[Non-Sequitur]

Not a soul in our movement that I know of sees slavery as other than an anachronistic horror.

But in 1861 your movement saw it as the primary reason for trying to illegally secede from the country. I have no doubt that none of you want to see slavery reestablished, but you seem to be trying to ignore that which was so important to your movement 140 years ago while at the same time trying to paint Lincoln and the North as the sole villains. I'll oppose that every chance I get.

[warchild9]

I don't deny what you say, and, yes, a many in the movement want to forget that the drive for rights to chattel slaves was a motive force way back when. They're ignoring the unpleasant realities of long-past history, but what can you do? Most of us just want to be free of Washington, its carpet-baggers in our State Capitols, and enjoy our Country in peace...the Kid.

[ikka]

But in 1861 your movement saw it as the primary reason for trying to illegally secede from the country. I have no doubt that none of you want to see slavery reestablished, but you seem to be trying to ignore that which was so important to your movement 140 years ago while at the same time trying to paint Lincoln and the North as the sole villains. I'll oppose that every chance I get.

It was some of the states deciding that they no longer wanted to be part of the United States. Just like the 13 colonies had earlier decided to no longer be part of Britain. There was no "illegal" conduct. Read up on jus gentium.

Some of the Union states had slavery - were you aware of that? Only during the war did Lincoln change his mind about slavery.

Final question: pre-Civil War: some 100% free, some 100% slave. Now: all are taxed equally at rates that make every one of us 50% slave. How is this an improvement?