Since this issue is really about a Battle Flag, flown during th WAR, do you realize Balog, that the Secession did in fact occur before the War, and that the North invaded the South, leading to generations of at least somewhat justified pride in fighting that invasion?
Yes, the invasion happened because of the secession, the secession happened over slavery.
"States Rights" to preserve slavery.
Issues of representation and control of congress, and the presidency to maintain slavery.
Admissions of new states as slave or free, and how it would affect congressional seats and the electoral college.
Economic disputes between the agrarian exporting Slave south, and the immigrant/industrial north.
Slavery Slavery Slavery. It was over slavery. It happened because of slavery. All the "other causes" are one step removed from slavery, and were also because of slavery.
The "founding documents" of the Confederacy themselves state it over, and over, and over again.
I don't know why this is so hard for some in the South. You
today didn't own the slaves, you didn't fight to keep them either.
For all I know some of my ancestors fought for bad causes in Europe, beat their spouses, or were criminals. I have no idea. But what they did, or what they were doesn't define me.
It's as if you guys are unable to separate Moon Pies, RC Cola, Sweet Tea, and ladies in hoop skirts saying "Ah do declare!" etc. from slavery or the Civil War. Nobody's claiming the North is some paragon of righteousness. We're all aware the Emancipation Proclamation didn't cover the slaves in Union states. And Lincoln's words on preserving the Union, whether it meant freeing slaves, or leaving them in bondage.
And all of America killed or displaced a ton of Indians to get the land, or passively benefited from the epidemics from European contact that decimated them in the 1400's and 1500's before most of them even met a European colonist.
The "It was complicated" and "There were lots of reasons" arguments are
shoddy.