A place for random thoughts....

Honoring Those Who Died for Ole' Dixie
April 27, 2007 12:59 PM

Dana Hughes and Anna Schecter Report:

This week marks the beginning of a series of state holidays celebrating those who fought and died for the Confederacy during the country's bloody Civil War, but not everyone is celebrating.

"We're opposed to that which touches upon celebration of a heritage which in its root had slavery and oppression of a whole group of people and treason in the United States," says Dr. Francys Johnson, the regional director of the southeast region of the NAACP. He says the issue is not whether to honor the dead, but whether to honor the cause for which the soldiers died.

At least 10 states including Alabama, Mississippi, Kentucky and Texas, observe some version of a Confederate Memorial holiday. In Georgia, government offices and some businesses close down the last Monday in April to observe its Confederate Memorial Day.

In Florida, there's a fight brewing in Hillsborough County to expand the largely ceremonial holiday to a Southern Heritage Month.

"I do not want to diminish or ignore our history," says Hillsborough County Commissioner Al Higgenbotham, "but to memorialize it is just painful to too many people." Higgenbotham was one of four county commissioners who refused to sign the proclamation.

But John Hurley, the president of the Confederate Memorial Association, a nonprofit organization that ran a Washington, D.C. history museum until 1997, says there is nothing racist about the holiday.

"We are in favor of memorials that provide historical perspective," says Hurley. "But we are not in favor of white supremacy."

History professor Gaines Foster of Louisiana State University says that it's impossible to honor those who fought for the Confederacy without acknowledging what the Civil War was ultimately about.

"You can never completely distance any celebration of the Confederacy from seccession and slavery," says Foster.

Foster says, however, that the holiday remains ceremonial in most states and isn't as divisive as the debate over state governments' use of the confederate flag.

"The holiday has always been less political than the use of the confederate flag," says Foster. "It's clearly about honoring the past and the dead."

Now the replies to the above article...


This is ridiculous and I am surprised it received notice.

Most Cemeteries in the South have days where graves are cleaned and marked with fresh flowers. Those serving in the military are also honored with flags. We pride ourselves in the service to our Country down here. And yes, those that served in the CSA are honored as well. They were, after all, Americans too.

It is a fact of life in the South. Who do you think our ancestors are?

If you disagree with this practice, you probably don't need to watch or come by. It doesn't use tax dollars and therefore really is no business of anyone not directly affected.

I am sure Black Panther members and other racist organizations do similar things to their grave sites if they are connected to their past. You don't see me protesting! Get a life!

Posted by: Larry Light | Apr 27, 2007 1:14:32 PM

I respect the decision to honor those fallen in the Civil War, not because of what the war was being fought for but because these men were brave enough to fight for what they believed was right. People must remember that there were black men fighting in this war as well. They might not be mentioned and/or recognized as taking part but according to history this did happen. I am from Georgia and Robert E Lee is in my heritage, so I do feel extremely strong about the confederacy; however I still do not consider myself racist or prejudice in any way. I have plenty of friends that are not caucasion in race and I have no problem with them. I feel that the apology in Virginia, for building the school using slave labor, is a personal choice on someone's conscience.

Posted by: Crystal | Apr 27, 2007 3:40:02 PM

Sure. why not? they can have their own holiday. They can call it Traitor's Day. It is an appropriate name, since they did in fact commit an act of treason.

Posted by: John H. Gamez | Apr 27, 2007 7:23:02 PM

God bless the men and women of the Confederate States of America who during the War Between the States, 1861-65, fought to be free.

The people of the South stood as their Revolutionary War ancestors did in 1776.

May America never forget the soldiers who wore the gray on Confederate Memorial Day and everyday.

April is Confederate History Month in the USA!

Have a Dixie Day!

Posted by: Calvin Johnson | Apr 27, 2007 10:58:51 PM

That one could have a problem with this is nothing short of astonishing. No one is forced to particpate in what are essentially private ceremonies and observances. I refuse to apologize or be anything less than completely proud of my ancestors who fought for the Confedracy.

Posted by: ramal | Apr 27, 2007 11:13:39 PM

Do what you will with the graves but please spare us all the baloney. Labeling the Confederates as the same as the American Revolutionaries is a slander. The American Revolutionaries fought for freedom, the Confederates were traitors to that cause who fought for the right to withhold freedom from others.

Posted by: Paul Courchane | Apr 27, 2007 11:28:54 PM


Dr. Francys Johnson should explain his charge of "treason" .

