Don't spin the Civil War

Washington Post ^ | 12.27.10 | E.J. DIONNE jR.

[trumandogz]

The Civil War is about to loom very large in the popular memory. We would do well to be candid about its causes and not allow the distortions of contemporary politics or long-standing myths to cloud our understanding of why the nation fell apart.

The coming year will mark the 150th anniversary of the onset of the conflict, which is usually dated to April 12, 1861, when Confederate batteries opened fire at 4:30 a.m. on federal troops occupying Fort Sumter. Union forces surrendered the next day, after 34 hours of shelling.

[Repeal The 17th]

Mr. President, we must not allow... a mine shaft gap!

[Drennan Whyte]

Now, you are bending the meaning of "soldier" to exclude non-combat arms.

But that's what the Native Guard claimed to be, wasn't it? They organized themselves as a combat regiment and their service as such was rejected at both the state and federal level.

Go tell a truck driver in the US Army that he's not a soldier, and see how that flies.

The truck driver in that case is recognized as a soldier by his government. In the case of the Confederacy, the thousands of blacks that were used in supporting roles by the Confederate Army were not considered soldiers by the Confederate government. They were not enlisted as soldiers, or paid as soldiers, or recognized as soldiers by their white compatriots.

Like I said earlier, you argue like a liberal.

And you continue to argue like someone without a clue as to what you are talking about.

[RobbyS]

Blackstone is a publicist. Publicists do not make law, they only speculate.

[RegulatorCountry]

Fred Phelps is a Poe. Does this help?

How about examples of Poe’s Law?

http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/List_of_Poe%27s_Law_examples

[Drennan Whyte]

Who the hell built the pontoon bridges and dug trenches for the Confed. soldiers, sometimes under fire?

I give up. Who?

[RobbyS]

The end of the slave trade was part of the bargain struck in 1787. Virginia did not want it to continue. They had more slaves than they needed, and wanted to sell them to the Deep South.

[Repeal The 17th]

Inching ever closer...

[central_va]

Black Confederates.

[central_va]

There will be no fighting in the war room!

[mojitojoe]

I have no clue what a POE is and I’ve been here over 2 years now and YOU are the first that has called me a troll. Now piss off, don’t ping to me or respond to me again. We are done, done and done ahole. You think anyone that thinks there is an issue with the BC here on FR is a troll. I say you are the troll.

[mojitojoe]

Oh, and today is the first time I recall ever seeing you on FR, so you must not have been important to me. Your long drawn out posts remind me of those of recent well deserved zot by a long time progressive concern troll.

[rockrr]

Thanks for posting that.

What an enigmatic character Lee was.

The ‘school-book’ story I learned was that he jumped right in with the confederates when they rebelled, but I’ve come to learn that it was much more complex than that.

And why shouldn’t it be? He served loyally and with distinction in the US Army for twenty five years. When Texas seceded and the traitorous twiggs surrendered his men to the Texans (including Lee), instead of joining the rebs, Lee returned to Washington where he was made a first a Colonel by Lincoln then offered promotion to Major General.

If must have been a frenzied period for Lee as he was also offered a command by the confederates. I can see the internal conflict Lee struggled with as he wrote that letter. He wanted no part of the rebellion, but he was honor-bound to protect his home of Virginia.

His famous words, “I shall never bear arms against the Union, but it may be necessary for me to carry a musket in the defense of my native state, Virginia, in which case I shall not prove recreant to my duty.” proved less than accurate as he soon enough demonstrated his talents against the country he swore to defend.

[central_va]

He wanted no part of the rebellion, but he was honor-bound to protect his home of Virginia.

I guess you could never understand something like that, being a Federal Boot Licker and all.

[mac_truck]

[matt1234]

When libs argue, they:

• Change the subject.
• Ask questions to deflect counterarguments.
• Try to change the meaning of words.
• Cite unsupported facts or make up facts to suit their argument.

You've used these techniques throughout this entire thread. You've been presented evidence that some of your statements are false, yet you refuse to concede that you are wrong. These behaviors suggest stubbornness, immaturity, and a disconnect from reality, all tell-tale signs of liberal thinking. Good luck with all that. I suggest a course in logic for starters. I will not debate you any more. I'm sure you'll want the last word, and you can have it.

[mojitojoe]

PO

[Ditto]

Go tell a truck driver in the US Army that he's not a soldier, and see how that flies. I'd pay real money to see that. Like I said earlier, you argue like a liberal.

So all those guys from India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh that Haliburton has driving trucks, digging latrines and washing skivies for us in Iraq and Afghanistan are really in the US Army?

Wow. We better up the VA budget.

[mac_truck]

Oh, and today is the first time I recall ever seeing you on FR, so you must not have been important to me. Your long drawn out posts remind me of those of recent well deserved zot by a long time progressive concern troll.

[little jeremiah]

You? Troll? hahahahah

I wonder what POE is.

I could never read the comments you are referring to. Long, but that’s okay when sense is made. But blather, wordy, vague, puffery....