COLUMNS

Teacher's Desk

Our Governor shows his ignorance of North Carolina history. He believes the absurd.

He should do his homework and then see that every student in NC's schools learns the truth about our heritage

Delma Blinson write the author

I write this as a Teacher's Desk piece because I think we have a severe problem of historical ignorance in the Governor's Mansion and in our public schools.



Governor Roy Cooper has said: Some people cling to the belief that the Civil War was fought over states' rights. But history is not on their side. We cannot continue to glorify a war against the United States of America fought in the defense of slavery. These monuments should come down. This statement reveals a gross ignorance of American history by our Governor. Here's why:



It is as incorrect to say the War Between The States was fought over slavery as it was to say the First World War was fought to make the world safe for democracy, as was said by President Woodrow Wilson in an address to a joint session of Congress on April 2, 1917. It is also as incorrect as to argue that the reason we fought in Vietnam was to prevent the spread of communism. And for that matter the Governor is as wrong to say the Civil War was fought over slavery as that the reason we invaded Iraq was because of Weapons of Mass Destruction. All of these simple statements represent gross oversimplifications of very complex situations.



The danger of such oversimplification of history can now be seen in much of the rhetoric of those who want monuments and flags banned. They believe something that is not true.



The War was fought over how much power the national government would have. And that war is still going on today. The truth is that the War Between The States, or if you prefer, the "Civil War," was fought over federalism. That is, how much power was the national government to exercise over the states? More specifically, it was fought over whether the national government, which was controlled by the northern states, had the power to prohibit slavery in the new states that were joining the union during that time. If the northern states had the power to dictate about slavery to the states entering the union then they would be powerful enough to dictate other things, such as taxes, regulate commerce and even control guns. Southerners believed that the people of Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska etc. should decide not only about slavery but anything not specifically assigned to the National government by Article I Section 8 of the Constitution to which they agreed when they joined the union. Southerners feared that if the national government was so powerful that they would lose their liberties and freedoms. And that is exactly what happened. Just look at how powerful the national government is today.



If you doubt that the War was fought over the power of the national government then do an internet search for "incorporation in the 14th Amendment."



Governor Cooper, the War Between The States was fought over how powerful the national government is going to be. Thus, at its heart, our Southern Heritage is that of opposition to an all powerful national government. And thus when you advocate taking down those symbols of Southern Heritage you advocate for allowing our freedoms and liberties to be consumed by Washington, D.C.



The armed conflict of the Civil War may have ended at Appomattox in 1865 but the war still continues.



To suggest that the conflict, then or now, is over slavery is simply ignorance of American history.



It makes no sense that millions of Southerners would risk everything they had, including their lives, in defense of something they had no vested interest in. Common sense would confirm the fact that the Civil War was not fought over slavery. In 1861 only a small percentage of people in the South owned slaves. Why would over a million soldiers and sailors who never owned a slave and never intended to own slaves have risked their life to join the Confederacy? Why? It makes no sense that millions of Southerners would risk everything they had, including their lives, in defense of something they had no vested interest in. If you hear someone who believes the War was fought over slavery get them to explain how over a million men could have been persuaded to fight for something that had no reason to support. It just does not make any sense to believe the War was about slavery.



We would suggest to our Governor that he re-think his simpleton conclusion that the symbols he casts disdain upon now represent something that is not still important to our liberties and freedom. The threats to those liberties are just as great today as it was in 1860. And there will never be any "peace" within this nation until our leaders come to realize that liberty is the fundamental American heritage.



To protect that liberty means to restrict the power of government in our lives. Federalism is one way government power is restricted. It delineates what powers the states have and what powers the national government is allowed to legitimately exercise. Real leadership toward "unity" would compel our Governor to lend his leadership to re-establishing the principles of federalism upon which North Carolina agreed to join the Union.