Southern voters elected cooperationist and secession delegates to secession conventions where they discussed the issue and voted for secession. Everything they did was in accordance with the law, the Constitution and the ideals of independence and self-government set forth in the Declaration of Independence of 1776.

Lincoln,without any legal authority, decided that the South did not have a right to leave the Union. In his first inaugural address he made it clear that he was not concerned about slavery, but he stated that he would collect tariffs. He then took action to hold on to and reinforce Fort Sumter in order to collect a US tariff in what was by then a foreign port. When that failed, again without any authority, he deceded that secession was rebellion and called for 75,000 troops to invade the South. That led to the secession of the last four Confederate States. The first state which was invaded was Virginia which was one of several states which had reserved the right to secede when the constitution was sign. By what authority did Lincoln nullify that provision inserted by Virginia's signers of the Constitution?

Lincoln invaded the South for the tariffs and to protect the economic interest of the Northerners who controlled the business and shipping end of the cotton trade. There were a number of causes for secession, but the sole cause of the war was Lincoln's decision to deny the South independence and self-government. In 1215, the Magna Carta established the cornerstone of our legal system,the principle that no one is above the law, not even the King. Lincoln put himself above the law, threw out the Constituion, trampled on the ideals of the Declaration of Independence and the concept of government by,for and of the people.
Lincoln was the traitor!



Posted by: Tyre | Apr 27, 2007 11:41:31 PM

What about Minnestota?

We have the Defeat Jesse James days to celebrate that Rebs death.


Posted by: Yankee | Apr 28, 2007 1:12:14 AM

Slander and traitors my foot.Those who make such absurd allegations simply do not know history and applying that skewed logic then the Continental Army were definitely traitors and slave mongers . In 1776 all thirteen colonies allowed slavery and all thirteen colonies had slaves.The sanctimonius British tried to utilize the slavery issue in exactly the same manner the sanctimonius Yanks would successfully do so during the Civil War,never mind that those two groups were almost solely responsible for having brought the slaves to America.Slaves built huge sections of New York City(New Amsterdam),many of the Founding Fathers were slave owners,almost all Southerners have ancestors that were Revolutionary War soldiers.Nope, there cannot be any doubt (applying such flawed logic)the Revolution was fought to perpetuate slavery and to deny a people their freedom by a group of rebels who were traitors to their sovereign Great Britain , who was nobly seeking freedom for the poor slaves. You liberal South-haters think you can have your cake and eat it too , well it ain't gonna happen .

Posted by: Bobby Goodrum | Apr 28, 2007 2:28:05 AM

To say that the American Civil War was fought to end slavery is like saying that we are still in Iraq looking for WMDs. To 90% of the Confederate forces, it was about a state's right to say what it wanted. Yes there were slaveholders who wanted to keep that system in place, but it was more so a group of states who didn't want the GOVERNMENT to tell them how to conduct their business. Even Abe Lincoln understood that. The great Emancipation Proclaimation only declared those slaves in captured territory free. It was the abolistionist who really fought to free the slaves. If John Brown was Islamic, he would be considered a terrorist today. Of course, slavery was not always a black issue, many "white" cultures after they beat an army in a battle, enslaved their enemies. Also don't forget, that some Africans, freely sold their captives in to slavery. Honoring those who fought for what they believed in is a sacred trust and should not be said to treason.

Posted by: James H Gregg | Apr 28, 2007 6:46:28 AM

Whites Southerners need to admit that celebrating the Confederacy as the key thing that defines their "Southern Identity” is nothing more than choosing to define themselves as being part of a group that was once united in fighting for the right to enslave people of African descent. The irony of the whole “Southerner = Supporter of the Confederacy” viewpoint is that most of the people who embrace it are descended from whites who were typically too poor to even own slaves, but were sucked into supporting the institution of slavery and conscripted into fighting to maintain it by rich landowners who were able to “play the race card” and dupe their butts into believing that being a “White Southerner” was a good thing because “at least they weren’t slaves”. Until poor and middle class whites stop allowing the rich to bait them into thinking that “life is good because at least we’re not (as bad off as) black people” they will continue to support politicians and government policies that are slowly stripping them of their civil rights and economic security.

