Seidule is a refreshing voice in this discussion about the legacy of the civil war. He makes an intriguing case for why the unique culture of the south should not be conflated with the Confederate cause, and this army veteran also shows it is neither left wing nor “unpatriotic” to make a hard-nosed reassessment of yesterday’s heroes; he is as open in his incredulity at the affection still inspired for a republic that “died fighting against the United States” as he is about his own patriotism: “I chose to serve for so long because of my abiding belief in the United States of America. I was willing to fight and die . . . I love my country.”