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I often love @CharlesMBlow ‘s brutal honesty, but this is way off track and encourages some of the most misinformed neo-Confederate propaganda. It also distracts from the heroism of 100,000s of black soldiers in the Union Army whose sacrifices won the Civil War. /1
In war, there are always contortions of self-interest that on surface appear inexplicable a century (or a few years) later.
Thousands of white Americans initially rooted for Germany in WWI and WWII. There were handfuls of Jews who aided Germans fighting Soviets in Finland. /2
Thousands of white Americans initially rooted for Germany in WWI and WWII. There were handfuls of Jews who aided Germans fighting Soviets in Finland. /2
That a small group of people under duress—many of whom didn’t consider themselves to be black—attempted to (but never actually did) support a a slave-holders’ rebellion in 1862 is too complex for simplistic condemnation.
Read @KevinLevin /3
Read @KevinLevin /3
Societies at war demand expressions of loyalty from marginalized groups that have reason not to support the conflict.
One could argue (superficially) that black veterans of World War II were bizarrely fighting to defend Jim Crow segregation. Obviously that was not the case. /4
One could argue (superficially) that black veterans of World War II were bizarrely fighting to defend Jim Crow segregation. Obviously that was not the case. /4
What the strange and anomalous racial cast system of New Orleans produced 157 years ago is worth knowing about. But oversimplifying and caricaturing their behavior requires treating American apartheid as something rational and normal. Obviously that was not the case.
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5/5
