"Better Off Without 'Em"

[RobertP]

No, this is not a book by neo-Confederates still yearning to be free. On the contrary it's written by Chuck Thompson, CNN travel editor, about how the U.S. would be better off without the South. It gets pretty nasty, this guy is obviously a hater, but I'll bet some out there feel that he makes valid points. BTW, he also wrote a piece a couple of days ago and in a similar vein asking the question "Was the Gettysburg Address a Mistake."

http://www.politico.com/magazine/st...ntal-failures-to-communicate-99992_Page2.html

Anyway, here's a review of the book with a sampling of the content as well as the book jacket. I ask the question: is Thompson correct? Would the U.S. be better off without the South?

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/22/books/better-off-without-em-by-chuck-thompson.html?_r=0

 

[brass napoleon]

No, the guy's obviously a loon. But it's worth noting that back in the mid 19th century, many of the more radical abolitionists had the same sentiment, and at THAT time there was some justification for their argument.

 

[redbob]

Opinions are like noses, most everyone has one.

 

[snuffy19608]

They're calling it a nose now?! I miss all the good stuff!!

And I'm happy to say I'll miss this "authors" book.

 

[Mark F. Jenkins]

No, the guy's obviously a loon. But it's worth noting that back in the mid 19th century, many of the more radical abolitionists had the same sentiment, and at THAT time there was some justification for their argument.

Mph. I'd prefer to say "rationalization" than "justification." I find it difficult to believe that the USA is stronger or better off without the South than with the South. I think we needed the South then, and still do, more than ever.

 

[cash]

The guy is an idiot.

 

[BillO]

I agree completely with the authors premise that the North would be better off without the south. The north could quickly reach their dreamed of egalitarian, secularist utopia without the reactionary south holding them back.

 

[101combatvet]

I bet the author took a lot of beatings on the playground while growing up.

 

[rhp6033]

One day San Francisco played Houston in football. The mayors placed a wager. If Houston won, Texas could seceed from the Union. If San Francisco won, Texas HAD to seceed from the union.

 

[rhp6033]

Heck, here in Washington State we get into enough of a row over whether Seattle tax money supports eastern Washinton, or vice-versa. There are frequent calls from the Eastern half of the state to seceed and keep that tax money for itself. In reality, more state taxes flow to Eastern washington than vice-versa.

 

[TerryB]

I went to the link and it froze my browser.

 

[Mark F. Jenkins]

I agree completely with the authors premise that the North would be better off without the south. The north could quickly reach their dreamed of egalitarian, secularist utopia without the reactionary south holding them back.

I presume that was tongue-in-cheek.

If not, let me assure you that there are at least some of us in the Midwest who would prefer that things not go to either extreme, hence we need both influences to keep us on the middle road.

 

[BrassVols]

Although you can't judge a book by it's cover, I'd say Jesus, Conservatism, Guns and Shapely Women rank right up there by every Southerner I've known.
I'm quite content with that....

 

[randy596]

unless Americans wake up soon, history will repeat itself eventually...it's not if, but when.

 

[Mark F. Jenkins]

I can't recall who said it, but someone once said that history doesn't repeat itself, but often rhymes... in other words, while specific events won't re-occur, the basic patterns are there, largely because they're inherent in human behavior in large groups. Oppression leads to rebellion, overcentralization leads to fragmentation, and the pendulums keep swinging away (though not guaranteed to be swinging at the same rates).

(The framers of the Constitution attempted to put together a structure that was elastic enough to restrain the fragmentation tendencies while making it more difficult to centralize. How well they succeeded is an experiment that is still playing out.)

(humming .38 Special's "Hold On Loosely...")


ETA: Apparently, while the "doesn't-repeat-but-rhymes" thing is often attributed to Mark Twain, nobody can locate anything where he actually said it. So, for now, it should be attributed to that prolific quotester, "Anonymous."

 

[BillO]

Although you can't judge a book by it's cover, I'd say Jesus, Conservatism, Guns and Shapely Women rank right up there by every Southerner I've known.
I'm quite content with that....

I'd change the order around some but yeah.

 

[Cumpston1862]

I think the U.S. would be better off without Chuck Thompson.

 

[jgoodguy]

BrassVols said: ↑
Although you can't judge a book by it's cover, I'd say Jesus, Conservatism, Guns and Shapely Women rank right up there by every Southerner I've known.
I'm quite content with that....

I'd change the order around some but yeah.

The cover has a major problem:Cars, Beer and Football are left completely out.
That would make me distrust the contents.

 

[ghosts of civil war pasts]

I said in my introduction the other day when I joined this great website that the North and South still feel a deep passion for a conflict that took place 150 years ago. God it's been that long now. Both regions still like to jab at each other. Personally, I like Charlie Daniels take on the war when he says in one of his songs, " we might have done a little fighting amongst ourselves, but outsiders best leave us alone. The song was in America.
People like this author and idiots like Bill Maher like to pick on the south, but I have myself lived up north for some time now, and here you will find hillbillies and chewing tobacco bumkins, too. The other day, on a beautiful sunny day, I took a walk in the woods, and all I could hear was gunshots going off in every direction I turned. Of course it's gun season on deer. But you get the idea. The only difference is these hillbillies talk with a northern twang.

 

[rbasin]

Mph. I'd prefer to say "rationalization" than "justification." I find it difficult to believe that the USA is stronger or better off without the South than with the South. I think we needed the South then, and still do, more than ever.

I agree. But, more than ever? That's a bit of a stretch.