Miss Sally,

The discussions of the WBTS will continue as long as the posters on this board live and who knows what will interest the next generations. Debate is a good thing because we learn from each other. Everyone has their own opinions based on their background. A person from AL or MS and a person from OH or MI can look at the same data and get totally different information from that data. Very seldom does one convince the other to see it his way.

Our different viewpoints depend on geographical location, education (and sometimes our education depends on our geographical location), amount and type of research we have undertaken, family history, etc. All kinds of personal experiences tend to shape our lives and thoughts.

What we need to remember is that we have to respect the other person’s opinions even if we don’t agree with it. A lot of these opinions are not fact related. There are people who will tell you the WBTS was all about slavery and there are others that will say it had nothing to do with the war. Both are wrong, but that argument always rears it’s ugly head.

The key to knowledge is research, research and more research. The O R’s are available as are a lot of well documented books. The diaries and memoirs of the people involved in the conflict and of the family left at home are great resources.