Posted by: Nola Darling | Apr 28, 2007 7:12:26 AM

I am proud of my Confederate ancestors that sacrificed their all to protect their homes and families. They did not own slaves nor did they risk life and limb so that some rich man sitting in his mansion could own them. The men of the Confederacy did everything they could to protect the South from the invading armies from the north. As a descendant of a Cherokee Great-great-grandfather, that was separated from his family and sent to live on a reservation, (not to mention all the other things done to native Americans over the years), I could be greatly offended by the flag that flies over America now. But I love that flag and I honor it, for I have many ancestors that served in the Revolution, WWI, WWII, Korea, Germany and my own husband, (who also has Confederate ancestors), served in Vietnam. I will honor them, and I will honor my noble Confederate ancestors and all those brave men that wore the gray. I will not buy into the lies and hatred that is being handed down by the naacp, the media and hollywood. I will hold fast to the truth! God Bless Dixie and all that love her!!!

Posted by: Sally Raburn | Apr 28, 2007 7:13:12 AM

The other thing they fought for was "State's Rights." Boy how we need that today, with Washington dictates a la Russian Czars coming down weekly. We may have gained by eliminating slavery but we lost by
destroying state's rights.

Posted by: Jim Klett | Apr 28, 2007 7:38:32 AM

First and foremost, being against celebrating any group that fought to maintain slavery is not hatred but decency and respect for the dignity of ALL human life. Second, you've obviously never read ANYTHING about the history of slavery or the Cherokee nation or you'd know that 1) Southerners kicked off the Civil War when they formed an army and attacked US troops at Fort Sumter, and where I’m from if you start a fight you can’t claim that you were merely “defending home and family” even if you get your butt kicked; 2) there was no real benefit for anyone who wasn't well off to support secession, which was initiated by slave owners (EVERY member of the Confederate Congress owned slaves) only after Lincoln, whom they feared would abolish slavery, was elected in 1860; and 3) the Cherokees were major slavery owners and owned them collectively, so if you are a Cherokee descendent then you are a descendant of slave owners. Since you clearly “don’t know much about history, don’t much about geography”,
BTW, I’m black AND descended from blacks who owned slaves, so my ancestors probably had a vested interest in slavery and fighting the Civil War, but we don’t celebrate it as if it were some high point in our family history.

Posted by: Nola Darling | Apr 28, 2007 8:09:57 AM

FYI, the Civil War was so popular in the southern states that the Confederate Congress passed the Conscription Act in 1862, thus creating the first military draft in US history. Ironically the act was amended to allow draft exemptions for any man who owned 20 or more slaves or could pay someone to go as his substitute.

Posted by: Nola Darling | Apr 28, 2007 8:23:29 AM

Do any of you people realize how few people owned slaves? Maybe 10 to 15%, if that many. That leaves a whole lot of fighting men that were fighting for the plantation owners to have slaves? I think not. Their states had been invaded,,,,they were fighting for their homes, their land and their state. By the way, the South doesn't complain about 'Black History Month'. Why can't we have a Southern history month? Confederates we are by birth and we too HAVE A HISTORY.....

Posted by: Natalie | Apr 28, 2007 8:39:13 AM

As stated before, the Confederates KICKED OFF the Civil War (Fort Sumter), so the argument that they were defending themselves and their families is moot. Second, South Carolina (the 1st state to secede) did so because they feared Lincoln was going to end slavery after he was elected. Finally, if white Southerners were so supportive of the Civil War, why did most of them have to be drafted, and why were the rich getting exemptions or paying poor white guys to go in their places.

Whites (who are only 60% of "The South") have been complaining and negatively responding about anything and everything that has to do with black people since the Reconstruction--witness Jim Crow, poll taxes, closing entire school systems in order to prevent integration, and lynchings. So I think you shouldn't be to accept and get over black opposition to celebrating the Confederacy, because at least they aren't running around burning crossed in people's yards over the issue.

Posted by: Nola Darling | Apr 28, 2007 9:00:08 AM

Friends,
Here is a paragraph from my article entitled "It's Confederate Memorial Day in Dixie."

Tennessee Senator Edward Ward Carmack said in 1903, "These Confederate soldiers were our kinfolk and our heroes." He also said, "The people of the South have the right to teach their children the true history of the War Between the States, the causes that led up to it and the principles involved."

The truth is that Confederates were fighting for many of the same reasons as that of the Revolution.
My Southern ancestors were not traitors, they were REAL PATRIOTS.

The United States and Confederate flags are both flags of freedom and should be flown whereever people desire to be free.

God Bless America and have a Dixie Day!

