In 1861, when secession from the United States lawfully happened, the retaliation from the Union showed one thing: the nation was no longer legitimate.

For the very notion of a "union of states" implies that each is sovereign, responsible for themselves, and in a mutually agreed confederation, which is not binding.

Then, the reaction of the Union to the secession of the South tells you everything you need to know. For the past 165 years, we have been ruled by an illegitimate government.

Today, I will not be celebrating this illegitimate government. I will be doing something useful with my time, not awed by the bread and circuses cleverly designed for the 250th anniversary of a nation that no longer exists. I suggest you do the same.

@NobleSouth