History is the polemics of the victor, William F. Buckley allegedly said. Not so in the United States, at least not regarding the Civil War. As soon as Confederates laid down their arms, some picked up their pens and began to distort what they had done, and why. Their resulting mythology went national a generation later and persists — which is why a presidential candidate can suggest that slavery was somehow pro-family, and the public believes that the war was mainly fought over states’ rights.
False narratives and neo-reality.
It's interesting the author quotes Buckley here. I remember the time the conservative Buckley denigrated Gore Vidal for his homosexuality on television during a live debate.
Ha! The times they have changed, as Dylan said they would, but only insomuch as today Buckley would likely be working at Fox News, and only if he couched his message and dressed somewhat more nattily.
TS
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