As far as your debate topic ... I would agree to some degree, but you will have to admit that Reconstruction was a dismal failure. One could argue that it was doomed to failure from the start, but that is another point.
It wasn't so much that Reconstruction was a failure... it just took a lot longer than originally envisioned. I'd say right around a century or so.
I see a lot of parallels between the Civil War/Reconstruction and the present War on Terror. After "mission accomplished" was declared in 1865, there were still a lot of terrorists running around, a lot of locals willing to commit just about any atrocities to keep the ideas of the United States from taking hold, to discourage Americans and their local sympathizers from the reconstruction project, and to keep everyone in their "proper place".
It seems that one of the real turning points in the reconstruction of the South was when Yankees started moving down in large numbers. I don't know if that was more of a cause or an effect, though, and I'm pretty sure we won't see large numbers of Yankees moving to the Middle East anytime soon, so it might not be an observation that's all that helpful to our current effort anyway.
Originally Posted By: chromosphere
I do know that just the other day, a prominent conservative talk show host was seriously discussing the idea that the "Red" states should secede and make their own country with all the right Christian moral values, etc. If that ever happens, I'm moving.
Chrome
It ain't happening. Think "Sherman with nuclear weapons", and you'll see just how unrealistic a second secession would be.
a fine and enviable madness, this delusion that all questions have answers, and nothing is beyond the reach of a strong left arm.
