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Wounded Bear

(58,436 posts)
Wed Jul 1, 2020, 12:01 PM Jul 2020

I think I'm gonna stop calling them "Confederates"...

in favor of the more accurate term: rebels. That's what they really were. They were rebelling against the national government. Calling them confederates confers a bit of class to them they don't deserve. It's also a bit of semantic trickery, which ties the rebels of the 1860's back to the pre-Constitutional government of the Articles of Confederation, the failed initial attempt to get the colonies to work together in the post-Revolutionary era. That appeals to the libertarians among us, who will always rant that the federal government has "too much power."

Yeah, no more classy sounding Confederates. They were rebels. Tear down the statues, rename the bases to honor real American heroes and icons and not glorify rebels and slavey enablers.

Rebels. Hell, it's even easier to type.

32 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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I think I'm gonna stop calling them "Confederates"... (Original Post) Wounded Bear Jul 2020 OP
The MAGAts will take pride in being called rebel... Thomas Hurt Jul 2020 #1
They like being called rebel rather than confederate. SharonClark Jul 2020 #3
Exactly. Don't call them rebels. It's romantic to them and they would embrace it. nt crickets Jul 2020 #23
And their beloved flag Nevilledog Jul 2020 #2
The Dixie Dicks ! JHB Jul 2020 #6
*snort* Nevilledog Jul 2020 #8
Rebel TRAITORS !!!! ProudMNDemocrat Jul 2020 #4
I always liked the term a Canadian friend of mine used: Scum Sucking Pigs TheBlackAdder Jul 2020 #13
Call them what they truly are: rownesheck Jul 2020 #5
What's wrong with "TRAITORS"? Thunderbeast Jul 2020 #7
+ struggle4progress Jul 2020 #24
That's what I call them. Grey Jul 2020 #32
Failed rebels hurl Jul 2020 #9
Traitor is the correct word. atreides1 Jul 2020 #10
Anti American Traitors Johnny2X2X Jul 2020 #11
Traitors is more succinct. SoonerPride Jul 2020 #12
I call them treason monuments. muntrv Jul 2020 #14
Traitors and losers. Solly Mack Jul 2020 #15
Actually, I believe "traitors" is even more accurate. nt Sogo Jul 2020 #16
How about traitors? That's even more to the point. brush Jul 2020 #17
Slavery lovers soothsayer Jul 2020 #18
Rebels doesn't mean traitors rockfordfile Jul 2020 #19
I agree with Traitor Caliman73 Jul 2020 #20
Traitors has worked for me BannonsLiver Jul 2020 #21
Surrender Monkeys. safeinOhio Jul 2020 #22
They Quit! ProfessorGAC Jul 2020 #26
It was Lee that waved the White Flag. safeinOhio Jul 2020 #29
I have a sticker safeinOhio Jul 2020 #31
I think "mush-slurping surrender monkeys" has a nice ring struggle4progress Jul 2020 #25
I've known people born nowhere near the South who flew the Confederate flag, because Aristus Jul 2020 #27
The Confederacy had grand plans if they had won. LastDemocratInSC Jul 2020 #28
Call them what they were. Traitors. Or enemy combatants. SlogginThroughIt Jul 2020 #30

SharonClark

(10,005 posts)
3. They like being called rebel rather than confederate.
Wed Jul 1, 2020, 12:06 PM
Jul 2020

Last edited Fri Aug 7, 2020, 11:38 PM - Edit history (1)

For one thing, it’s short so they can spell it.

ProudMNDemocrat

(16,468 posts)
4. Rebel TRAITORS !!!!
Wed Jul 1, 2020, 12:06 PM
Jul 2020

The way their descendants are behaving today, waving their flag and supporting Trump says a lot about them.

atreides1

(16,046 posts)
10. Traitor is the correct word.
Wed Jul 1, 2020, 12:10 PM
Jul 2020

Article III, Section 3 of the United States Constitution defines what they were!

Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort. No Person shall be convicted of Treason unless on the Testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt Act, or on Confession in open Court. The Congress shall have Power to declare the Punishment of Treason, but no Attainder of Treason shall work Corruption of Blood, or Forfeiture except during the Life of the Person attainted.

Johnny2X2X

(18,731 posts)
11. Anti American Traitors
Wed Jul 1, 2020, 12:15 PM
Jul 2020

We've romanticized the Southern soldier for far too long, they were craven terrorists fighting for the right to own other human beings. There was nothing gentlemanly about them , they were thugs and fiends.

Caliman73

(11,690 posts)
20. I agree with Traitor
Wed Jul 1, 2020, 01:11 PM
Jul 2020

Think of it in terms of Star Wars, the Rebel Alliance were the good guys. The US were the "Rebels" (though we used the term Revolutionary) against England.

Union soldiers used the term "Johnny Reb" or "Secessionist" but they are historically and legally Traitors.

BannonsLiver

(16,161 posts)
21. Traitors has worked for me
Wed Jul 1, 2020, 01:18 PM
Jul 2020

“The traitor Army was defeated.”

“The traitor flag came down.”

And so on.

ProfessorGAC

(64,413 posts)
26. They Quit!
Wed Jul 1, 2020, 01:51 PM
Jul 2020

I know Davis wanted to fight on, but few generals wanted to continue.
Their revisionism ignores that they were getting pounded on multiple fronts for a long while before Appomattox.
Starting with Vicksburg & Chattanooga, through Sherman, it was whooping after whooping.
Their economy was in tatters.
They quit!

safeinOhio

(32,524 posts)
29. It was Lee that waved the White Flag.
Wed Jul 1, 2020, 02:31 PM
Jul 2020

He has the most statues. Looks like tRump likes general that surrender.

Aristus

(66,075 posts)
27. I've known people born nowhere near the South who flew the Confederate flag, because
Wed Jul 1, 2020, 02:03 PM
Jul 2020

they were as racist as balls. But they pretended it was because "I'm kind of a rebel..."

Nah. Fuck those guys. There were anti-American Confederates.

LastDemocratInSC

(3,623 posts)
28. The Confederacy had grand plans if they had won.
Wed Jul 1, 2020, 02:24 PM
Jul 2020

To invade northern Mexico, along the gulf coast, then Cuba and some Caribbean islands, to create a slavery empire.

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