You May Be A Racist

Are you a racist? Some people are and proud of this fact, but for the rest of us racism is not on our agenda.

We have discussed in the past the way people look at those who celebrate their heritage, if you are Black you have a history month and this is good, if you are Hispanic you also have a day to celebrate and we all join in to help you celebrate your heritage, history allows everyone to celebrate the independence of America with fireworks, hotdogs, and all that goes along.

We celebrate all of these occasions without the fear of the R word, but once you begin to talk about your Confederate ancestors the rebellion begins once again, those who do not know the truth immediately look at you as if you have lost your mind or either turn away, the race card is thrown out and your Rebel heritage is deemed racist.

If you are from the South you are sometimes deemed to be a racist who is still fighting the Civil War, and sometimes we are our own worst enemy when discussing these facts, I wont claim that I know all, but I do know when discussing facts in today’s time frame we should dress in today’s clothing, unless we are actually at a re-enactment or a program that calls for dressing in costume, for Gods sake don’t give them ammunition that says you are living in the past, we make ourselves look bad when we shoot ourselves in the foot like this.

In my opinion our government, the one who shouts for us to be fair to all, is the same one that will turn it’s back on those less fortunate just because of their status, color, and/or bank account value, this government is the same one that teaches our children to be just like them, this government is one we need to take control of and not allow their racist values to fall into our laps.

Taking control of the government is easier said than done, and with that said I am not trying to overthrow the government, I am suggesting that we overthrow ourselves, by taking a look in the mirror and asking that person what needs to be done to take charge of what is important.

Racism is not a hard one to figure out, most of us are prejudiced in our thinking but most of us do not actually hate anyone, there are a lot who hate anything to do with our Confederate heritage or anything else for that matter, and most of this mindset comes from lack of education on the subject of the Civil War, teach the truth but don’t waste your time and energy arguing with someone who is not listening anyway.

Pay attention to what you say and think before you speak, talk in a normal voice as more people listen to civil talk more so than shouting, teach your children all sides of every story so they can easily learn the truth by knowing each side, even if you have to home school it will be worth it to make sure your child is being taught the truth.

You don’t have to be a racist to teach Confederate Heritage, but if you choose to look down on someone due to their skin color or where they are from…You May Be A Racist.

The Southern Side

The argument has been made in the past that Southerners should "Put away the Confederate flags and the pictures of Jefferson Davis" because "The heritage that Southerners so desperately cling to is one of racism, ignorance, and religious fanaticism" and that we are trying to create a "backward looking, close minded nation"

I was born, raised and educated in the South. I am looking toward the future, not trying to re create the past, but I know the past is an important part of our lives because without it we wouldn't be here. I am proud of the fact that my forefathers stood up for what they believed in, and passed that trait down to me. Racism is something I don't agree with and will not tolerate, Ignorance I feel I am trying to address and correct by teaching and learning the Truth that I was taught by my elders in spite of the version of history taught in our public schools, if I am a fanatic because I am from the South and believe in God, so be it.

I will continue to teach the truth of my ancestors, and remember where I came from while looking to the future. If this makes me backward looking and close-minded, I'm sorry you feel that way but that’s just me. You have to know where you came from to know where you are going. You have to believe in and Love God because without him we would not be here.

There is always more than one side to any story and wars are no different, in any war the history of it is the one written by the winning side and in the War Between the States the Union side of the story is taught in our schools, I have heard from students writing papers on the Civil War that Abraham Lincoln had to declare war on the Southern states to Free the Slaves, and how Southerners fought so hard to keep them, and that after the war the South had nothing left but wounded pride and that Lincoln had to force The South to treat the slaves with respect. OK this is one side but what about the Southern side, Are we not allowed to teach this side? The Confederate states are part of the USA today, “occupied states” so to say in my opinion, but still we are living by the laws of the land and celebrating the history of the states but what if part of your heritage is also from the Confederacy? This is the truth I speak of in my articles the lessons learned from my elders is where I see this truth. Slavery was a big part of life during this time but as I see it was an issue of the time but not the cause of the Civil War, slavery would have ended with or without this war, Lincoln himself stated, "The war is being fought for the Union, not slavery".

We allow our schools to teach their versions of history but we are supposed to keep the Southern side to ourselves. Our children being called down in school for showing pride in their heritage, a while back a boy in Ohio and one in Tennessee were made to feel wrong because they were proud, One for wearing a lapel pin of the Confederate Battle Flag, and one for wearing a t-shirt displaying the Confederate Flag with the statement "If this Flag offends you, You need a History lesson", he had wore it on Veterans Day, he explained that he has Confederate ancestors. So as I see it he has a right to be proud, and it was wrong to make him feel otherwise.

