The Civil War was fought over 150 years ago, yet for some Americans the War remains unfinished. This unfinished war however, can only bring consequences to the society rebuilt after it. Many of the ideas and controversies present during the Civil War; Confederate pride, racial tension and white supremacy, still affects the society we live in today. Rebel/Confederate pride is a paragon of how the Civil War still lives in the hearts and minds of many Americans. In Tony Horwitz’ book, Confederates in the Attic, he comes across individuals who hold their Southern pride with great reverence. The woman Horwitz speaks to, Sue Curtis, is just one of those proud Southerners. When asked why she thinks Southerners are still obsessed with the Civil War, …show more content…
In Carl Skutsch’s Rolling Stone article, The History of White Supremacy in America, Skutsch highlights the events that occured right after the Civil War, in which he details of how “the Civil War ended legal white supremacy, but it continued to be enforced by Southern leaders and white militant groups, most famously the KKK. Black people were kept under control by extralegal violence, including lynchings.” The racist behavior seen directly after the Civil War is a mere instance of the total discrimination and white supremacy that fills America and continues to poison our society through radical groups such as the KKK. Though white supremacy ended legally and discrimination isn’t the same as during the Civil War, “...you have to acknowledge that... as a White person in America, you are benefitting from White supremacy.” These words from Brett, in an interview with Yes!Magazine, tells of how even after the Civil War, America carries past ideals, such as “the issue of systemic racism,” which provides a platform for White people to benefit from despite those benefits coming from the mistreatment and discrimination of African