the taint of history

One of the main differences between the South and the West is history. The South has the taint of slavery in her past. The West is not perfect by any means - the treatment of indigenous Indians, Chinese labors, the Japanese internment, and other issues haunt the West but it does not seem so impactful as slavery in the South. The shadow of slavery stretches long here. Charleston was established prior to the War of Independence and much of what is delightful here comes from that time period or at least has its roots there. The cosmopolitan feel of the city certainly does. And yet, much of what remains standing today was built either directly or indirectly by slaves. It casts a pall over the city and touches the place with a certain sadness when you remember the millions of lives destroyed by that evil institution.