John Galt post=18.74786.852573 said:
The Germans owned slaves too. They killed them by the millions. I think we can agree that the Holocaust was far worse than American slavery. Slavery in the South at least helped build our nation economically and financially. The world's textile mills would've been hard pressed to function were it not for the massive amounts of material coming in from the South. Also, the Civil War was not fought solely over one cause, no war has ever been that simple. People liking the idea of an independent South aren't necessarily racist, they just would like for the region to be either culturally or politically independent.
no we cant agree that the holocaust was far worse, owning slaves and killing them is bad no matter who does it. furthermore the point you miss is that the Germans arent STILL bragging too all and sundry to THIS DAY how they were "this (<->) close to wining the war" and they certianly arent trying to make excuses for why owning people wasnt "so bad"
the whole other basis for your argument is just shit, the fact is the south LOST the war so all the excuses for why it was a good idea like the world needing your textiles doesnt wash, the world either didnt need them, found a way to make due with other things, or GOT them WITHOUT those in the south OWNING people.
i would also say that as far as Americn history goes owning slaves has had a far FAR bigger impact on OUR history than WWII did, we are STILL dealing with the left overs of slavery, like this very election, or the race riots, or jim crow laws. hell it was in the news yesterday about a black man being draged to death in Texas because , well as far as anyone can tell he was black.
now for some facts. a radom google search gave this link http://americanhistory.about.com/od/civilwarmenu/a/cause_civil_war.htm
of the top 5 causes listed there all of them are in one war or another related to slavery. you can do your own search i clicked more than that one link and found article after article that basicaly said those same 5 points
the most IMNPORTIANT point though is this link http://avalon.law.yale.edu/19th_century/csa_scarsec.asp
it gives the text of "Confederate States of America - Declaration of the Immediate Causes Which Induce and Justify the Secession of South Carolina from the Federal Union"
thats the title of the statment of withdraw from the Union given by south Carolina
if you read all the high winded noise in the begining where it talks about the right to take your ball and go home because you dont like being told what to do by a government, you get to the meat of the matter ....... i quote
"We affirm that these ends for which this Government was instituted have been defeated, and the Government itself has been made destructive of them by the action of the non-slaveholding States. Those States have assume the right of deciding upon the propriety of our domestic institutions; and have denied the rights of property established in fifteen of the States and recognized by the Constitution; they have denounced as sinful the institution of slavery; they have permitted open establishment among them of societies, whose avowed object is to disturb the peace and to eloign the property of the citizens of other States. They have encouraged and assisted thousands of our slaves to leave their homes; and those who remain, have been incited by emissaries, books and pictures to servile insurrection."
argue all you want about how OWNING people wasnt that bad, and try to toss a bunch of shit into the debate that doesnt belong to cover for it, but a simple history text shows what really happened. written by the 'south' no less and bluntly stated that the reason for war was their 'right' too OWN people.
now we have gone way way off topic so while im more than willing to continue this chat id prefer it if we did it in a more relivent thread or using PM since Obamas election will take a large step in the direction of finaly healing those wounds that were inflicted by slavery.