They Risk Upsetting The Bulk of Their Customer Base

[Mudhammam]

They were Americans before and - if they survived - after the events. And in between it's also up for debate, since they certainly understood themselves as Americans, just not as members of the Union.

They understood themselves as Americans just like Texans who would like to secede consider themselves Real Amurica. And if the secession movement ever did effect that result, they would also, like the Confederates, be justly accused of treason against the Union.