a huge fan of Lincoln and Grant. Go figure!