HACK-ers



While the American Civil War was officially over by the 1870's, afterwards conflict was anything but latent. The inevitable war occurred because of a blatant clash of interests and these interests continued to spark controversial actions even after the war. The nation wanted to be reunited again, but alas, specific violent and stubborn individuals had plans otherwise. These mens, including the atrocious Ku Klux Klan and whether they were ex-Confederates or not, should be stopped as soon as their actions began. Their targets, usually now-free African Americans, should immediately have equal civil rights like all other men in the country, as well as hold the same government posts. However, because not all conflict can be terminated instantly, another solution should be to encourage African Americans to move West, similarly to what the Homestead Act accomplished in 1862, but instead of raising money, it would be an action to prevent racial violence. Freedom, equality, and reunification were all wished upon goals, but the main objective that most wanted to achieve was everlasting peace, whether it come from compromise or a natural urge after so much bloody loss. There have been a lot of maverick inspired ideas in regards to what should be done to the remaining ex-confederates. Though the ex-confederates were guilty of numerous war crimes, the ideal that must be kept in this time of uncertainty and change is tolerance. In our plan the southern ex-confederates would be pardoned of their war crimes. Though if any of the pardoned men are found guilty of participating in any racial hate crimes, the law will strictly be enforced upon them and their pardon would be dismissed. Therefore if none of the rules surrounding their pardon is broken, it allows the veterans to live out the remnants of their lives in peace. This measure indubitably favors the south and thus removes another point of conflict between the North and South. This pardon idea will help ease the bitterness of the South after the war- definitely a good step for reunification! But will this cause resentment in the North? Will they not feel like there should be some acknowledgement of the South's crimes? The Freedmen are a crucial part of the plan of unifying the country and making America the blended beauty she once made herself out to be. Southern freedmen would be vastly encouraged to move to the West/North and away from the heated South. This would give the freedmen a chance for an independent life. For those too old to move away, their families could move west and send money home or stay and farm on the bountiful land owned by the southerners (at a price of course). Freedmen would also be given the opportunity to board ships and move to Liberia, thereby eliminating any racial animosity. Regardless of where they begin their new life, the equal opportunity of joining the military will always be available. Good thoughts about giving the freedmen the choice of where to start their independent lives. However, what will be done to help the freedmen become part of society? Will any steps be taken to create more opportunities for freedmen who's skills are limited to the jobs they had as slaves? It will be hard for them to make a new start if all they know how to do is work for the white men that for so long oppressed them. What about educating them so that they can more easily become a part of society?

4. If at the end of this costly war, where many boys from both sides sacrificed their lives, blacks have not obtained the right to vote; it will have been fought in vain. Likewise they will be given the right to hold an office of power, through the voters choice with no involvement of intimidation of any other type of suppression because we are still a civilized democratic nation with a unifying Constitution. Conversely those who would have denied freedmen this hard won right, will have forfeited this privilege. Men in positions of power in the Confederate states had their turn. They will retain all of the other rights guaranteed in the Constitution but because they presumed they could act against the promise of equality for all. It is a new generation of the United Sates of America, one where equality and justice reign supreme and anyone who tries to take away the God given rights of another, waive their own. I agree with what you're thinking here. Freedmen should be given the right to vote, or else the whole war would have been fought in vain, and those who worked to deny them that right should be punished. It's only fair, right? But, how would you go about getting everyone on the same page? At this point, the whites are still under the mindset that blacks are really not even humans. Therefore, it would be difficult for them to to get used to the idea that they are now equal under law. It's what they were fighting against, after all. With that in mind, how would you convince the white population that the freedmen are capable of holding government offices, despite their prejudices? Also, by taking away the voting rights of anyone who denies them to the freedmen, there would be some hostility and possible riots. How would those be controlled?

