Ignore columnist Pitts; he spews vitriol at South
Columnist Leonard Pitts' abject hatred of the South, its history and heritage, is so vitriolic that he is unable to separate fact from fiction. His affront should be ignored.
One could not permit his latest diatribe, which equated the Confederate flag and Nazis, to go unchallenged (March 3).
It is futile to attempt to change the views of one so filled with prejudice and ignorance, but such an outrage must be challenged.
While space will not permit extensive coverage of the decades-old antagonisms between North and South that ultimately led in 1860 to Southern secession and formation of the Confederate States of America, it was hoped and expected that peace would prevail between the sections.
When the new federal president took office (Mr. Lincoln), he ordered a military invasion of the South to force restoration of the Union. For four tragic years, Southerners shed their blood in a desperate defense of their homeland.
Southerners knew the North would attempt to label this national catastrophe as a "war to end slavery." This fiction is shattered by two simple statements:
1. Slavery remained perfectly legal in the Union until after the war. Why not just remain in the Union?
2. Union President Lincoln stated, "If I could save the Union without freeing any slave, I would do it."
W.K. Oden Jr.
Greensboro
Comments (7)
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That war was about freeing slaves, y'all...just like the one going on in Iraq now is about freeing Iraqis.
Posted on March 12, 2008 3:34 AM
While space will not permit ...
Well Mr. Oden Jr, the blog has unlimited space, albeit a tragically short half-life, so in the next 24 hours, "DO TELL" about "the decades-old antagonisms between North and South".
Perhaps you'll start with Jefferson v Hamilton.
Posted on March 12, 2008 6:18 AM
I am a southerner and a Leonard Pitts fan. I find him entertaining and usually right. He has his tangents but presents his message in a fair and balanced manner, as a rule. However, if he upsets you, Mr. Oden, simply stop reading his editorials. See how uncomplicated that is? (That will be $125!)
Posted on March 12, 2008 7:34 AM
According to Charlie Daniels, the "South is gonna do it again." I don't know what "it" is. But when it happens, the South will be doing it.
Posted on March 12, 2008 1:08 PM
WWSFD
What Would Shelby Foote Do?
Roger
Posted on March 12, 2008 2:22 PM
Although Lincoln certainly privileged the Union over emancipation (2 is correct) as a war aim, 1 is nonsense. The South seceeded because it felt Lincoln threatened slavery (by blocking its expansion, among other things). Slavery was legal in the Union until after the war, yes, but so what? It was outlawed then, because Lincoln had committed the US to emancipation. The border states were exempted (temporarily) only because Lincoln feared they'd join the Confederacy. Northern states had already abolished slavery.
Posted on March 12, 2008 3:47 PM
Yvonne, from what the news folks tell me, people are doing that. They are going a step farther, not buying newspapers. Seems old folks like me hope one day the newspaper,will again become a newspaper. Pitts should be in the comics.
Posted on March 13, 2008 6:21 AM