Quick Take on Civil War:
Suppose for a moment that the Federal government wanted to pass laws and enact policies that effectively removed the individual right to bear arms.
The Feds and particularly a new presidential candidate let slip their plans to turn Puerto Rico, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, US Virgin Islands, and American Samoa into full states with voting Senators and congressmen.
In exchange for Statehood and other cash payments (to the right causes and people) these new States would tip the balance of power enough to meet the gun control objectives.
Getting wind of the plan, first, the constitution respecting States object, but then after losing the election they see the wheels go in motion, call their respective legislatures, and vote to secede.
Did they vote to secede over gun control? Yes, to some degree, but at least as importantly, they seceded because the Federal government was acting outside its authority, and taking action to unfairly change the balance of power to pass new law.
Do the people in the seceding States have a right to pride in their stand? Whether one agrees or disagrees with gun control, it is perfectly fine to have pride in those that stood up to the Federal government power grab.
It is certainly a reasonable argument, but it will have no impact on those who wish to believe a certain thing.
Much of the opinions on the civil war are entirely subject to who your ancestors were and what part of the country you are from. Their opinions take on more of the "Yah! Our Team!" motivation than any other. The actual facts and principles involved are irrelevant to their reasons for wanting to believe their side is right. They just want to believe their side is right, and to use the available facts and their own preference in principles to justify what they wish to believe anyway.
Valid arguments don't really work very well in an emotion driven discussion.
This is one reason the Libs always win. Their arguments are always emotion over reason, because they are mostly emotion driven.
My position is simple. The right to leave trumps all other considerations. The Freedom of Association requires an equal and opposite freedom. The Freedom to disassociate. To refuse to be part of something with which you disagree.