Need opinions from people in the south?

[ProBlue33]

Will the recent comments about the civil war from Ron Paul gain him support in those southern states?

Because that one comment has started to rekindled the debate.

If you are in the South how are those comments, perceived.

[lynnf]

Will the recent comments about the civil war from Ron Paul gain him support in those southern states?

Because that one comment has started to rekindled the debate.

If you are in the South how are those comments, perceived.


it is basically the same as the southern point of view, but since there are so many bleeding-heart carpetbaggers in the south now, it's hard to say what the south as a whole will think.

lynn

[AggieforPaul]

Im anti-Lincoln, anti-war between the states, and from Texas. However, our schools feed us the same garbage about how heroic Lincoln was as schools anywhere else. Its really only the older generation that knows the truth about Lincoln.

Overall, I dont think this issue is helping him anywhere. He's right on the money, but nobody realizes it. And since its neither an issue people agree with him about, nor a pressing election issue, I think he should drop it.

[CoreyBowen999]

The south can't be targeted as a whole about the war anymore. Schools force down our throats that Lincoln was the best president, the war was of slavery, and do not let us have seperate opinions on things. That is the public school system for you.

[wgadget]

Here ya go:

http://news.aol.com/political-machine/2007/12/26/hot-seat-lincoln-wrong-to-fight-civil-war/

[garrettwombat]

well im from the REAL south, in georgia... and let me tell you there arnt many die hard dixieland type people anymore. the type of people that would be effected are either old or just not political... and see the thing about the rednecks down here, they love freedom, they love america, they try to bleed patriotism...
they know whats going on, they know about the IRS, the fed, losing personal liberties...
but they hate politics, they hate government... and will not give ron paul a look if i tell them too.

if they are political they mindlessly go on about supporting huckabee because he was a minister, even though he stands for nothing they believe in.

so i think a lot of southerners would really just not have feelings either way about pauls statement.

[curtisag]

I'm from Texas, my ancestors fought in the civil war. So many people died it was ridiculous. I think a higher percentage of the US population died in the civil war than all other wars combined in our history. Family members were forced to fight and kill other family members, it was horrible. Slavery was also horrible, but I think it could have been ended without so much blood.

[SPmachina033]

I am from a small town in Florida that still has a majority of southern folks, minus the snowbirds. We are still proud of the south and many still believe the south will rise again for some strange reason. But I agree with Ron Paul. Two of my Great Great Great Grandpappies served in the Civil War for the Confederate States of America so most of us do side with Ron Paul, not just because of that, but because he is correct. The south just wanted to be left alone. We didn't even own slaves.. So to answer your question I believe if anything it will help gain support and not hurt it. Anyways who cares about those damn yankees.hah joking....

[pickfair]

The south can't be targeted as a whole about the war anymore. Schools force down our throats that Lincoln was the best president, the war was of slavery, and do not let us have seperate opinions on things. That is the public school system for you.

Exactly. The nation as a whole is getting dumber and dumber because of this education system. Just to list some examples, these are some of the comments I hear from high school seniors from some of the best reputed schools.

Q: Look at the dates 1795-1797. What major event was going on at this time?
A: WWII.

Q: What was important about the Italian Renaissance?
A: Mussolini.

To cover more recent topics, a classic: "What party is Hillary Clinton in?"

You think these people have any idea what the Civil War was all about? Somehow I doubt that very much. :rolleyes:

[yongrel]

My junior year of High School, my AP US History Class learned that Abraham Lincoln

"started the Civil War in order to free the slaves."

I hate public school.

[UnReconstructed]

not if they don't hear about him

[RSLudlum]

My junior year of High School, my AP US History Class learned that Abraham Lincoln

"started the Civil War in order to free the slaves."

I hate public school.


It is absurd how many people don't understand what 'state rights' are and what the civil war did to bury the states' powers. I probably wouldn't have known the truth when i was younger if my father wasn't a civil war history buff.

[Shooterman]

Understand, Lincoln, arch criminal that he was, was martyred; therefore he is like JFK, held to be bigger than life. It's a tough road. Dr Paul should drop the bit and hit on the things that really count, mainly being led down the road to ruin by the FED.

