Confederate Flag Misunderstood?

[Devils Advocate]

In broader terms, the entire civil war has been misrepresented, to say the least, in our history books.

It was not a war for states rights. It was about slavery but not in the sense we've been taught. Unfortunately many of you's will gloss over or outright ignore this but it's important information that's been omitted from the class room. You are about to graduate from history 101 and move on to H102.

After the war ended congress passed The Reconstruction Act, claiming the Southern states were under unlawful governments essentially declaring war and placing them under Martial Law and dividing them up into 5 military districts which still stand to this day.  The bill was then vetoed by President Johnson, but over ruled by congress dubiously, Northern States even removing a NJ senator and counting 30 absent votes as 'yah's' to secure the 2/3's necessary for ratification.

from Johnson's veto message

Quote:"It is plain that the authority here given to the military officer amounts to absolute despotism. But to make it still more unendurable, the bill provides that it may be delegated to as many subordinates as he chooses to appoint, for it declares that he shall 'punish or cause to be punished'. Such a power has not been wielded by any Monarch in England for more than five hundred years. In all that time no people who speak the English language have borne such servitude. It reduces the whole population of the ten States- all persons, of every color, sex and condition, and every stranger within their limits- to the most abject and degrading slavery. No master ever had a control so absolute over the slaves as this bill gives to the military officers over both white and colored persons...."

Quote:"...The Constitution also forbids the arrest of the citizen without judicial warrant, founded on probable cause. This bill authorizes an arrest without warrant, at pleasure of a military commander. The Constitution declares that 'no person shall be held to answer for a capital or otherwise infamous crime unless on presentment of a grand jury'. This bill holds ever person not a soldier answerable for all crimes and all charges without any presentment. The Constitution declares that 'no person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law'. This bill sets aside all process of law, and makes the citizen answerable in his person and property to the will of one man, and as to his life to the will of two. Finally, the Constitution declares that 'the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall not be suspended unless when, in case of rebellion or invasion, the public safety may require it'; whereas this bill declares martial law (which of itself suspends this great writ) in time of peace, and authorizes the military to make the arrest, and gives to the prisoner only one privilege, and that is trial 'without unnecessary delay'. He has no hope of release from custody, except the hope, such as it is, of release by acquittal before a military commission."

The cotton gin and industrialization would've made slavery obsolete. The 'rebel' flag represents more, as I only barely touched upon. It's been demonized because TPTB don't want you to know what really happened.