JaiGieEse Loc: Foxworth, MS

I suppose it depends upon one's viewpoint. When the American colonies revolted against the English crown, the colonists saw themselves as patriots. We still see ourselves that way. But King George and his British subjects on the other side of the pond saw us as traitors. To them, we were exactly that. Someone once said that those who win a war get to write the history books.

But all that aside, I wonder whether you truly think you are bettering yourself by putting down folks who lived a century and a half ago. A quiet man once advised that those who are clean of sin could be the first to hurl charges and deliver judgement. They nailed him to a tree for that, they being the same sort of self-righteous folks who seem to be hellbent on destroying the south today. Same fellow I've just mentioned advised that one ought to deal with one's own faults before getting on someone else's case. "Deal with the beam in your own eye before dealing with the mote in someone else's eye.

But I do agree that you're not trying to rewrite history - you're trying to erase it.

lightcatcher Loc: Farmington, NM (4 corners)

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

Actually we do. Look it up.

Ka2azman Loc: Tucson, Az

A little known fact: all slaves were not blacks. The Irish were also enslaved and were worth less than a black. They would have black males have intercourse with Irish women to try to raise the value of the Irish children sold as slaves.

Asinine as it may be, saw on internet that a women is taking offense against Hobby Lobby for selling whole stems from cotton plants for decorations. She is suing them because it offends her! Well cotton has been a staple for farmers for over 150 years since the freeing of slaves; just who picked it since then?

Guess we better burn our cotton items to prevent offending her!

Ka2azman Loc: Tucson, Az

Have to guess Quote:"At least not anybody that got beyond sophomore year in high school. And nobody is trying to rewrite history. " If you look up in 1956 Congress passed a Federal law stating those who served in the Civil War (Rebs) are to be considered veterans and honored people and not traitors! So you are trying to rewrite history in your declaration.

Also your comparison between Arnold and the South is so wrong! Arnold got paid, the South was acting upon what they believed was in their best interest. The Civil War did not start because of slavery, rather what the North was doing to it. Slavery didn't come into the war until 2 years after the start of it. Lincoln said come back into the Union or we will ban slavery. That is fact, not your dissertation of traitors.

"Confederate soldiers are officially considered American veterans and have the same protections as Union soldiers because of an act of Congress called Public Law 810 and other federal laws." Traitors do not get pensions.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

Where I grew up in the Valley of the Sun Hispanics, Anglos etc. picked cotton. A long bag that straddled over the shoulder and dragged behind you as you picked. I did it as well, hard work but there are much worse jobs.

mas24 Loc: Southern CA

You are correct about Lincoln. His first priority was to save the Union. The Slavery issue was priority #2. The North wanted to heal the nation after 4 bloody years of civil war. Confederate Soldiers were allowed to continue serving in the U.S. Army. They had to discard their gray uniforms for blue. Many retired after serving in Indian Wars, which was renewed after the Civil War. One being the Battle at Little Big Horn in Montana. 1876.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

FrankR Loc: NYC

I would agree with you that points of view often color or cloud how events or people are viewed. In this case however, that doesn't apply. As defined by Article III of the constitution (which the ceceding states all ratified), because they waged war against the United States, they were by definition and fact, traitors.

I'm neither trying to better myself (no idea where that came from) nor destroy the south by stating facts. You may not like them, but they are none the less, facts. I'm not hurling charges or passing judgement, again, just presenting facts. And the facts are that according to our constitution, those who fought against the USA were guilty of treason.

As for my trying to erase history, all I can say is that with the exception of your opening paragraph and the references to Scripture, like everything else in your response, you're wrong.

FrankR Loc: NYC

OK, Public Law 810 in the context of the Civil War, does not exist. Public laws are numbered with the number of the Congress that passed it and then the numerical order it was passed in. There may very well be a Public Law 810, but it would have been passed during the Eighth US Congress, which met during the last two years of Jefferson's first term and it's highly unlikely they would have passed a law pertaining to an event which would take place sixty years in the future.

As for the treason, Article III Section III of our constitution says, "Treason against the United States shall consist only in levying war against them or in adhering to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort." Those who fought against the US certainly fit the first definition of treason and benedict arnold the second. Do either one and you're a traitor, per the constituion. It makes no mention of money being paid or if you think you have a good reason.

As for slavery not being involved in the war, read the letters of secession. Several states mention it as the reason including SC and GA. Texas mentions it 21 times!

The US Congress has passed no law pardoning confederate soldiers or giving them equal status to US Veterans. They did authorize them headstones if buried in a national cemetery and began paying pensions to the living confederate soldiers sometime in the 1930s. And when they passed, their surviving wives and/or children.

FrankR Loc: NYC

Are you talking about the "Boot Monument" at Saratoga Battlefield? You want to compare that to Stone Mountain? Get real

JoAnneK01 Loc: Lahaina, Hawaii

A very interesting read. The article and most of the comments were very educational.

lightcatcher Loc: Farmington, NM (4 corners)

I thought it was "A very interesting read" myself. Thank you for your time and comment.