Southern Shame, Southern Ghosts (CONFEDERATE FLAG BAN)

World Net Daily ^ | September 30, 2010 | Franklin Raff

[golux]

The University of Mississippi has terminated its mascot, "Colonel Reb." The mascot, an archetypal Southern gentleman with a hat, cane, and a little bow-tie, is of course racist.

Affable, bearded and jaunty, with a bright costume that cleverly foiled his dark history on the plantation, Col. Reb, when he was alive, looked rather like that other infamous slave-driver, Col. Sanders, whose inscrutable and permanent smile these days (in markets where he still shows his face) offers only a faint clue as to the fortunes he's made in his long, post-war masquerade as a peddler of fried chicken.

"We just want it to be over," said one Mississippi student on the subject of Col. Reb's execution.

Watch your back, Sanders.

There is of course nothing sacred about a football mascot or a corporate brand, and nothing particularly sad about the disappearance of either one, except for the fact that now there is nothing left of Southern symbolism to erase.

(SNIP)

And now we learn that what legions of Americans consider to be a transcendent symbol of extraordinary military leadership and valor, states' rights, indefatigable heroism, enduring pride and strength in the face of terrible odds and calamitous defeat – the Confederate battle flag – is now officially deemed a symbol of hate by the U.S. armed forces. Prospective members of all branches of the armed forces who happen to have a "Confederate flag" tattoo are automatically rejected.

(SNIP)

When they once again encounter their ancestors, which I believe they will, how will so many Americans account for their feeble treachery?

Maybe, like the Mississippi student, they will say: "We just wanted it to be over."

I wonder what some of those old heroes might say in reply....

(SNIP)

[Spike Knotts]

Thank God that the bad old days are gone and we’re all marching into such a glorious future together.

After we solve the problems here, caused by my ancestors, we’ll be heading to Africa to solve their problems that have existed for all of recorded history...also caused by my ancestors.

[Non-Sequitur]

Based on that description alone I'm guessing the author was Tommy DiLorenzo or the Kennedy Boys.

[golux]

The answer in the article is worse.

[Walts Ice Pick]

But the south seceded anyway because it wasn’t about slavery, it was about states rights.

That's right and that's why I linked Mississippi's Declaration of Secession:

http://americancivilwar.com/documents/causes_mississippi.html

Let's let the people who were there speak for themselves about what they felt was important.

Let's workk together to bury the ignorance.

[Mmogamer]

So did Davy Crockett, you gonna dump on him to?

[The_Sword_of_Groo]

He's only giving you half the story. The song was written from the perspective of a black man who longed to be "in the land of cotton" (Read: God's Country) It was performed in blackface in New York. It's debut was at a show billed as a "Grand Ethiopian Concert". After Louisiana seceded in 1861, it was played onstage at a dance hall in New Orleans and the crowd erupted, reportedly demanding up to 7 encores (accounts vary). It was played at Jefferson Davis' inauguration on 22Feb1862 and was adopted as the de facto national anthem. Ultimately it became a marching song for Confederate troops, although soldiers on both sides often sung it and inserted their own lyrics to the song as a rallying cry. "Away down south in the land of traitors" or "To arms, to arms in Dixie" are examples.

There is an unpublished first verse to the song that was omitted out of fear it would offend religious folks.
"Dis worl' was made in jiss six days, An' finished up in various ways; Look away! Look away! Look away! Dixie Land! Dey den made Dixie trim and nice, But Adam called it "paradise," Look away! Look away! Look away! Dixie Land!"

Abraham Lincoln loved the song. Teddy Roosevelt supposedly suggested it as a replacement for the national anthem.

"And now you know the rest of the story" - P. Harvey

[Non-Sequitur]

Slavery was really little more than incidental, as shown by the Mississippi's Declaration of Secession:

I assume you're being sarcastic?

[Jemian]

The Stars and Bars was the flag of the Confederacy.
The battle flag is a red flag with a blue Saint Andrews cross (I think) with white stars.
The flag of the State of Alabama is a red Saint Andrews cross on a white field. Check my home page.

[AlexW]

“So did Davy Crockett, you gonna dump on him to?”

EVERYONE killed Indians, or sold fire water to them.

[beckysueb]

I understand that completely. I said up thread that there are good conservatives all over the country. I referred to the south as the bitter clingers because there seems to be more of them in the south. For the time being anyway. But they are dying out and political correctness is worming its way to every corner of the country. In another generation, the heritage and memories of the old south will be gone. But they (the ones who hate the south) don’t want to wait. They want it wiped from the memories of everyone now. I think it hads more to do with the way we vote than anything. If they can portray the southern people as inferior, then they can discredit us, our heritage, and hence our influence.

[Non-Sequitur]

Historians disagree about whether the war would have happened ‘with or without slavery.’

That's flat ridiculous. Take away slavery and leave all else the same and the South doesn't rebel. Leave slavery and take away every lame excuse for the rebellion you care to name and the South rebels. It's as simple as that.

[Non-Sequitur]

But the south seceded anyway because it wasn’t about slavery, it was about states rights.

State's right to do what?

If it had been about slavery, they would have taken Lincolns offer.

You are aware that the original seven confederate states had announced their secession long before Lincoln was inaugurated, aren't you?

[antisocial]

From the article:

“The degree to which you are now indebted to, and dependent on, your federal government is a most bitter reminder of our failure. But you have failed in a deeper sense. You, like many Americans, have in your ignorance abetted in the practical destruction our founders’ Constitution. Having surrendered liberty, you are no longer entitled to its blessings. So please do not speak of slavery. You have stripped yourself of your knowledge, pride and heritage. You have shamed and prostrated yourself, and, to no small degree, it is you who are now enslaved.”

[golux]

...But here are South Carolina, Georgia, and Texas as well:

http://sunsite.utk.edu/civil-war/reasons.html

You really can see that Mississippi stands out like a ‘sore thumb’ when it comes to slavery.

[Non-Sequitur]

So did Davy Crockett, you gonna dump on him to?

That would be the person who dumped on Sherman for killing Indians and not me.

[beckysueb]

No actually it was written by Larry Schweikart and Michael Allen. Very good book but these guys were very much against the south.

[beckysueb]

You are right. I was just agreeing with you and adding to your post.

[MamaTexan]

Do you know of even one young Southerner who has studied any of these documents in school?’

Yes. The subject of Constitutional violations and the Declaration of Secession was covered in my daughters' history class last year.

They had previously covered the secession of the States from the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union, which led to the construction of our current Constitution.

The subject matter from school led to further research on their part, as well as to some great discussions at home.

[Walts Ice Pick]

I assume you're being sarcastic?

Please. Sure, there are some passing incidental references to slavery in Mississippi's Declaration of Secession (the subject could hardly be ignored because it was in all the papers at that time), but if you can try to read between the lines (the way it was intended to be read), you can see that it really just takes up where the Declaration of Independence left off.

Here, try to read it again, with fresh eyes.

http://americancivilwar.com/documents/causes_mississippi.html

And try for once to appreciate the subtleties and nuances that were carefully designed for posterity.

[Old Teufel Hunden]

Don’t get down. There is a conservative revival going on all over the country. Here in Pa, we are set to put in a real conservative as governor (Tom Corbett), Senator (Pat Toomey) and getting ready to unseat many “blue dog” Democrats masquerading as conservatives. I’m not just “whistling dixie” either (pun intended) : ). They are all ahead in their races. The conservatives are getting ready to take back the midwest in a big way...