Excellent post. I use to think he was principled, that principle being that anyone anywhere has a right to form their own government if they wish and no one should be able to stop them. Though I thought this view was too idealistic, it appeared to come from good intent.
However, after asking him several hypothetical questions about groups(Muslims) or states(California) leaving, he was less than supportive of this ideal of freedom. There seems to be something, shall we say peculiar, about the southern rebellion that makes him believe they should have been allowed to just walk away.
He also has the erroneous opinion that the right to revolution is the same thing as secession.
Well he’s certainly shined that turd to a high gloss. Somehow he forgets that his “right” to independence doesn’t come at our expense. And that his “right” to rebel does not obviate my right to security and should he start an armed rebellion that affects me & mine I have a right to shoot back.
That’s why we have compacts, treaties, and laws. And why there are invariably gonna be people forcing you back in line if you start trampling other people’s rights.