I would like to politely disagree on a point you made here. I think it not entirely correct to define either the North nor the South as the "good guys" or the "bad guys," simply because they were ALL -- every single man who took to the field -- Americans. That's one of the reasons a war that should have taken four months at the most was protracted into four years. That's why an armistices was sought and Jefferson Davis not convicted of treason. And that's why the Southern monuments were "allowed" to be erected and stand: to preserve the honour of the Southerner and to accept him once again into the American union.

Listen, I think we VERY much agree on the overall sense; it's in this one stringy point that we see differently. But look at it this way: were we neighbours, we'd be having a roaring discussion over some mighty fine brews!