Posted by: Calvin Johnson | Apr 28, 2007 9:29:51 AM


pretty well says it all, as to the way the north thinks about us here in the South. And, remember, those comments include Southern Blacks as well as Whites and other ethnicities.

If the Southerners were not here to fight and win the empire's wars, the north would have gone into the ash pile long ago.

Posted by: Max Basford | Apr 28, 2007 10:43:20 AM

lets just remember the one's that fought and fell for the true bill of rights as our forefathers wrote them

Posted by: sam cobb | Apr 28, 2007 11:49:33 AM

There was one land under one flag.

Should still be, but the South would rather celebrate their failures than elevate their counrties victors. They would rather wave the flag of failure, in the name of their states rights, than work for a more perfect union... The South never stopped fighting the civil war, even after they put down their guns and dug their dining room silver out of the garden. They still fly the flag of division, and it has been used to divide for political gain ever since.

It was the Anti-American flag, and it still is.

Posted by: Junkfood | Apr 28, 2007 11:50:09 AM

The statement just made by someone named "junkfood" just shows how the uneducated refuse to learn the truth. The coat of hate and bigotry toward the south and southern symbols these people love to wear, apparently warms their "greater than thou" attitude that they've held since the late 1800's. The Confederate flag was is American flag... "The Confederate States of America." It was... it is... and it always will be!!! No amount of hate, no amount of lies, nor anyone misusing it, nothing.... will ever change what it stood for when our brave Confederate soldiers carried into battle. Nothing anyone can say, write, or do will change that! And that is that!!!

Posted by: Sally | Apr 28, 2007 1:26:43 PM

How stupid can some people be!!! To say that if you are a Cherokee descendent then you are a descendant of slave owners and then to say you clearly “don’t know much about history!"

That is a bunch of hogwash!!! And that is the same old bull these people have tried to use for years, saying things like, "you don't know your history." Well folks guess what? We do know our history! It is you that do not know history. Better check out old Abe a little more. While you're at it, check out old General Grant! Gee... what excuse do you give for them?

By the way, I am a descendant of Cherokee and my ancestors did not own slaves.

Posted by: SR | Apr 28, 2007 1:43:38 PM

I respect the remembrance of Confederate's Day. My great uncle Rawls was one of Jeff Davis' cabinet officers. My grandmother went through Sherman's march to the sea and had horror stories about that. My grandfather had 9 slaves but freed them many years before the Civil War. Most Southerners never had slaves anyway.

Posted by: Anne B | Apr 28, 2007 2:02:28 PM

By Lincoln's own words he was not opposed to slavery if he could save the Union. The Lincoln monument in Washinton D.C. is a monument to a lie. Through excessive tarrifs the South was paying for over 70% of the operation of the U.S. Government.
Not a single slave ship flew the Confederate Flag of any kind. When South Carolina seceded Fort Sumpter became the property of South Carolina but the Yankees would not leave the fort. Therefore South Carolina had only one alternative, fire on Fort Sumpter to rid it of Yankees squatting on State property.
The North then began a war on the South, not only against the Confederate Army but aginst the civilian population. The Northern armies committed atrocious acts of war crimes against our Southern people. Grant, Sherman and Sheridan were war criminals.

Posted by: Benjamin | Apr 28, 2007 5:25:46 PM

To those uneducated people that think the Confederates were traitors: 1. They fought for the same principles that the Revolutiony War heroes fought for. 2. President Buchanan avoided war for several months after the election of Lincoln (who in that day didn't take office until April), and so could Lincoln if he had wanted to. 3. Lincoln wanted war, I refer you to the very scholarly work of "Lincoln Takes Command," by John Shipley Tilley. 4. You may be under the delusion that the supremacy of the Federal Government over the State Governments was an established fact then as now. Not so, in fact many if not most of the intelligentsia in the North considered the South to be right in their belief in a right to secede. 5. There was no Pledge of Allegiance to a Federal flag like we have today, that was added since the war.

Posted by: Greely Graves | Apr 28, 2007 5:39:50 PM

As a "northerner"--born and raised in a northern state that didn't exist during the Civil War--I feel that remembering the dead for fighting and dying for their beliefs and loyalties should be exceptable and legitimate. If this remembrance is used, however, to dissenfranchise, anyone is completely and morally wrong.

Since the North won the war, the Confederate flag should be flown below the American flag, if it is flown at all. Above all, everyone should commit themselves to reducing all hatred.

