Question: Slavery was a legal American institution for almost 100 years, since the original 13 colonies, right on during the ACW. Does the South serve as a scapegoat for America on the issue of slavery, (and racism in general)? Essentially putting all the baggage on the South to lessen the weight of all of America's guilt?
Are there other examples, in America or any other country, where one region/peoples of the country is held more to account for an atrocity actually committed by the entire nation?
Bullgrit
That's a good question, one I kind of addressed. I think the North at some point, took great strides to divorce itself from slavery. So when they decided slavery was bad, they went whole hog. There were economics involved of course, the North wasn't dependent on slave labor.
The South seems to have been trapped. Their economy was based largely on manual labor, by slaves. And all the great speeches of the time were about keeping slaves when the Confederacy started.
The South started a war over slavery basically and their right to keep it (the act of seceeding basically was an act of war, regardless of when the first shot was fired). It symbolized refusing to put down slavery. Not just "we used to have slaves, but now we don't" but "we're gonna kill people to prove our right to have slaves is right"
That's likely a very strong reason why "The South" is equated to "racist dudes who don't get that they are celebrating being a bunch of racists". Yes, that is hyperbole. Sorry. that's what a Yankee like me hears everytime a Southerner goes off about the "War of Northern Aggression"
I wouldn't ride Morrus that way for his dead King's heavy handed taxation without representation. Or a German for their Hitleriffic atrocities. But the South just don't get the message because they don't admit "the Confederacy was wrong and it was founded on an evil premise."
Personally, I don't think I need an apology on the subject (granted, I wasn't a descendant of slaves). But dropping the whole "States Rights", "War of Northern Aggression", "The South", and "Confederacy" references means we can stop being divided by it. Acknowledge some bad stuff went down, and have some cookies again.