Ron Paul has returned to the hot-button issue of secession, arguing that leaving the Union is a legitimate way for states to "stop the federal government from continuing to encroach on our liberties." Paul, a Republican congressman from Texas known for his libertarian views, said on his House website:

"Secession is a deeply American principle. This country was born through secession. Some felt it was treasonous to secede from England, but those 'traitors' became our country's greatest patriots. There is nothing treasonous or unpatriotic about wanting a federal government that is more responsive to the people it represents"/U.S. News. More here.

Question: This country may have been born through secession -- and kept together by preventing secession -- but is Ron Paul forgetting that both instances involved bloody conflicts?