Stars and Bars - Is it acceptable?

[doc_bean]

Doc Bean:
when I wrote it was not about "slaves and their lack of rights" it was basically a less than clear way of me writing that the war was not about the rights(and lack thereof) of slaves.

It wasn't. The practice of slavery was one of many issues but the actual issue of slaves' conditions had relatively little to do with it.


Sorry if I wasn't clear.

Owkay

Edit: does anybody know the proportion of freed slaves who ended up as screwed over sharecroppers once their freedom was granted?

99% of those who didn't move to the North ?
Those who moved to the North probably got screwed by other people. Although I think those states must have been a lot better for a former slave to live in.

[IrishMike]

Those who moved to the North probably got screwed by other people. Although I think those states must have been a lot better for a former slave to live in.

Actually for a small few years, when the reconstruction was ongoing. Former slaves enjoyed political power and were even senators and such. So actually it wasn't all that bad, untill the troops left and the power was regained by the former slave owners and estate owners.

Also intrestingly enough the poor white sharecroppers and such were actually almost in the same boat as the slaves. Sometimes even worse, because they had nowhere to escape to. While they were free they were basically treat as slaves.

[t1master]

the emancipation proclimation was a military order aimed at inhibiting the south's means of production during the war.

i used to have these discussions all the time with my hillbilly friends in college. i get the whole southern pride thing, but explained, like the op's dad did, the popular understanding of the symbol is gonna get you labeled nasty things you might not want to be associated with.