“and that many non-slave holders fought for the South.”
It is common knowledge to anyone who knows Civil War military history that the vast majority of the Confederate Army/Navy/Marines was made up of non-slaveholders.
True, and no republican was ever a slaveholder; but they are getting stuck with that perception by the demorats.
The perception needs to be addressed, it cannot be ignored. Until we control the agenda/premise/argument/etc., we are stuck fighting on their terms.