  I like American History. nbsp;  Mainly,  I like finding the cause and effect. nbsp;  I look not for the Civil War,  but all the events that led up to it. nbsp;  Slavery became the moral rallying cry only in the midst of the War. nbsp;
 Slavery was a portion of the war,  but not on moral grounds.
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 The South started to hint at succession long before because the Congress kept pushing through laws that benefited the industry of the North.
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 With its large population&
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north of the Mason- Dixon line,  the South's agricultural ( and low population,  so therefore low representation in the House)  was continually pushed into a corner.
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 Secession was the last straw because the pendulum had swung far enough.  I have read Sarah's urlLink posts recently and see that pendulum is getting to a point that something seems to want to change,  but so many people have become numb to trying&
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that apathy or frustration becomes the word.
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 Relationships have taken a push to " entitled"  from " nurtured"
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 Every next generation recently has been given the example that they can&
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take the role of Love a little less seriously.
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 (
Don't worry about it?
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 You got a pre- nup right?
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 The idea of respect and maturing a relationship seems to become more novel and time consuming as oppose to " How many dates till sex?
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 Geesh.  really?  Three!
nbsp; nbsp;
Divorce has become the&
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escape hatch&
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and respect for your vows&
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are just words.
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 Why do parents who stay together after " all those years"  still seen as an enviable goal?
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 People want love,  but many see the time to have a strong foundation as way too long.
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 Each generation seems to have&
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found a way to loosen the standard or&
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justify the&
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reason.
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 As&
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a point of view,  I offer the&
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last fifty years in quick snapshots as seen by me.
nbsp; nbsp; nbsp;
 In the 1950's,
 leather jackets and Rock music arrived on the American stage.
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 Parents are shocked,  kids are love that.
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 The pendulum moves.
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 The 1960's,  the dam bursts loose and free love and drugs were the theme that seems to resonate from the period.  The kids are now the parents and the now grandparents have less of a role and seem forgotten.
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 The pendulum moves further.
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 What can the next generation do to top the previous?
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 The 1970's has polyester and peace.
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 Parents and kids seem to want to be on the same page.
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 Pendulum keeps going.
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 The 1980's comes across as&
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Mike Douglas in "  urlLink Wall Street "  with the quote " Greed is good"
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 I remember the 90's as a whole lot of anger and frustration with the family becoming more of a memory than a foundation.
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 Pearl Jam and Nirvana being the music that focused on the feelings of those years for the new generation.
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 The 21st century?
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 Good question.
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 I see the US as the new Rome living in a gilded cage across the Atlantic.
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 We spend money that we do not have,  the sun never sets on the US military and our government leaders seems to say things that are always taken out of context.
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 (
I think Cheney meant every word to Sen.  Leahy.
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 Though,  should our leaders have more respect for differing opinions?  Yes.  Are we still a superpower?
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 As long as our credit is good.
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 Another ramble at another time.  &
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