The Emancipation Proclamation was an attempt by Lincoln to persuade the hold out Southern states to give up. Any state that removed itself from the conflict by the first day of 1963 would be allowed to keep its slaves. Many slave states under union control including Tennessee and the area of and surrounding New Orleans would still be allowed to have slaves. It also helped convince Europe to stay out of the war (cuz they would have backed the Confederacy for cheap cotton) as they were technically opposed to slavery themselves.

That still doesn't change the fact that slavery was the main motivator for the war. Slavery is bad. And dickhead racists took up the Southern Cross flag as a symbol of their dickheaded racism.

whomod said: I generally don't like it when people decide to play by the rules against people who don't play by the rules.
It tends to put you immediately at a disadvantage and IMO is a sign of true weakness.
This is true both in politics and on the internet."

Our Friendly Neighborhood Ray-man said: "no, the doctor's right. besides, he has seniority."