5. In order for the renegade states to regain their proper place in the Union and certain conditions must be met. Each state will be given a probation period of six months and during that time the army will have an limited presence in the South. If after that one year there have been no hate crimes then the military will leave the South. The rejoined states will be allowed to form any kind of state government that they wish as long as everyone is given equal rights under it. If any organized and multiple occasions of white supremacist movements happen then it will be seen as a rebellion and threat to national authority and will be treated as such. All citizens will be taxed to pay for benefits for the freedmen and rebuilding the South. This money will go towards getting them on their feet so they can become successful members of society. Also it will go towards helping the freedmen start over in the West should they choose and rebuilding the cities that were destroyed as a casualty of the war. The taxes won't be raised, this will be a slow and delicate matter and the North should submit to taxation because the experienced prosperity during the war and now they need to be lenient with their brethren. The goal of having such few and easy conditions is to reunify the country as quickly as possible because we are in Reconstruction together. I like the idea of a probation period. But, I am having a hard time with the "being able to form their own government," then getting put down by their own country for being a "threat to national security." I see that as more of a "we'll give you license to do whatever you want" but then come back and say "don't do that, it's not legal." Well, it's their state government, right? What authority does the national government have to police individual states? Just a thought. I'm sorry if it sounds mean, I promise it isn't intended to be! And also, I like the idea of taxation to help fund reconstruction, but I feel like the southerners would have a problem paying taxes just to help the freedmen get back on their feet. After all, as I said in response to the previous question, they aren't too fond of the freedmen. So, if they knew their tax dollars were going towards helping people they hated, there would be some riots going on and probably hate crimes. I feel like that would kind of be setting the states up to fail if you're saying they can't commit hate crimes, but then make them pay to help people they don't like. Finally, I like the idea of having easy steps to quickly reunify the country. I think that's a good method to use because there would be less heartache in the end.

6. The Southern economy must be restored in order for it to maintain a place in the Union, and not become lost in the shuffle. They must establish an industry legislature. The South must set up work programs for pay and occupations. They must build working factories which can produce products that will be purchased. It is high time to broaden horizons past ‘King Cotton’. The work programs will contribute to the factories by hiring and paying the workers. Another good economy booster is to create and maintain farms which will produce crops and even cotton, then paying workers to pick the cotton or crops. This will establish a new working class which is high above the treatment of the blacks in the past; therefore, it will not discriminate. This will bring in reminiscent memories back to the days of indentured servitude and the growth of slavery because of the white servant’s unwanted low position in the social ladder; nevertheless, it will not lead to a new formation of slavery and it is to become an occupation that must be accepted for blacks and whites in order to bounce back the Southern economy. I like the idea of adding industry to the South, but I think that will be difficult considering how little of it there was before the civil war. There also is not that many cities in the South, and people live more dispersed than in the rest of the Union. As for the farms, I do not think that this would establish a new working class where whites and blacks are treated equally. I think the plantation owners would be the ones who owned the farms, and the poor whites and freedmen would be stuck in a system very similar to slavery.

7. The Union troops should not have a large position in the policing, governing and rebuilding in the South. They must begin to establish their own police, government and rebirth of their destroyed cities. The South must reconstruct themselves on the correct, slavery-free basis and with the troops watching every move, it would almost resemble Big Brother. The police should only interfere with stopping the Klu Klux Klan immediately and other such ‘rifle clubs’, assist with the political elections to ensure safe and fair voting and aid in building basic necessities such as the banks, government buildings, postal services, etc. The South must stop the violence mainly within themselves by their own means, otherwise, when the Union troops leave, chaos has a large possibility of ensuing. The hate-crimes must be put to an end in order for the South to re-gain their admission to the Union and become, once again, the united land of the free man, white or black. If the South develops their own police, would it not just consist of the racist white Southerners who would not fairly treat the freedmen? Certainly the white southerners would not allow an integrated police force, and without the help of the Union troops there would most likely be a lack of protection for the freedmen. I do like how you said the troops should assist with the political elections, but if that is all they are there for I do not think it would be super effective. Would they return home between elections or stay in the South? I do not think the South has the ability to stop the violence by its own means, at least not for generations, but I do not think there can be a direct connection between hate crimes and readmission to the union. The acts of a few radicals should not cause an entire state to suffer.

With the primary goals to establish peace and reunification general happiness is also an elementary objective. Violence shall not be tolerated, rights shall consistently be protected, and thus peace shall settle across the nation. We believe our plan can provide a general consensus involving the issues of Reconstruction, which then leads to general happiness. Happiness encourages support of the government, and political stability is fundamental for a strong country. With that said, we again are offering compromise to the country of the United States of America. After all, compromise is what allows a great nation to always stay righteously contemporary.