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My family came over from Wales in the early 1700s...into South Carolina. All the up up until 1860...none of them ever owned slaves. All pursued their own small farm and their chunk of the American dream. As I look across at this vast agruement that people want to drag up...I guess I'm missing the boat because I just can't connect myself or my heritage to any part of this entire argument. There are alot southerners like myself...from Scotland or England...who had no ownership connection. As I look across at home county in north Alabama in 1850...less than 5 percent of the adult male population could claim ownership of any slaves. That means 95 percent weren't practicing or participating in the business.

As I look across the line at what lives were expended in this grand civil war...the number of lives lost to bring both the war and slavery to an end...there is an element of payback (in advance). Unlike today's soldiers who die in line for the country...your family in 1865 got nothing much for the life given. Its funny how we will never hear a single black say a word of appreciation for Union soldiers and their fight to the end.

My great great grandfather on my mothers side died on the field of battle in Gettysburg, PA during the civil war. My grandfather took me to the monument that has his name went I was a young boy. I had a black person who I worked with complaining to me about slavery once. I brought the picture to him the next day of my grandfather pointing out the name of his father to me. I never heard any complaining again.

Its funny how we will never hear a single black say a word of appreciation for Union soldiers and their fight to the end.

Something similar can be said about the fact that men voted to give women the vote. Somehow we get no credit for that. If most men were really determined to oppress women, we'd be living in a North American Saudi Arabia.