This conflict is about more than mere Religious oppression. It's about Nordic Independence, the Betrayal of the Nordic people by the Cowardice of the Empire, and the persecution of Nords for simply practicing tradition.
It is about the Old Holds finding an excuse. They never truly believed in the Empire, nor did they ever really want to be part of it. They chose isolation for the most part, always had that Skyrim for the Nords line of thinking. This war is merely about a politician feeding off of it, hiding behind a cause that lies to itself until they believe a golden age is at hand.
Betrayal of the Nordic people, and yet Nords stand against the Stormcloaks.
We fought and died for your Empire for hundreds of years. We bled and spilt blood for you people.
For themselves. Was it for the Empire when the Nords attacked Northern Morrowind? Was it for the Empire when they invaded Hammerfell and High Rock the moment Imperial authority dropped?
We were the bulk of the Imperial Army in the Great War.
With many in the Imperial Army even now.
We were your most loyal province. We did anything for the Empire,
Half were loyal.
and what did you let happen in return? you let Elves walk around Skyrim and persecute Nords for practicing our sacred traditions.
So the Empire should have been destroyed? Then where would Skyrim be?
You then proceeded to enforce Aldmeri laws for fear of War. That's when your precious Empire died, Craven.
Fear of war? No, it is one thing to fight the good fight, quite another to go blindly to your deaths in a two second blaze of glory. War between the Empire and Aldmeri Dominion is about to kick off, and the Stormcloaks choose now to try break away?
You call the Empire the cowards? You try leave now on the brink of war, distract the Empire from the Aldmeri threat for what? For Talos? For Ulfric? For the silly notion of "True Nords"?
When your Empire, the Mighty Empire of Tamriel, who claims that she protects her people and their rights, conceded to the will of tyrannical witches for fear of war.
The Empire who fought a long and bloody war, the Empire who is rebuilding and preparing for war?
"But Ulfric and his "Stormcloaks" are deluding themselves. If there's any hope of a long term victory against the Dominion, it's in the Empire. The rebels are only inflaming the tension and weakening the Empire by distracting it from its ultimate aim."
Skyrim doesn't need to be a part of that Empire and she won't. The Fatherland will be an independent state, Free of Aldmeri tyranny and Imperial cowardice. You can count on that.
Free of Aldmeri tyranny? You opened the door for them, weakened Skyrim and the Empire for a petty chair. The Dominion are there gathering strength while the Empire has to deal with this rebellion that is hiding behind reasons that would no longer matter soon enough.
Who are the real cowards, the Imperials at the Dominion's border preparing for the war that will either make or break mankind's place in Tamriel.
Or the Nords hiding behind their mountains, hiding behind symbols, hiding behind stories and legends of victory against elves from a bygone age. What I can count on is that Skyrim is the weakest province in Tamriel, ravaged by war and dragons.