Anyone celebrating secession?

[Kurt]

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/30/us/30confed.html

The Civil War, the most wrenching and bloody episode in American history, may not seem like much of a cause for celebration, especially in the South.

And yet, as the 150th anniversary of the four-year conflict gets under way, some groups in the old Confederacy are planning at least a certain amount of hoopla, chiefly around the glory days of secession, when 11 states declared their sovereignty under a banner of states? rights and broke from the union.

The events include a ?secession ball? in the former slave port of Charleston (?a joyous night of music, dancing, food and drink,? says the invitation), which will be replicated on a smaller scale in other cities. A parade is being planned in Montgomery, Ala., along with a mock swearing-in of Jefferson Davis as president of the Confederacy.

In addition, the Sons of Confederate Veterans and some of its local chapters are preparing various television commercials that they hope to show next year. ?All we wanted was to be left alone to govern ourselves,? says one ad from the group?s Georgia Division.

That some ? even now ? are honoring secession, with barely a nod to the role of slavery, underscores how divisive a topic the war remains, with Americans continuing to debate its causes, its meaning and its legacy.

?We in the South, who have been kicked around for an awfully long time and are accused of being racist, we would just like the truth to be known,? said Michael Givens, commander-in-chief of the Sons, explaining the reason for the television ads. While there were many causes of the war, he said, ?our people were only fighting to protect themselves from an invasion and for their independence.?

Not everyone is on board with this program, of course. The N.A.A.C.P., for one, plans to protest some of these events, saying that celebrating secession is tantamount to celebrating slavery.

 

[Kurt]

An interesting interactive map with stats about slavery before secession.

A Map of American Slavery - Interactive Feature - NYTimes.com

 

[futurebeachbum]

Some pretty surprising info on slavery in areas where its never really discussed is at Slavery in the North.

 

[30ashopper]

Slavery is long gone, thanks for that. Secession however certainly shouldn't be tied to slavery. State autonomy played a critical role in the formation of our country, it's part of the heritage which makes this country so great. I understand it's significance in our first civil war, but I find connecting slavery and autonomy together a bit distasteful. (I'm not surprised however that the liberal left would try to tie them together, they are not fans of enumerated federal powers. It serves their interests.)

 

[Douglas the Intrepid]

Since this thread is specifically about the civil war secession, slavery is indeed a major integral component of this discussion. If you want a political axe to grind, perhaps you should start your own thread on just secession in general...

 

[Kurt]

Slavery is long gone, thanks for that. Secession however certainly shouldn't be tied to slavery. State autonomy played a critical role in the formation of our country, it's part of the heritage which makes this country so great. I understand it's significance in our first civil war, but I find connecting slavery and autonomy together a bit distasteful. (I'm not surprised however that the liberal left would try to tie them together, they are not fans of enumerated federal powers. It serves their interests.)

I didn't realize this was a partisan issue.

 

[Lake View Too]

Everything is partisan to the Republicans. The sky is blue only because of a last minute fillibuster by the conservatives.

 

[Jdarg]

I didn't realize this was a partisan issue.

And I guarantee that those attending a "secession" celebration are not remotely interested in the real historical detail or fact.;-)

Here is a little story.

I hope these "secession celebrations" aren't anything like a very unpleasant college fraternity weekend that I attended in South Carolina. In 1983, believe it or not after you read this. The fraternity (which I will not name, but many will recognize the event) has an Old South weekend. Complete with hoopskirts (I grudgingly wore one). Next thing I know, I am sitting in a big hotel ballroom for a reenactment of "secession", or at least a bunch of drunk white college boys' version of it. The black employees were asked to leave, and I could not believe my ears as these stupid boys started talking about killing the ________, then wondering who was going to pick the cotton for their all cotton shirts, and so on. It was completely horrifying to see so many low class bigots in one room, and they all told me that it was "their heritage". Bullsheet frat boy- your "heritage" was really white trash dumbass. I walked out, went to the hotel bar, and spent the rest of the weekend dying of embarrassment that anyone would think I was with that group. OMG.

Ever since, my ears perk up when I hear the word secession in a discussion about the South- it always seems to be tied to slavery and race- by the very people who say that slavery has nothing to do with it. :roll:

 

[Here4Good]

That fraternity did not officially ban this celebration until this year.

 

[Teresa]

celebrating southern history is an ongoing tradition and I say fine, but first we need to truly know and understand our history. Why not celebrate Lincoln along with US States from the North and South - who participated in the struggle to shape our great country.

Slavery is central to secession but I don't believe celebrating southern history necessarily celebrates slavery. I have to believe that most would agree that Lincoln gave his leadership and life to further our freedoms and greatness as a country. The civil war was bloody and necessary. Still, Southern culture and history thrives and people should celebrate it - I just hope they care enough to really understand it.

Frat boys are sometimes extremely drunk and stupid!