More procrastination

[trinityvixen]

A worthy commentary on the idiots who want to--literally--whitewash the goddamned Civil War.

To be sure, the economic differences between North and South contributed to the war, and one can never forget that money motivates where morals do not. But you know what made the Southern economy so sucky? SLAVERY. Not just an affront to the belief in humanity as a force for good, but also the means by which the South would, had it won, impoverished itself (on all counts) indefinitely.

There was an episode of The Simpsons where Apu becomes an American citizen, and he attempts to explain the many and varied reasons the Civil War happened, and the man applying his test interrupts him with, "Just say slavery." I think it's very telling that it takes some serious effort to come up with a reason outside of that. Usually, the effort takes one of two shapes. One, it's an academic effort, examining the causes and issues behind the most simplistic of explanations that do not, ultimately, challenge the summary put forth. Or, two, it's bullshit meant to distract and override what you know to be true: that those who expound upon the Confederacy are corpse-raping douchenozzles.

What? They are.

Comments

[sols-light.livejournal.com]

Economic reasons are the fundamentals for war. I'm not so sure about the American Civil War, but WWI was about Germany trying to put in its own Oil pipeline to the Middle East and bypass the prices the rest of Europe was using to sustain its economy. WW II was about the Germany paying reparations for WW I wanting to get control of industry back and begin mass production to gain economic power. Iraq was about Oil Supply control. Afghanistan is a little trickier, but boils down to a history of keeping that whole region destabilised by supporting the weakest group each time until it becomes the strongest, then not realising quite who you supported. That's to keep the price of oil stable and to make sure there's a market to sell guns to.

We simply don't go to war unless there's a financial incentive to do so. Patriotism is the motivation used to fool people into giving their effort and lives for the economic gain.

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

I don't disagree on any particular point. There's always a financial concern where wars begin. What's interesting about the American Civil War is that the economic motivation for the war was because of slavery. The North and South diverged in their means of generating money. The North's industry sped their growth and grew their wealth far above the South, which, because of the entrenched slavery and slavery-dependent businesses, could never compete. And that's before you take into consideration the considerable cost of losing slave labor and having to pay your workers...

Basically, the South had its money-related reasons to want to secede, but most of it was caused, directly or indirectly, by slavery. So, yes, there were many factors that cause the war, most of which lead right back to slavery.

[ivy03.livejournal.com]

...but what about Lincoln using executive power to impinge on states' rights? *hides*

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

So many bitch-slap icons, so little time.

[ivy03.livejournal.com]

As Colbert just put it, it was about states' rights...to own slaves.

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

And, according to the snippets from that article, that's exactly what THEY thought it was about!

[cubby-t-bear.livejournal.com]

You use that word "literally." I do not think it means what you think it means :-P

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

Oh, go away if you're just going to tease! I've already got ivy03 playing silly buggers, thanks! :P

[cubby-t-bear.livejournal.com]

My icon is Brainy Smurf wagging his thumb. How could I pass up the chance? :)