sadness

I'm on a number of fiction and literature listservs. One message came through this morning that really scared me. There's the part of me that knows I shouldn't repost this for all the world, but I need others to lament with me.

And it made me realize that I know very little about Civil War history... the whole Southerners leaving the Union thing, wanting to start their own country, and just the general political structure of the day. I do believe I'll chase down some history on the subject when I'm done with the novel. All I know right now is that there were blue guys, and grey guys, and that the Dukes of Hazzard have a rebel flag painted on their car. Sad, I know... The school system failed me.

This is from a man presumably in his mid to late twenties (his wife is pregnant). I don't think the school system failed him; I just don't understand how you can get through basic American life without hearing some form of passing reference to the Civil War.

After this message came through, I suddenly just felt really, really sad.