Posted by: Gerald Nelson | Apr 28, 2007 5:53:14 PM

You can't have it both ways. If the Confederates were Americans, then they were traitors. If the southern states legally left the Union, then they weren't Americans any longer. The southern states left the Union. The Union did not attack them for doing so. The southern states attacked Union forces at Fort Sumpter months after South Carolina seceded. Celebrating those who attacked America is unthinkable. Period.

Posted by: AlaskaMike | Apr 28, 2007 6:02:47 PM

The war of Northern Aggression was fought for states rights and true constitutional government, not slavery. Our southern heroes fought to defend their homes, farms, and loved ones, and many blacks fought right alongside them because it was their land that had been invaded too.

It wasn't Southerners who were the traitors. It was Lincoln and his band of cut-throats who waged total war against civilians and the very land they lived in who are the traitors and war criminals. God bless the South and let us always remember those who died fighting for it. My Battleflag will continue to fly....


Posted by: Oklahoma Reb | Apr 28, 2007 6:27:45 PM

The Confederacy attacked the Union, so I guess we can call the Civil War, the War of Southern Aggression. Let's repeat that, shall we? The south started the war. The confederate apologists tell us that the south fought for freedom. What freedoms did they gain after leaving the Union that they didn't have in the Union? Can anyone name one? The truth is that the southern states left because they didn't like being part of a federal system that they didn't control. Fine. But attacking their former compatriots was unforgivable. It's astounding really. The south leaves the Union, starts the bloodiest war in American history and then whines about losing it.

Posted by: AlaskaMike | Apr 28, 2007 6:56:59 PM

After reading what is being taught as American history nowadays, in particularly about The War Between the States, I can understand why most of the people in America today feel the way they do. Since the North "won" the war, history is being written from their perspective. Here's just a few things NOT being taught today: 1. Only about 7% of Confederate soldiers owned slaves. 2. According to the US Census in 1860, 2% of Southern blacks owned slaves. 3. In 1688, Virginia was the 1st colony to try to stop the slave trade. 4. Conf. generals Robt. E. Lee, Joseph Johnston, A.P. Hill, Fitzhugh Lee and J.E.B. Stuart were NOT slave owners. 5. General Grant KEPT slaves to take care of his wife while he was away fighting end this supposed root cause of the war. 6. Major Robt. Anderson, the Union commander of Fort Sumter in April 1861 was from Kentucky and WAS a slave owner. 7. The Emancipation Proclamation only freed the slaves in the South. Slaves in the northern states were not freed until 2 to 3 years after the war was over. 8. The US Congress passed the Crittenden Resolution on 7/25/1861 which states that the Union's aim is to crush the Southern rebellion, not to abolish slavery. This is just the tip of the iceberg. Only in America is there any negative connotation associated with the Confederate flag. May it continue to fly as a symbol of freedom from tyranny.

Posted by: Rebel Lady | Apr 28, 2007 7:41:29 PM

AlaskaMike for the WIN!

Posted by: Yankeedoodleboy | Apr 28, 2007 8:00:46 PM

Hey Crystal..... The American Revolution was an act of treason. Should we rename the Independence Day, Treason day as well?

Posted by: Will | Apr 28, 2007 9:38:19 PM

It's a waste of time to even discuss history with the ignorant and it's even worst to waste time with those who use false history to further their personal agenda, such as Francys Johnson. With out "something" to point a finger at and scream offensive they have no reason for existence. Instead of actually doing something that would better the lives of others.... which would require real work..... they only scream for attention and self glory.
Did you ever notice that Dr. Martin L. King, in all the speeches he gave, never once spoke of the confederacy or the confederate flag? That's because, first, he was a southerner. He realized it was his southern heritage also. Second, he didn't need to point fingers for self glory. He was to busy trying to better lives.
Did you know that every year the NAACP, just as many other organizations, list goals they hope to accomplish. For at least the last twenty years they have listed the removal of "all" confederate monuments and flags in their top ten to do list. One would think that poverty, crime, health care, education and employment would take priority over the confederacy but not with the so called leaders who need something to condemn so they can get their name in a news paper article.