Why do we teach our kids to stand up for what they believe in and at the same time allow others to make them feel ashamed for doing so? Why can't people from the South be proud of where they are from without being accused of racism? Why is our history distorted to the point that our children are not learning the Truth of our forefathers at school? And why are we the ones that are "out of line" when we stand up for our kids by teaching them the truth? We should be able to do this without fear of being accused of something we are not

Our Children are the Leaders of the future. If we don't teach them the truth and the proper way to lead now in a Godly manner, then how can we expect them to lead and teach the truth to their Children without fear of confrontation from people trying to teach them otherwise?

Calling Names

What’s in a name? And why do we worry so much about names we are called?

Over the last several years during my genealogical research I have been so proud of the history behind all the names in my family, I have had members from both my Paternal and Maternal side of the family in every war and skirmish since our forefathers started this country, I had members fight for the Confederacy during the War Between The States and were condemned after it was all over for standing up for God, Family, and the Country they formed against the one they had seceded from, the country they formed was the Confederate States of America and consisted of thirteen states, I also had members fight in the Revolutionary war and were praised for standing up for God, Family and the country they fought to preserve which also consisted of thirteen colonies, This formed the United States of America, now with this said, how is it right to stand up for yourself against the taxation and lack of representation of your “Government” one time and then later in history you do the same thing again, but this time you are condemned for doing so. I may be getting a bit off track here but the similarities and differences in the American Revolution, which was noted as the American War of Independence and the Civil War, which is noted as the War for Southern Independence causes so many different names. This is material for a whole other post so for now I will get back to the subject of names.

Since the beginning of this site and my opinions being shared I have heard and been called quite a few names and I would like to go over a couple of them:

Racist: is the biggest one that seems to be thrown around, The “R” word is one that I assume is to cause shame and make me look bad, Wikipedia’s definition of racism reads: Racism is the belief that the genetic factors which constitute race are a primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race.

OK going by this definition I can’t see where I have ever promoted any particular race over another nor have I ever suggested racial differences being the cause of anyone being superior to another, so with this said explains why I have no tolerance for those who try to throw shame on others when they obviously are only trying to divert attention away from their own racist agenda.

White Apologist: I have heard this one several times from different people and although I know what they are trying to say I just can’t understand their mindset. To apologize for something is to be sorry for the action and attempt to make amends for a wrong doing, to be an apologist I suppose is to be someone who is in charge of apologizing, to be a white apologist is to be of a particular race and be in charge of apologizing. Seriously what I think these people are accusing us of, is trying to make others feel better by apologizing for the actions of those who are trying to separate the races, I know there is a difference in races but I don’t think we should be forced to hate one another due to these differences, there have always been different races and we have always lived together so to say, I am not saying we have always treated each other with total respect but I do think some of us have always worked together in an attempt to get along.

Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest is quoted as stating to a political and social group comprised of black southerners in Memphis, Tennessee on July 4th 1875: “I assure you that every man who was in the Confederate army is your friend. We were born on the same soil, breathe the same air, live in the same land, and why should we not be brothers and sisters.” Now does this make him a white apologist or does it show that people really want to live together in peace without hating one another due to race. My opinion on this name is the same as the “R” word above, it is only an attempt to divert attention from your own racist/white apologist actions.
I could go on and on but you can see where this is going to end up, I have been chastised and degraded, accused and blamed, praised and commended for many of my articles in the past, these comments have come from Politicians and Chamber Members, Teachers and Professors, Grand Dragons and NNACP members, Friends and Family and of all the names coming out of this, I see a similarity that crosses the line attempting to be drawn between the races. Those people who are calling names rather than discussing an issue have run out of answers and are trying to divert the attention away from themselves, those people who are yelling rather than talking in a normal voice are attempting to cover you because they have run out of comments and are trying to divert the attention away from themselves again, and those people who know in their heart that they are wrong because they are stirring that kettle of hate will be the first ones to call those who are teaching a subject a bit differently than they are the “R” word—why? It is only an attempt to divert the attention away from their very own hateful agenda.

Be careful when accusing someone of being something they are not, make sure you have all your facts together before making these accusations and for God’s sake don’t make assumptions on a name without knowing the person or what they stand for, these actions are what causes problems and when we use our heads in an attempt to actually learn something rather than make someone look bad then it’s a pleasure to breathe that same air.