Comment on current popular, but fact omitting news. (National media is not the only fake news.) Easthampton and the confederate flag. First of all there is some serious lack of facts on this whole deal. First, the Civil War had far more to do with economics than slavery. The two Old World American factions were in conflict. The Republican Mercantilist: Industrial/Commercial/Banking and Finance dominated North wanted to retain versus the (not so) Democratic South of landed gentry who wanted to be able to sell their cotton on the global market. While some revisions in their Mercantilism, and their point was important to the greater economic network: cotton, etc., sent north to be made into cloth, etc., to then be shipped to foreign markets by American merchants to be sold. Thus, if the South sold on the open market, it would crash our economy. So it was Free Market Southern Democrats vs. Big Business and Finance closed Market Northern Republicans.
In big part, our Revolution was to free us from Mercantilism, and allow Americans to buy and sell on the global market. At the same time our economy depended upon a closed market. The Republicans were previously the Hamilton Federalists who believed in a strong central government dominated by the wealthy and serving their interests. The Jeffersonian Democratic Republican Party then became just the Democratic Party. While Jefferson spoke and wrote eloquently of Freedom, Rights, etc., he also was a firm believer in the Old World Social Principles, that only the “well born, well educated, and rich..” should control the government.
Next, there was the slavery as both an issue of moral and an American declared principle (all men are created equal, life liberty and the pursuit of happiness…etc.) As such, at the Constitutional Convention 12 of the 13 States agreed slavery should be ended; South Carolina dissented as their economy was dependent upon slavery. And, if for that reason, they left our association, others too had good reason to do likewise. The question of slavery was then put off until, I believe, 1808; but by then the mutualistic money making network was making money for a bunch of states, so it was dropped.
But, if the South were allowed to leave, or allowed to sell to other countries, we could fall apart, …with those still waiting off our shores for us to fail.
Lastly, if any of you have been in the South, as I was, when in the Army, in 1968 there was still the hope the South would rise again, and how often I was called a Yankee, in not so polite tones. And, for those not convinced that the Confederate Flag still stands for Old World thinking of neo-royalists, the oppression of not only Black Americans, but poor White (trash) Americans as they are referred to in the South. Then let me leave you with one word: Andersonville.
Your former Ward 3 City Councilor, Brian Hoose [email protected]
