Many people do say the the Civil War was fought over Federal intervention in State issues, but I still think it did have more to do with how the states out West were going to get split up on the subject of Slavery.
The "keep the Federal Government out" rhetoric continues in the South, which is why I keep mentioning all the great things the Federal Government has done for us. I am kind of a Socialist at heart and believe in a strong central government.
The Confederate Flag? Say what you want, but it makes so many different groups of people feel unsafe. People of Color, Jews, Catholics, Romas and Queers....to mention a few. To me it is very unwelcoming at the very best and far beyond racist at it's worst.
East TN is lovely, but when I first went up there to college, I saw a cross burning and it made me quiver in my young lesbian loafers. I just knew someone would show up at my apartment with pitchforks to get me. It is not the usual occurrence it was 30 years ago, but it continues to affect my life choices...and that of so many Southerners.
I do agree that we have free speech and people have the right to the flag...but I wish it would just go away.
Like my signature line states, things don't change much, we just call them different things.
Can we sit and chat? Would love to! Will be disagree on the Civil War? Very likely!
Iced tea? Hell yeah!