> -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On > Behalf Of Doug > Sent: Monday, November 25, 2002 11:50 PM
... > That's the succinct answer. Obviously it is difficult to accurately > summarize the determinant of any great human conflict in a few > sentences, but I feel confident in my assessment that slavery lies at > the root of all of the issues discussed as causes. Slavery wasn't an end unto itself, however. Surely there is little disagreement that the South's desire to preserve slavery was motivated by the economics of operating plantations. So I can't see how slavery could be seen as the root of the issues. Seems to me that money (the love of it, as usual) was at the root, with power (the southern states' right to determine the legality of slavery) running a close second. It seems also that we agree that religion was not at the root, but used only to rationalize the horrors of American slavery. When I was younger, that episode of history seemed ancient. As I've grown older, especially as I've looked at my family genealogy, I've been quite struck by how recently this happened. Our *close* relatives were involved; those who imagine that we have really evolved much since then is kidding themselves. Nick _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
