talonx4

I am afraid your history is a bit hazy on this one. You said "Their "justification" was "states rights" which basically meant I want to own another human being that does all the work for me and receives no benefit." Civil war started on Apr 12, 1861. The emancipation proclamation did not occur until January 1, 1863. Unfortunately for you, "their justification" was not to "own another human being". You said "Now I do understand why they wanted to secede". While obviously you do not. You said "I love America with all my heart". All confederate soldiers would have agreed with you. And that is why they succeeded. While the reasons of war exceed far beyond what can be explained here, I will give you one of the most basic ones. Taxes. Increase in taxes on the south and possibly unjustly so pushed many Americans to ask the question "did we not already fight a war against taxation without representation. My father and grand father didn't fight and die in the revolutionary war so that we could be taxed into oblivion." Many on the confederacy saw themselves as the patriots who loved their country. Keep in mind that there are always two sides to every argument, and very rarely is it ever a cut line of good vs evil.