[Neoliberalnot]

No, I am not a pacificist. But I will not take orders from a corrupt government to kill my fellow Americans. My ancestors have fought in every war including the Revolution against a corrupt British Empire. I visit my great, great...........Grandfather’s grave every Memorial Day. He was a Lt with the NC militia. Again, my ancestors fought on the Union side and followed orders to kill their fellow citizens. That is the issue. Do you think Bo will give orders to kill Americans? Of course, he will. Yes, Fort Sumpter was the first shot fired. An encampment of Union soldiers harbored in the South—imagine that.

[rockrr]

An encampment of American soldiers harbored in America—imagine that.

FIFY

[BroJoeK]

Neoliberalnot: "I will not take orders from a corrupt government to kill my fellow Americans."

So, when it came to the Civil War, you would not serve in a Confederate army with orders to kill your "fellow Americans"?

As a Confederate soldier, you would refuse orders from your "corrupt government" to:

• Fire on your "fellow Americans" on the Union resupply ship Star of the West in January, 1861, or the civilian ship Rhoda H Shannon in April, 1861?

• Seize Federal forts and imprison Federal officials in Texas, in February 1861?

• Seize Federal mints and gold in Dahlonega, Georgia, Charlotte, North Carolina, and New Orleans, Louisiana in January & February, 1861?

• Seize over a dozen Union ships -- both official and civilian ship -- in Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana and Texas?

• Seize dozens of other Federal facilities -- i.e., forts, arsenals, armories, customs houses, even light houses -- throughout the Confederacy?

• Launch a military assault on Fort Sumter to force its surrender, in April 1861?

And all that came before the Confederacy formally declared war on the United States, on May 6, 1861.

So, FRiend Neoloberalnot, after your Confederacy's "corrupt government" declared war on the United States, as a Confederate soldier, you would refuse to obey orders to invade any non-Confederate state or territory, and kill "fellow Americans" there -- places such as Maryland, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Arizona?

Would you also refuse to operate in Confederate gorilla bands in California, Colorado and Vermont?

Would you also refuse to kill your fellow Confederates who remained loyal to the Union, and did not support the Confederacy in places like Western Virginia, Eastern Tennessee, Western North Carolina and Northern Arkansas?

Well, well... if a Confederate Neoliberalnot refused to obey Confederate orders to do all those things, then I'd say you've at least taken a somewhat consistent position against violence on both sides.
I don't agree with it, I think that war needed to be fought, but as in the case of genuine pacifists, I'd say to you: God bless you, and go in peace, FRiend.

[Ditto]

But I will not take orders from a corrupt government to kill my fellow Americans.

So I take that to mean you would have refused to serve in the Confederate Army or take orders from Jeff Davis or R.E. Lee?

[donmeaker]

A pity the southern soldiers didn’t follow your scruples.