I've tried to stay out of this as long as possible, but you are owning the fuck out of tbombz. First if a state joins a union freely, they are likewise able to leave freely. There are an abundant amount of quotes where our founding fathers restate that opinion. When the confederates seceded they officially became a separate entity from the union. When Lincoln invaded them, he invaded a separate country and over stepped his boundaries in declaring war on the south. According to the law, Lincoln was actually at fault.
Maybe about 10 years ago I read a book title something like "Confederates in the Attic." It was about those crazies that are obsessed with the Civil War and like to recreated life of a Confederate soldier. These nuts would be out in the heat and cold, eating berries and living a life of what I would imagine would be pure misery. I don't know why I even bothered to read the book. I already knew all there was to know about the War Between the States. The South were racist slave owners trying to break up and destroy this country and Lincoln and the North saved us. Well, I'm always reading some book, and can't sleep unless I read for an hour or so. So I just finished one up and was looking for something else to read while I was staying with my brother in Georgia. Anyway, my brother handed me "Confederates in the Attic" which I wasn't too thrilled about as I wasn't that interested in the Civil War. But I read some of the blurbs and thought it would be interesting to see how some Southern kooks live. And I loved the cover. And after all, it was a book and I was in desperate need of one.
That book changed my life in the sense that I became utterly fascinated with the War Between the States. For the next two years, with the exception of some contemporary political works, all I read were books on the Civil War. First and foremost, is that there is a lot more to the story then we are told in school. A lot more. Damn more. How men were willing to sacrifice and suffer. How the Southerners weren't these wicked racist. It wasn't just about slavery but about State rights. It's not always whether something is good or bad but who gets to decide.
I'm still ambivalent about the whole thing. Not 100% sure where I stand. I did become a fan of Tecumseh Sherman. He knew how war is to be fought and won. But also of Lee and Stonewall Jackson. But man oh man, how they suffered. What a time for this country. Makes me ashamed to complain about my life or hear others complain. About how times are so tough for us. We have no idea. No idea what real suffering is like.
They don't make em like this anymore.