Posted by: Robert Howlett | Apr 28, 2007 9:42:49 PM

Thank you, ABC news, for a timely and good article about the honor and respect that is given to the Confederate war dead. In my little town we held a ceremony to honor our brave soldiers and had a cannon salute. The speaker offered one good question '... if the Confederates were traitors, why does the US Gov't pay for their headstones?' No traitors here, just patriots who fought to drive out the Yankee invaders. All we wanted was to be left alone, but the Northern industrialists wanted the South's resources for pennies on the dollar so they got Lincoln to provoke a war. One of Lincoln's solutions was Fort Sumter, he had several other sitations he could manipulate to start a war. The Confederate Memorial at Arlington shows black soldiers marching with everyone. There were thousands and thousands of free blacks serving in the CSA, thousands of Jews and Cajuns and Hispanics and Irish and more than a few Englishmen and various Europeans. Anyone who says the South was fighting for slavery is mistaken; the facts prove them to be wrong. God bless our Confederate men in gray, and may the original Constitution they fought for be one day restored to all Americans.
Deo Vindice


Posted by: Charles | Apr 28, 2007 10:03:40 PM

Google "Lincoln's First Inaugural Address" and see what he says about slavery.
In an effort to entice the seceded states to return to the union, both houses of congress passed what would have been the 13th Amendment granting slavery constitutional protection. A few days later, Lincoln in his first inaugural address endorsed that amendment. If the seven cotton states had agreed to the deal presented by Lincoln and the congress and returned to the union, the 13th amendment would have protected slavery.

Here's what Lincoln said about slavery:"I have no purpose, directly or indirectly, to interfere with the institution of slavery in the States where it exists. I believe I have no lawful right to do so, and I have no inclination to do so."...."I understand a proposed amendment to the Constitution-which amendment, however, I have not seen-has passed Congress, to the effect that the Federal Government shall never interfere with the domestic institutions of the States, including that of persons held to service. To avoid misconstruction of what I have said, I depart from my purpose not to speak of particular amendments so far as to say that, holding such a provision to now be implied constitutional law, I have no objection to its being made express and irrevocable."


Posted by: Tyre | Apr 28, 2007 11:36:08 PM

Secession was legal according to the constitution and Lincoln would not allow us to follow the constitution. He started the war of northen aggression at Fort Sumter. Our ancesters fought for independence not slavery. The south did not import the slaves into any of our ports. The north did! I carried the 56 Georgia flag in combat for several tours in Vietnam. I owe no person an appolgy.

Posted by: Frank | Apr 29, 2007 12:01:48 AM

Lincoln didn't start the war. The Confederates started the war by attacking Fort Sumter. The south started the war. The bloodiest war in American history. Be proud of that if you want, just don't try to get the rest of us to accept it. If you want to take 5 years out of the last 300 and call those 5 years the most important, that's your choice. Don't expect the rest of us to think it's a wise one though. Being proud of your confederate "heritage" isn't patriotism. My being proud of my great great grandfather is patriotism. He joined the Union army and fought in the Civil War after the USA was attacked by the CSA.

Posted by: AlaskaMike | Apr 29, 2007 12:50:34 AM

Confederate Memorial Day was recognized since 1864 and as long as Southerners celebrate it will continue for ever. Slavery continues today to the tune of 27 million worldwide in India, Brazil, Africa and even here in America. As long a there is a profit involved slavery and oppression will continue. As long as the NAACP wants to do battle with soldiers who earned thier honor many times over the problem will never be answered. Of course the 93,000 black Confederates will be remembered on Confederate Memorial day as well and whether the NAACP likes it or not.

Posted by: Barry | Apr 29, 2007 12:53:48 AM

"The Confederate battle flag, called the "Southern Cross" or the cross of St. Andrew, has been described variously as a proud emblem of Southern heritage and as a shameful reminder of slavery and segregation. In the past, several Southern states flew the Confederate battle flag along with the U.S. and state flags over their statehouses. Others incorporated the controversial symbol into the design of their state flags. The Confederate battle flag has also been appropriated by the Ku Klux Klan and other racist hate groups. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, more than 500 extremist groups use the Southern Cross as one of their symbols."


Gotta' love that;

"...appropriated by the Ku Klux Klan and other racist hate groups. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, more than 500 extremist groups use the Southern Cross as one of their symbols."

Can you feel the love?

Posted by: Yankeedoodleboy | Apr 29, 2007 1:53:40 AM

It's quite amazing to hear the skewed history offered. I have no objection to people honoring their ancestors. How about honoring all the slaves who died under the yoke of slavery? And those who died at the hands of the Klan?

By all means, honor the dead of the civil war. But not a dimes' worth of tribute to the noxious ideology of the confederacy, which trumpeted "state's rights" when what they were doing was defending what was still the single most valuable asset they possessed: the millions of men, women and children who were forced to work under bondage.