[Bob Spruill]

The war of northern aggression has been won by the north.

There is not much difference of ignorant opinion anymore,
the whole nation has been somewhat equally deluded.

Except for those few deep South States where black folks
are an important , respected part of the community, Lincoln
seems to be seen as some sort of good person.

[Alabama Supporter]

I imagine it appeals to the civil war re-enactors and such, but not many people are history buffs that I know. I don't think this is a winning issue.

I sure hope he starts touting his immigration plans.

[Bob Spruill]

Ron Paul did not start this issue. It was flung in his face. He responded to it.

Nobody can explain the cause of that war in ten seconds. Dr Paul did well.

He is being attacked for his answer. But he didn't say anything that his enemies can really use against him. They are trying, but it is not working. Dr Paul won that.

Cha, cha, cha, again.

[MsDoodahs]

What year did Georgians throw those bums Roy Barnes and Max Cleland out of office?

RP's comment, spun as it has been, may have a positive effect in some areas of the South.

JMO and YMMV.

[AlexMerced]

Ron Paul did not say the war is about slavery, Chris Mattews implied and Ron Paul had responded to the premise, watch it again

[ProBlue33]

That AOL poll shows Paul winning only in the southern states, so it seems to have helped if only a little, I don't see how those type of comments could every hurt his support in the south, the North might think he is crazy.

But I have come to the conclusion with Ron Paul that either you get his world veiw, or don't, and sadly never will.

[doban]

I don't think anything Dr. Paul said would cause the average southerner to make much of a judgment in either direction. Here in the "Heart of Dixie", as it says on our license tags, my personal observation is that most people perceive the Civil War as...

1) "Took place a long time ago."
2) "We lost. That sucks. Oh well, what's for lunch."
3) "I think it was mostly about slavery, maybe something about taxes, too."
4) "Civil War....yeah, long time ago, right?"

I don't mean to trivialize this terrible time in our country, but I think the Civil War is not exactly at the forefront of most people's concerns and doesn't stir up a whole lot of interest. Yes, there are those who have a different perspective than what I've mentioned, but I hesitantly state that you might have a bit of a hard time down here finding someone to have an in-depth conversation with on the subject of the Civil War...lol.

PS.
All you people "down here" that participate in the reenactments and stuff (my relatives included) please go along with me on this.:D

[daniroyer]

Will the recent comments about the civil war from Ron Paul gain him support in those southern states?

Because that one comment has started to rekindled the debate.

If you are in the South how are those comments, perceived.

Well, my family is now so south we're no considered south anymore (Miami), but we hail from southern Kentucky just a generation ago. According to my grandma, our family began our military service during the Civil War ("War of Northern Aggression" as she still called it) and literally had cousin fighting cousin.

She was born in 1912, so she could actually talk to people who were alive during the war. I took her word, albeit skewed to the south, to be more trustworthy than the accounts in my history books. From what she said, many of our fears of big government control were around back then. The South took preemptive action to stop it by force. The war wasn't exactly over slavery as it was States' rights on the legality of slavery. A war over each state basing its laws on their individual morals. Federal wanted to overide, States said "like hell."

I believe that Lincoln did what he thought was best. Should he have looked for a way around war? Every President should. Did he try hard enough? Probably not. Lincoln strongly wanted to end slavery. One could even say he wanted to protect life and liberty of all people. When the South made their preemptive strike to protect their States' rights, Lincoln had the option to work out with discussion or work it out by force. He chose force and after the death of many Americans, all Americans were "free" (I use quotes since we all know the crap blacks still took for another century).

While ending slavery was constitutional and moral, there were other options. Ron Paul was right in that regard and that statement makes sense with what we know Ron Paul's beliefs are. Does it win my family's vote? Well, it cemented it for the Alabama and Georgia branches. :)

That being said, I'd like to also mention how we could easy be heading for a situation like the one that sparked the Civil War. Think of all the issues that gets everyone crazy: abortion and gay rights for example. Those issues could easily push people to a boiling point on either side. I know I've personally got into a screaming fight with a random stranger over abortion.