# Should the North admit we lost the Civil War **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 9, 2004, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-north-admit-we-lost-the-civil-war/263717 "2004-09-09T02:01:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Kel\_Varnsen\_Latex\_Division](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/aeb1de/32.png) [@Kel\_Varnsen\_Latex\_Division](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kel_Varnsen_Latex_Division)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-north-admit-we-lost-the-civil-war/263717/1 "2004-09-09T02:01:43Z")
Should the North just go ahead an admit that we lost the Civil War and let the South go and have fun with their own poor ass country? The South could live with their nice conservative values and Bush economic policies and we will just see which country is nicer place to live. ---
**Author:** ![Estilicon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/848f3c/32.png) [@Estilicon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Estilicon)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-north-admit-we-lost-the-civil-war/263717/2 "2004-09-09T02:14:53Z")
This doesn’t belong in Great debates at least not twice.- ---
**Author:** ![John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Carter_of_Mars)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-north-admit-we-lost-the-civil-war/263717/3 "2004-09-09T02:23:59Z")
Ok, but we get Ashley Judd and from now on you gotta’ keep Fred Phelps at home, up there where he comes from. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-north-admit-we-lost-the-civil-war/263717/4 "2004-09-09T02:27:06Z")
> [@Kel Varnsen - Latex Division](#): > > Should the North just go ahead and admit that we lost the Civil War and let the South go and have fun with their own poor ass country? The South could live with their nice conservative values and Bush economic policies and we will just see which country is nicer place to live. What I believe is the proper response to this is not appropriate to make, seeing as how you started it in GD rather than the Pit. However, (1) the U.S. is more closely tied economically than ever before. (2) You’ll find that Sunbelt industry is supporting redevelopment in places like the Mohawk Valley and some smaller Midwest cities that have been trashed by their major industries closing down or departing. (3) People of all political stances live all across America. I see more progressive views advocated in North Carolina than I did in Upstate New York, as a rule. (4) In case you didn’t learn from however many years of school you completed what the Civil War was about, it was that we are one indissoluble Union. (5) By fostering regional particularism, you’re part of the problem, not part of the solution. (6) Grow up. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-north-admit-we-lost-the-civil-war/263717/5 "2004-09-09T04:59:25Z")
> [@Kel Varnsen - Latex Division](#): > > Should the North just go ahead and admit that we lost the Civil War and let the South go and have fun with their own poor ass country? The South could live with their nice conservative values and Bush economic policies and we will just see which country is nicer place to live. I find myself totally unable to parse these statements or understand their purpose. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-north-admit-we-lost-the-civil-war/263717/6 "2004-09-09T05:56:18Z")
OK, but who gets the border states? ---
**Author:** ![Netbrian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71e660/32.png) [@Netbrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Netbrian)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-north-admit-we-lost-the-civil-war/263717/7 "2004-09-09T05:59:22Z")
Why Canada of course! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-north-admit-we-lost-the-civil-war/263717/8 "2004-09-09T06:04:24Z")
Canada gets Kentucky & Missouri? Wasn’t suggesting that a cause of the American Revolution? ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 9:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-north-admit-we-lost-the-civil-war/263717/9 "2004-09-09T09:12:16Z")
> [@Kel Varnsen - Latex Division](#): > > Should the North just go ahead an admit that we lost the Civil War and let the South go and have fun with their own poor ass country? The South could live with their nice conservative values and Bush economic policies and we will just see which country is nicer place to live. Is there a debate here or do you just feel like bitching and moaning because you don’t like the south? Marc ---
**Author:** ![Mockingbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c68b51/32.png) [@Mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mockingbird)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 9:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-north-admit-we-lost-the-civil-war/263717/10 "2004-09-09T09:17:45Z")
> [@MGibson](#): > > Is there a debate here or do you just feel like bitching and moaning because you don’t like the south? > > Marc There needs to be a reason? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 9:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-north-admit-we-lost-the-civil-war/263717/11 "2004-09-09T09:53:34Z")