Posted by: Jim H. | Apr 29, 2007 7:01:49 AM

A wise man once stated; "I dream of a day when the sons of slaves and the sons of slave owners will sit down at the table together."
As the sons of slave owners, we've been sitting at the table waiting for the sons of slave for a long time. When will you stop screaming for self glory and come sit down with us? Why do you shout acceptance, tolerance and diversity but are not willing to live it yourself?

Posted by: Robert Howlett | Apr 29, 2007 7:18:11 AM

It is completely disingenuous and historically inaccurate to cast the celebration of Confederate Memorial Day in a racist light and, in particular, to infer that the war was racial in nature.

I might suggest that as we celebrate the 400th Anniversary of Jamestown's founding, those unfamiliar with how the practice of chattel slavery was initiated in this country might research the life of Anthony Johnson. Interestingly, Mr. Johnson, a freed Black, successfully petitioned the Virginia Courts for permanent ownership of his indentured servants, who had lost their legal documents. Accordingly, Anthony Johnson is generally recognized as the nation's first slave holder.

Perhaps officials of the NAACP, in the interest of historical fairness, will castigate Mr. Johnson for introducing the practice of slavery to this continent, rather than demagoguing Confederate Memorial Days.


Posted by: U. Publius | Apr 29, 2007 8:35:32 AM

I live in Florida and I see the Confederate flag scattered throughout the neighborhoods where I live and some in the close cities nearby. It does not bother me.

It is a symbol of a past that is rich in Southern pride.

I feel that if the Northerners or Union sympathizers do NOT like seeing the Confederate flag when they come down to the South...then stay OUT!! Stay up North and leave us alone so we can continue our own showing of our history in our own backyards and public areas.

Northerners really need to examine their own involvement in the war and stop acting like they were so squeeky clean and moral and were fighting for the good of the union with a clear conscience.

Our ancestors of both sides would be surprised the battle is still raging on even today.

Posted by: It Seems this War still Rages On | Apr 29, 2007 12:05:47 PM

A Different flag I Fly©
By David Tatum JR®

Some call it a flag of “HATE”
Blue X across the red
The flag I fly in Southern sky
Is a flag of truth instead

A flag about the Hero’s
Whose hearts fought for this land
A truth about a way of life,
That some “wont” understand!

A way of life that’s not for sale!
A cannons Thunder, A Rebel Yell.
A glass of tea - Wisterias bloom,
My hearts in Dixie -She has the room.

The Flag I Fly is not of Hate,
For all are welcome within my gate’s
Excepting those who tell the lie,
It’s a flag of hate that’s in the sky.

The flag explains my way of life!
Not wearing sheets or carrying Knives
Not burning a cross in someone’s yard
But living Free and working Hard

It tells of hospitality ,
And love of a family True.
The flag I fly is s different kind
I pray you fly yours too.


Posted by: David Tatum JR | Apr 29, 2007 1:18:21 PM

Too bad most of the northern posters here don't know what true history is. They rant and rave without any facts to support their ideology. It's too easy to spout things you know nothing about in order to stir up trouble and keep the pot boiling than to take the time to do your own research instead of relying on the propaganda that's readily supplied by the media and so-called civil rights groups. The Federal government is still doing today what it done in this tragic time in American history. It has steadily increased its tyrannical control over all local governments and nullified the Constitutional principle of States Rights. God Save the South.

Deo Vindice

Posted by: Rebel Lady | Apr 29, 2007 7:54:43 PM

What is so sad is that apparently the reasons of the civil war are still being fought all these years later here. So the south wants to honor their dead. The way I see it is that the only ones that have a right to object to that would be the ones that fought against them. And sice I feel fairly confident that there are not any union veterans still around then no one has much reason to gripe. Protesting their choice to honor them is just as racist as objecting to celebrating MLK's birthday.

Posted by: Scott | Apr 29, 2007 10:10:25 PM

"Those who forget history are forced to relive it" Santana.
There is more to the slogan "lest we forget" than is often thought. Things happened that brought a single nation into war with itself. One of history's bloodiest and most tragic wars where Americans stood valiantly to fight for their contry. The young men couldn't question the rights and wrongs of it but serve as bravely as they possibly could. There were no Goodies and Baddies simply mnen doing their duty, so get off your Union bandwagon and give the boys some credit.

