Civil War wasn’t just about slavery

Published 12:01 am Friday, April 23, 2010

I am tired of the race card being used toward every conservative movement (TEA party, etc.) and especially all Southern people. The Confederacy was, and still is, a real part of Southern history.

A very good teacher in college, Mr. Joe, who was a transplanted Yankee, taught and proved to his students that the Civil War was fought over states’ rights, not slavery.

All Southern people did not own slaves. I will be willing to bet that most of the plantation owners were Democrats. Many other residents were poor sharecroppers who barely made enough to put food on the table.

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Why would so many men and boys fight and die in a war to save slavery when they would not benefit from it?

No one seems to care or consider what the Union Army did to the American Indians and Southern civilians. Why would this army fight to free slaves then go on to kill thousands of Indians, rob, rape and burn the South? Do the math on this one.

Many, if not most, of the slaves were shipped to America on Northern ships by Northern people who sold them to Southern plantation owners. Do these Northern people not share the guilt of slavery?

The lack of a shipping industry is one of the reasons the South lost the war.

If the history books haven’t been re-written yet, they will tell of the blockade by Northern ships at all Southern ports. Some of these ships may have been used to bring slaves to America.

In 10,000 years I can envision archeologists digging in the American ruins and scratching their heads when they read “Made in China” on the artifacts they dig up. They will probably learn that the “American dream” failed because the people had become enslaved to the federal government.

We the people need to take back control of our government and do away with all types of slavery.

I agree with those people who want all of the story told on slavery. Let it all be told, not just the part they want to hear.

The South, the Confederacy, and slavery don’t have to be included together in every sentence, each have their own individual meaning.

Morgan White

Ferriday resident