"In any "damned if you do, damned if you don't" situation, I have found sometimes the best response might be, "why bother" since clearly some folks just want a bag to punch, either way, they are more interested in personal insult than discussion. Seems that is what I have walked into here for the most part, although I did get some very very good meaningful replies from a few."
Phil,
I don't think anyone wants a bag to punch. I think we want meaningful discussion. It can even be "testy" to a point sometime and it has been on many posts in the past. What I notice about your replies, is that you are tenacious in your opinion and response, but it seems that you really took offense for some reason before you came into this particular board. I think it must have happend on the Tennessee board. I thot you took exception to Joe Allports reply to someone. Then Alice posted a reply to you on this board so perhaps I misread things on the other board. Personally, I had the feeling that you thought those folks were out of line in their opinions. One thing about opinions is that everyone has one on most subjects. As far as changing anyones mind, I don't think that will happen very often on this board or any other for that matter. We are all products of our culture and background. I really don't think it is the purpose of these boards to try changing ones mind on that time in history. The reason the News and Views board was created, was so that we could have the exchanges that we sometimes have. The other boards of History Sites.com are for either exchanging factual information, asking meaningful questions, stating meaningful facts and figures relating to the subject matter of that particular board,etc.
So, I would encourage you to continue to participate on these boards with the rest of us. BY the way, do you have a special interest for this time in history, and did you have an ancestor or ancestors, engaged in the late unpleasantness? Just curious. My ancestor was my Great Grandfather who was a memeber of Company F of the 90th Illiniois Infantry.
Have a great day, Phil. I hope to see you in here in the future.
Frank Campo