North Vs. South, Is the Civil War over?

Today a war of words almost erupted in the "How's the weather..." forum. Someone from the south referred to me as a Yankee. I replied back that I didn't understand why that kind of labelling still goes on. The Civil War ended about 140 years ago. If someone from the south went to another countrymthey would be the Yankee.

BirdDog piped up saying the war wasn't over. Something about states rights, conspiracy this and that.

Excuse me, but didn't Gen. Lee surrender to Gen. Grant? Didn't the Union Army crush the rebellion? 140 years ago?

We're one country. We're all Americans whether we're from Michigan, Alabama or where ever.

So, what's up? Is the Civil War over?

I sure hope so, tsargent62! Has this been a long winter or what?

maggiemahone1

I was just complaining to my friends from Huntsville, AL, that this week was the first time that the temp has been above freezing since b4 Christmas.

Maggie, there seem to be some who believe that the war is still on in some shape or form, i.e., BirdDog. I was hoping to draw him into a debate on the matter.

Come, on! Put 'em up! Put 'em up!

When all else fails, just duke it out!
Maybe this belongs on !

maggiemahone1

The Irish have only been at it for a little over 300 years in Northern Ireland, the Froggies (oops, I mean the French) in Canada for about the same amount of time, and there is even a Scottish independence movement alive and well in Scotland as we speak (and in my opinion Great Britian is a Scottish kingdom started by a Scotsman, not an English kingdom started by an Englishman). What's a mere 140 years compared to those?

MacEoghainn "Union Forever"

I just want it to be clear that it wasn't me that refered to anyone as a Yankee

I was pointing out that myself and many other patriotic Americans would prefer a confederation of states to a (Big Brother type) Federal govt. I understand for the need of solidarity for. trade relations and military etc, etc.. but the influence of the federal government should only be felt externally.

Yes.

No merely the Army.

And I'm not saying everybody go out and burn down every Federal building you can find, let's just get the government out of our lives. When they get involved they invariably screw things up.

Believe me, I'm all for limited government. I guess I just don't understand by the implication that the rebellion is still alive. Maybe you have to be from the south to understand.

Do you consider "Yankee" to be a negative term? And no you never did refer to me as such. It was someone else, but it doesn't bother me. If someone used in a context where it was intended as an instult or used as a curse, then yeah, it'd bother me.

Maybe I came out a bit strong in my first post in this thread. I didn't mean to inflame anyone. Well, maybe a little. I just want to understand the whole southern rebel attitude.

I do feel that "the rebellion" is still alive in the fact that people all over America want a more limited government just look at the local and state governments protesting against the patriot act. I don't feel that we should throw up a wall on the Mason/Dixon this is a national ground swell resistance against tyranny.

Yes I would consider calling someone a Yankee a curse in proper context. However you could say "Yankee ingenuity" it could be taken as a positive insinuation and would be received as such. Now a Carpetbagger is worse than a Yankee but a Scallywag is the worst type of dog that just needs to be put down, they are to the South what Vichy and his cronies were to France. I do tend to politely explain to those that accuse me of such that I am none of the above.

Now as far a conspiracies go i'm not running around with aluminum foil over my head and groin with a spaced out look in my eyes. I just enjoy reading about them* for instance check out David Icke, or about the team of israelis spies video taping the WTC during 911 and escaping. Arabs were arrested during the inital moments of the Oklahoma explosion but let go due to Clinton not wanting to stop the Middle East peace process, they were in cahoots with Mc Veigh. The 16th amendment was never passed and the graduated income tax isn't legal (actually I believe that one.)

*for entertainment purposes only

It is not about attitude but pride.

I must admit to a bit of bias on this question, as I am the Commander of the Guy-Thurman Camp of the Sons of Confederate Veterans (as well as the assistant commander of the Lincoln camp of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War). Yes, the War of Northern Aggression ended in defeat for the southern defenders of the US Constitution, which btw was violated repeatedly by Mr. Lincoln in saving the Union. However, what amounts to attempted cultural genocide continues in many forms. Some examples being the attempts to stamp out any public display of the CSA battle flag, and to link the battle flag with hate groups, rather than an honorable symbol of souther heritage.
IMHO, it was the setting aside of the Constitution by Mr. Lincoln that has led directly to the dictatorial powers currently being exercised by the Federal government, and their interference in purely local matters that were almost surely not comtemplated by the founders of our country.
YMMV.

I am from New York and I consider yankee to be the worst word in the world Espically after they signed A-Rod.
Damn the Yankees!
Go Tribe!!

I need to ask some questions. As a Northerner with little contact with the south, there are some things I would like to understand.

How were the Confederate soldiers defending the US Constitution? Didn't the CSA have its own constitution? I mean, it was a separate country with its own capitol and its own president.

Why should the CSA battle flag be flown? Especially over government buildings. We don't fly the flag of any other country that the US has defeated in war.

I just looked up the word "Yankee" and it seems it was originally used as a term of contempt. It didn't originate in the Confederate South, but 100 years earlier. It was associated with pirates by the British and later with inhabitants of New England.

So, Randy and BD, you guys would view Yankee in the same light as Spick, N***** (I refuse to even spell that one) and other racial or ethnic slurs. Am I correct?

Yes, I would view it as a word of contempt.

Robert E. Lee's father Light horse Harry and uncle Francis both signed the Declaration of Independence His father was instrumental in the creation of the Constitution. Another uncle Arthur went with B. Franklin as a representative of the US to France. Uncle William worked on Madrid and Berlin Relations.

Jefferson Davis married the daughter of future President Zachary Taylor and was a Calvary officer in the Revoloutionary war. And I could go on and on with the ties from the CSA to the US revoloution.

The point is that these people declared independence in order to create freedom and again later to preserve those same freedoms. The Confederate Constitution embodied the changes in government that could not be won in a bueacracy.

Texas flies with honors the six flags of the nations that ruled her. Spain, Mexico, France, The Republic of Texas, The CSA, and the US.

Eoghainn, the Northern Ireland issue came up with the founding of the Republic of Ireland. That was last century. The fight for independence itself started earlier...


Anyway, this conversation does clear a few things up for me. Thanks guys.
(the way to go, todd asking is goooood)