Thomas F. Harney

[J. Beckert]

These comments can be moved to the "other" category, but I'd first like to say I agree with Rick completely. Not one life of the 700,000 sacrificed was worth one slave life. This entire conflict could have, and should have, been avoided without this horrible, bloody war. Whether you want to believe it or not, some of that lays on Lincoln's hands. Slavery, which elicists the most whiney, white guilt ridden responses more than any other on this forum, was dying a slow death by the 1850's. While many here demonize Gen. Lee, he did say it was a great moral evil - yet he fought for his homeland. Were his intentions just to continue to fight for what he deemed a moral evil? That doesn't matter here - he was Southern and due to the recent political climate, which the lemmings adore, he's labeled a racist. Nevermind he freed his own slaves and educated them before Lincoln's decree - he's just a Stars & Bars waving racist. Let's eliminate all reference to a noble man (and a flag) who insisted his own slaves be educated before he set them free, because the media tells you how to think. Lee's plan was light years ahead of Lincoln's.

Did I see someone ask Rick if he was a "flagger"? If someone on his forum, six months ago, had the Stars & Bars for an avitar, it wouldn't have raised too many hackles. Many of the members here had relatives, who'd never owned a slave, that fought for the South. But throw a little misguided attention to a flag that flew over slavery for 4 years, while the Stars & Stripes flew over it for 88, and you get the expected results from the terrified masses.

No one here thinks slavery was a good thing - you can take that to the bank. But those who insist on rehashing the wrongs of the past to make themselves feel better are perpetuating racism more than they know.