Arguing on behalf of a region’s supposedly inalienable right to treat human beings as chattel (while making the childish analogy between said chattel and American citizens in our time) on the basis of the sanctity of property rights is probably not a winner, folks.

Many people erroneously think the Civil War was fought over one issue: slavery. This is just modern fantasy taught by government indoctrination centers (public schools).

The War Between the States began because the South demanded States’ rights and weren’t getting them. The Congress at that time heavily favored the industrialized northern states to the point of demanding that the South sell its cotton and other raw
materials only to the factories in the north, rather than to other countries.

The Congress also taxed the finished materials that the northern industries produced heavily, making finished products that the South wanted, unaffordable.

Eventually, these problems boiled over because they weren’t being addressed and southern states began announcing their intentions to sever ties with the Union. After all, what’s the point in staying if the promises aren’t being kept? Abe Lincoln decided that wasn’t going to happen on his watch. He was going to force those states to remain in the Union even if he had to kill thousands of his own countrymen to do it. So he starting raising an army… which pissed off even more southern states and caused them to announce secession. Conflict ensued and people died.

Slavery wasn’t a real factor until the Battle of Antietam in September of 1862 (2 years into the war) when Lincoln decided to free the slaves in the Confederate States in order to punish those states for continuing the war effort.

Lincoln’s decision that the only way to leave the Union was in a body bag resulted in the deaths of 620,000 Americans from both sides of the conflict and increased the power of the Federal government. Rather than actually freeing the slaves, it simply helped to make slavery more equal for all Americans.

No one is defending nor excusing slavery. Far from it. We want it to end completely for everyone across the board. We are the new Abolitionists and our goal is to end slavery in all its forms.

When the Men From Washington not only do nothing to help you make ends meet but actively work against you and then reach their hands into your wallet for a “fair share”, that is still slavery. When the Men From Washington can tell you what you may or may not do with your body as you see fit or they will kill you, that is still slavery. It’s just less visible and more insidious these days.

I think you’re misinterpreting the defense of the Confederacy here; most times, libertarians will take a Spoonerite position on that period of time, which is to say, we’re pro-abolition but just as much pro-secession. History has some pretty interesting things to tell us beyond the text book regurgitation of nationalistic ideals being defended by a man who suspended the writ of habeus corpus, instituted a draft, and didn’t actually take the time to free the slaves still in the Union.

I’m not fighting my friends over slavery, I’m fighting because they’d put me in a cage if I didn’t. Excuse me while this doctor removes my other leg.

oww. At least it was below the knee this time.

Just to clarify, Sam is not responsible for your taxes being used to incarcerate him. That blame rests squarely on the shoulders of those who ordered that he be imprisoned for 58 days.

While I don’t necessarily agree with the action (although I respect the intent as you will read in my related post), I figured it made an interesting shot and you might like to see an additional image.

Anywho, you can find it at:

nawset.com – click on photo blog in the banner. It was an entry from a few days back.

As for the words about the statue from Ian; it’s just a statue for some dead people. It isn’t that bad.

I’d prefer the plaque just be changed to something like…

“Here is a statue in honor of the poor saps that where coerced into fighting and dying in a bullshit war by a stupid politician. May there be a day when this type of madness stops. Peace.”