North Carolina has a rich and wonderful heritage of standing up for liberty and doing so by standing against an omnipotent national government, first in England and then in Washington, D.C. Governor Cooper, and every student in North Carolina's schools, need to study how North Carolina came to be a member of the Union and why it was next to the last state to join the Confederacy and why it ultimately decided to do so. Cue: If you do your homework you will find that slavery had very little to do with it. I write this as apiece because I think we have a severe problem of historical ignorance in the Governor's Mansion and in our public schools.Governor Roy Cooper has said:This statement reveals a gross ignorance of American history by our Governor. Here's why:It is as incorrect to say the War Between The States was fought over slavery as it was to say the First World War was fought to make the world safe for democracy, as was said by President Woodrow Wilson in an address to a joint session of Congress on April 2, 1917. It is also as incorrect as to argue that the reason we fought in Vietnam was to prevent the spread of communism. And for that matter the Governor is as wrong to say the Civil War was fought over slavery as that the reason we invaded Iraq was because of Weapons of Mass Destruction. All of these simple statements represent gross oversimplifications of very complex situations.The danger of such oversimplification of history can now be seen in much of the rhetoric of those who want monuments and flags banned. They believe something that is not true.The truth is that the War Between The States, or if you prefer, the "Civil War," was fought over federalism. That is, how much power was the national government to exercise over the states? More specifically, it was fought over whether the national government, which was controlled by the northern states, had the power to prohibit slavery in the new states that were joining the union during that time. If the northern states had the power to dictate about slavery to the states entering the union then they would be powerful enough to dictate other things, such as taxes, regulate commerce and even control guns. Southerners believed that the people of Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska etc. should decide not only about slavery but anything not specifically assigned to the National government by Article I Section 8 of the Constitution to which they agreed when they joined the union. Southerners feared that if the national government was so powerful that they would lose their liberties and freedoms. And that is exactly what happened. Just look at how powerful the national government is today.If you doubt that the War was fought over the power of the national government then do an internet search for "incorporation in the 14th Amendment."Governor Cooper, the War Between The States was fought over how powerful the national government is going to be. Thus, at its heart, our Southern Heritage is that of opposition to an all powerful national government. And thus when you advocate taking down those symbols of Southern Heritage you advocate for allowing our freedoms and liberties to be consumed by Washington, D.C.The armed conflict of the Civil War may have ended at Appomattox in 1865 but the war still continues.To suggest that the conflict, then or now, is over slavery is simply ignorance of American history.Common sense would confirm the fact that the Civil War was not fought over slavery. In 1861 only a small percentage of people in the South owned slaves. Why would over a million soldiers and sailors who never owned a slave and never intended to own slaves have risked their life to join the Confederacy? Why? It makes no sense that millions of Southerners would risk everything they had, including their lives, in defense of something they had no vested interest in. If you hear someone who believes the War was fought over slavery get them to explain how over a million men could have been persuaded to fight for something that had no reason to support. It just does not make any sense to believe the War was about slavery.We would suggest to our Governor that he re-think his simpleton conclusion that the symbols he casts disdain upon now represent something that is not still important to our liberties and freedom. The threats to those liberties are just as great today as it was in 1860. And there will never be any "peace" within this nation until our leaders come to realize that liberty is the fundamental American heritage.To protect that liberty means to restrict the power of government in our lives. Federalism is one way government power is restricted. It delineates what powers the states have and what powers the national government is allowed to legitimately exercise. Real leadership toward "unity" would compel our Governor to lend his leadership to re-establishing the principles of federalism upon which North Carolina agreed to join the Union.North Carolina has a rich and wonderful heritage of standing up for liberty and doing so by standing against an omnipotent national government, first in England and then in Washington, D.C. Governor Cooper, and every student in North Carolina's schools, need to study how North Carolina came to be a member of the Union and why it was next to the last state to join the Confederacy and why it ultimately decided to do so. Cue: If you do your homework you will find that slavery had very little to do with it.

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