Perhaps some of you have heard about the recent comments about Vietnam by the leaders of our government. Suffice to say, the view expressed is that Vietnam could have surely be won, if not for the reluctance of the American people. If only we would have supported the troops more earnestly, we'd have seen a united, democratic Vietnam 30 years ago.

But it seems this trend it taking off. Observe: slavery apparently wasn't as bad as we thought.

Now, normally, I can scoff or generally dismiss right-wing propaganda. It's a skill acquired through watching the news or listening to a radio with any regularity. But I sense this is indicative of an alarming trend.

Just a preface: I am not knee-jerk. I am not reactionary. I am not a conspiracy theorist. But hear me out.

Extreme nationalism, in any form, has only served to destroy a Republic. Patriotism in its most fervent state cuts off man's sensibilities and replaces it with apologetics and hate.

My only question is: where does this logic terminate, and will we see the day where slavery and the genocide of Native Americans is seen as relatively benign compared to other nations?

Someone who agrees with you - "Nationalism is perhaps the most interesting delusion of modern times."

Coincidentally, I'm reading this book at the moment. The writer you link to above says 'Even in the South, more than 80% of the white population never owned slaves' - but both accounts of slavery in that book point to how slavery wasn't just about ownership or the immediate, physical bondage and brutality; it was a way of thinking, and of a whole society. It affected the minds of those on both sides of it.

I guess the writer hasn't read "Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl" recently. If he had, he couldn't have said so glibly 'profit-oriented masters wanted to produce as many new, young slaves as they could'. It'd be funny if it wasn't so sad.

(More on Vietnam revisionism)