J.C.

Name direct ancestors and kin that served, the units they were in and the battle record of said units.

When you can do that then maybe you can understand and honestly discuss the real reasons men fought and died.

You confuse me JC. As I understand what you said you have a problem with those who fought for the south because of what they were defending was wrong sort of the moral high ground. And yet you said you were a Catholic so the part that I can't understand is some one with such a high morale standard could support a religion that treated natives in south America like animals, took native children away from their families in Canada and caused their death, tortured people off an own for decades, and tries to hide their clergy who have molested children from punishment . Could you please explain that?

So what if most Southerners fighting in the CW didn't own slaves? Average Joe Farmer was sold a bill of goods by the Southern power elite, which did own slaves.

In the same way, Bush/Cheney sold the American people a bill of goods in getting our support for invading Iraq. Good young people answering the call and some were killed for nothing.

Jim

… I got so much to do around here I’d settle for a 50 year old crackhead at this point

… my ancestors fought and Did unapologetically own a few slaves ..and they weren’t cheap

…. I deserve refunderations

So a bit on my military service. I served in the initial push with 4ID and was in Iraq 3 times. Each one I saw a people come out from under the burden of tyranny. Was I there because George Bush sent me, sure, did I see missiles and rockets, sure did, Were they weapons of mass destruction, that could have taken out my folks, yep. So I do feel justified being there. It was an honor. I liberated them. And I am glad we did it. I do know for a fact the government lies. I am a firm believer in "If you thought the problems the government caused were bad, wait till you see their solutions." I know for a fact any private entity can do virtually anything better than the government. I was also in Afghanistan and was part of a task force that was going to improve their telecommunication infrastructure. I am certain that we would have succeeded had the Grifter in chief not pulled my brothers and sisters out. I love this land. I know that the people in it are blessed to be so abundant and prosperous. I know there is an opportunity to give back, but the solution lies not in the state but in the people themselves. When I say I hate the concept of slavery, I mean it. In all its forms. It still goes on to this day. Mostly in the form of sex trafficking. I am a libertarian by nature but a humane one with deep-seated unapologetic Catholic Christian values.

Forgive my pontification Swamp but I am very proud of who I am and what I bled for.

all i can say is no way should a statue for soldiers that died on battlefield fighting for thier believes be removed from the battlefield.

Let's take the RW as an example and try to find the cause for a "just war". Take into account that the RW was fought after extensive diplomatic missions had failed, and that the war was a last resort to expel unfair colonial-style rule. In essence, it makes a class of people subservient to another group. Sound familiar. The liberation of a group of people was the final rallying cry of the Union. It was codified by the toothless document known as the Emancipation Proclamation. So seeing as how yes there were awful people who owned r@ped, and persecuted other humans they deemed as their property, the necessary horror that was War was as just as war can be.

Should we say the same thing about German and Japanese soldiers.

And frankly, when I'm dead and gone I could care less.

A rebellious force who perpetuates owning people has no place next to my fallen friends