Sons of Traitors in Defense of Slavery

Accommodating all those different perspectives (like, ya know, your traitorous ancestors lost) is too much:

To descendants of the Confederates in North Florida, the move was perceived to be the latest salvo against this area’s values and traditions. The Civil War may have ended long ago, but in Florida, unlike much of the South, Yankees never stopped marching (or rolling) into the state, lured by milder weather and tax rates. Other newcomers arrived, too, slowly eroding the state’s Southern identity.

“The descendants of these families have moved over and moved over,” said Mr. Baxley of the Confederate side. A fifth-generation resident of North Florida, Mr. Baxley has drafted a bill to require legislative approval to alter commemorative sites. “You have 20 million people from all corners of the earth and the country. We have all these different perspectives here, and these descendants have accommodated that. But I think that diversity and respecting people’s ancestors applies to everybody.”

Adding a Union monument to Olustee, Florida’s first state park, Mr. Baxley said, violates the public trust because it would redefine the historic park.

“My biggest concern is that this is revisionist history and that these decisions are being made by park officials and not an elected body,” he said. “You have to have some obligation to the people.”

Emphasis, of course, mine.

"With rebellion thus sugar-coated..."

Lincoln's July 4, 1861 address to Congress.

This is essentially a people's contest. On the side of the Union it is a struggle for maintaining in the world that form and substance of government whose leading object is to elevate the condition of men; to lift artificial weights from all shoulders; to clear the paths of laudable pursuit for all; to afford an unfettered start and a fair chance in the race of life. Yielding to partial and temporary departures, from necessity, this is the leading object of the Government for whose existence we contend.

I am most happy to believe that the plain people understand and appreciate this. It is worthy of note that while in this the Government's hour of trial large numbers of those in the Army and Navy who have been favored with the offices have resigned and proved false to the hand which had pampered them, not one common soldier or common sailor is known to have deserted his flag.

Lincoln's July 4th fireworks are discussed at the great Disunion site, and the full address is here.