Free Republic

KENNESAW, Ga.--Is the history of our great nation important to you? Union Gen. William T. Sherman said of Confederate Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest, "After all, I think Forrest as the most remarkable man our 'Civil War' produced on either side." This came from a man who was once a foe of Forrest on the field of battle. Why do some folks attack America's heritage? Several years ago, attempts were made to change the name of Forrest Park in Memphis, Tenn. Now, there are people trying to change the name of Nathan Bedford Forrest High School in Jacksonville, Fla. But was...

Sen. John Edwards is drawing a curtain on his U.S. Senate career this week with a tour of the state. He's billed it as a chance to thank Tar Heels and let them know "how honored I was to represent them." It seems a little curious. While Edwards made an earnest run at national office, conventional wisdom suggests that he might have fared better on the national scene than he did had he opted to seek re-election from North Carolina. Edwards is one of the state's best and brightest. He's a very successful lawyer and a gifted politician. His fiery...

Through lens of TV, movie producers, South looks dumb and dumber Hillbillies of Hazard, Ky., meet the rednecks of Pigeon Creek, Ala. Y'all are practically neighbors in pop culture's piney backwoods.The very real residents of Hazard are not terribly pleased to be among the possibles in the casting process to choose a family for "The Real Beverly Hillbillies," an upcoming CBS reality show that will take a family from the rural South or Appalachia, plunk them down in a la-dee-dah Left Coast mansion and see what happens. Itto spend up to a year in Beverly Hills. (Guess our Georgia rednecks...

ATLANTA - It was a tough choice for legislators when Gov. Roy Barnes challenged them a year ago to change the state flag: face his wrath by voting against him or vote with him and risk a potential voter backlash in the elections of 2002.Most backed the change. A few who didn't felt his anger when he stripped their pet projects from the budget. Now some who voted with Barnes and face November challenges are raking in grants from the governor's emergency fund that could help their re-election bids.The governor's chief adviser, Bobby Kahn, contends the grants have nothing to...

Norristown native poses provocative questions about Gen. Robert E. Lee in newest book. Some might say Albert M. Gambone has "overcompensated" for failing his history course at Norristown High School back in 1957. But back then, he claims, no one ever told him about the important role Norristown played in the Civil War. The author of four books on the Civil War who maintains a personal library of approximately 3,000 volumes on the subject, Gambone has virtually become a Civil War expert. However, Gambone counters that he is "convinced there is no such thing as an 'expert' on the war...

Dear Mike: You are a yellow-bellied, freedom-hating Yankee. I am a Confederate supporter, all the way, and there is not a drop of racism in me. So how can my Southern pride be a front for anything? I'm getting a revolver soon. Apologize or I will challenge you to a duel. Dear Marc: I only duel with swords. Dear Mike: Is it OK to be prejudicial toward Southrons, but wrong to be bigoted toward another group? Why are you allowed to embrace it and practice it against Southrons? Confederately, Michael Warren, Ph.D. Dear Michael: Southrons?