Considering the fact that most modern day Americans are descended from people who came to the United States _after_ the Civil War, taking it seriously is like having English people feel all passionate about King Arthur. ---
**Author:** ![Oy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bc8723/32.png) [@Oy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oy)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 10:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-north-admit-we-lost-the-civil-war/263717/12 "2004-09-09T10:33:53Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > Considering the fact that most modern day Americans are descended from people who came to the United States _after_ the Civil War, taking it seriously is like having English people feel all passionate about King Arthur. Not exactly. With the exception of slavery itself (and civil rights have taken its place), most of the issues that were causes of the Civil War (States’ rights and tariffs primarily) are still very much alive. On the other hand, England doesn’t seem to be having much problem with Saxon invasions these days. ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 10:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-north-admit-we-lost-the-civil-war/263717/13 "2004-09-09T10:36:56Z")
**Moderator’s Note:** Duplicate threads have been merged. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-north-admit-we-lost-the-civil-war/263717/14 "2004-09-09T10:47:26Z")
> [@Oy!](#): > > Not exactly. With the exception of slavery itself (and civil rights have taken its place), most of the issues that were causes of the Civil War (States’ rights and tariffs primarily) are still very much alive. On the other hand, England doesn’t seem to be having much problem with Saxon invasions these days. True; what I meant is that most Americans don’t seem to have as high a level of personal investment in the issue as some would have it. ---
**Author:** ![cuauhtemoc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecb155/32.png) [@cuauhtemoc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cuauhtemoc)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-north-admit-we-lost-the-civil-war/263717/15 "2004-09-09T13:09:47Z")
“Admitting” we “lost” the Civil War and letting North and South go their separate ways is ludicrous. However, this country really is becoming a house divided. And it has less to do with geography than ever before. Rather than asking if we should split the country in half, we’d do better to ask how we’re going to work out the fundamental differences between us, and what will happen if we can’t. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-north-admit-we-lost-the-civil-war/263717/16 "2004-09-09T13:40:31Z")
The divisions of the Civil War are pretty well scabbed over, for the winning side to admit “defeat” 140 years hence seems preposterous. I think the priimary division now is reflected in the presidential campaign- I think we are becoming a blue America and a red America. However great these divisions are, they pale in comparison to the 1850s. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-north-admit-we-lost-the-civil-war/263717/17 "2004-09-09T15:47:18Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > I think we are becoming a blue America and a red America. Kinda like Superman? ---
**Author:** ![Chastain86](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Chastain86](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chastain86)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-north-admit-we-lost-the-civil-war/263717/18 "2004-09-09T16:17:31Z")
Let’s not be too hasty here. Florida has some great beaches. And Atlanta’s the “Strip Club Capital of the U.S.A.” However, having been born in Missouri, I wouldn’t mind being wooed by both countries. Woo away. ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-north-admit-we-lost-the-civil-war/263717/19 "2004-09-09T21:27:34Z")
> [@Kel Varnsen - Latex Division](#): > > Should the North just go ahead an admit that we lost the Civil War and let the South go and have fun with their own poor ass country? The South could live with their nice conservative values and Bush economic policies and we will just see which country is nicer place to live. As a Yankee who has been in Mississippi for four years, I’'ll agree. As long as, once we admit to it, they’re all obligated to SHUT THE FUCK UP ABOUT THE WAR FOREVER AND EVER AND EVER. Not only did you not fight in the war, neither did your father or your grandfather! If you wanna be pissing about something that shouldn’t matter to you at all, hate the English for the Revolutionary war or something. -Joe ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-north-admit-we-lost-the-civil-war/263717/20 "2004-09-09T21:56:44Z")
Hey, Chastain, any relation to the Chastains in Joplin? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-north-admit-we-lost-the-civil-war/263717.md?page=2)