Posted by: Robert Taylor QSM | Apr 29, 2007 11:51:21 PM

A few facts: (1) ess than 10% of southern soldiers ever owned a slave. (2) A good number of soldiers weren't white themselves - Hispanics fought from Texas, at least five Indian nations supported the Confederacy ( including the first Indian general, Cherokee chief Stand Watie), blacks, and even women (over 300 women are known to have disguised their gender to enlist). (3) Treason? The south had seceded and formed its own nation. Charges of treason were dropped against Jefferson Davis because his planned defense was that secession was legal. SCOTUS judge Oliver Wendell Holmes admitted later that secession was "probably legal" under the Constitution.

Quit trying to rewrite history for PC purposes, and let people celebrate their heritage.

Posted by: Helaina Hinson | Apr 30, 2007 7:18:27 AM

People need to read more history. Saying the civil war was fought to free the slave is like saying WW II was fought to give the Jews a homeland.
There are many reasons for the war. Nobody...and I mean NOBODY goes to war for a single reason. It doesn't happen.
Until the point in our history we were a collection of states with a weak central federal government....as intended by the founding fathers. A strong case can be made that the north invaded the south illegally. That those states wishing to seperate had all the right to do so. The north didn't want that since it would mean that their factories in the north would be on a equal footing with every other country in the world for the resources of the south..primarily cotton but rice as well. The north preferred to consider those assest "American".
The north had taxed the south so much on cotton that it was literally cheaper to send cotton to England to make it into fabric/clothes and then send it back than send it to the textile factories in the north.
Also, let's not forget that Lincoln, while he opposed slavery, would have kept it in place if it the union would stay intact.
He only "freed" the slaves because he needed a moral cause because the north was getting their butts kicked and interest in it was waning in the north. He needed something more than keeping the union together.
These are American and while we may diagree on their place in history it can not be denied that they helped form the nation that is today.
I caution those that wish to purge our history of every trace of our soiled past. If they are successful then only a few generations beyond that we will repeat our sins because we don't recall learning from them.


Posted by: Tom | Apr 30, 2007 7:37:37 AM

The war was really fought for Southern Independence and every man who gave his life for the cause should be remembered and celebrated.

Posted by: Donna | Apr 30, 2007 7:55:56 AM

The war was really fought for Southern Independence and every man who gave his life for the cause should be remembered and celebrated.

Posted by: Donna | Apr 30, 2007 7:56:37 AM

I here a lot of people who do not know their history very well talking like they do. The Civil war was about States rights and not about slavery. So no was a traitor to his State at that time there wasn’t a strong federal government and States did not like to be told what to do as the taxation, laws and such. Please before you run your mouth especially if your people where more than likely not in this country by then. Read the Disuntied States of America, it is a college level histry book so it is not full of the propaganda put out in public schools.

Posted by: Mark | Apr 30, 2007 8:38:15 AM

Southerners fought to become separate from America. It dishonors them now to repaint them as good Americans, when that was the last thing they wanted. "Secede" means to get out, withdraw, abandon.

Posted by: George Youknow | Apr 30, 2007 9:31:55 AM

 

Dayum Server... that is one HECK of a random thought! :lol:

 

Just popped in muh head

 

Why do people insist on feeding trolls:?

 

its fun =D

 

I don't consider ServerSnapper a Troll, at least not anymore. :mrgreen:

 

Ok, smartie, you know i was not talking about SS:lol:

 

Did I feed one???

 

They should feed them that whole bag of hulless puff corn I just ate.....

 

Silly, i was referring to the Church Merger thread:lol::lol::lol:

 

For freakin Real!!! Die thread Die!!!

 

Well, just in case you'd like to feed the trolls
















to your in-laws this weekend:

Troll Dust
This dry rub is loaded up with lots of ground chilies giving it both heat and a very unique flavor.
INGREDIENTS:
2 dried Ancho peppers, seeds removed
8 smoked Habaneros include seeds for the brave
8 Chipotle seeds optional
4 sun dried tomatoes
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon of kosher salt
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 teaspoon savory
PREPARATION:
Place everything in blender or grinder and turn into dust.


:mrgreen:

 

Why don't men understand us women?

 

Because you dont want us to. Then what would you have to talk about to your girlfriends?

 

You must have missed THIS.

 

I'm starving :-(

 

You want some salad?! I'm up to my stinkin' eye balls in salad. Salad. Salad. Salad.






Dieting.

 

KFC, chicken and mashed potatoes with gravy!

 

Do you want two lanes or four? :mrgreen:

 

My elbow bone hurts. :?