GETTING RID OF OUR SOUTHERN HERITAGE (One Statue at a Time)

No matter what you believe to be the underlying reasons for the Civil War, and the secession of the South from the United States, the removal of Confederate statues from our courthouse lawns and parks is absolutely unconscionable, is an attempt to change history, steal away our Southern heritage, and is comparable to Hitler's book burning.

Since that deplorable young bigot massacred those nine precious black church members in the midst of their Bible study, it has been "Get rid of those hideous Confederate statues" (like yesterday), whereas, they have stood in their respective places for a century and more; throughout the seasons of our nation's life, including two World Wars and the Civil Rights movement.

To be sure, I absolutely deplore the presence of slavery in the Civil War era of the South, and sadly, some of my own ancestors 'owned' slaves. At the same time, (and something which has only recently come to light in my own life) my own 5x great grandmother was a black slave in Revolutionary America.

However, the average Confederate soldier never owned a slave, and lived in an humble cabin or cottage on a small parcel of land. And let it here be said, that he displayed an equal amount of courage, and died for what he considered to be 'the cause' as well as any Union soldier ever did.

Leaving any consideration of memorials erected to Confederate generals aside, the vast number of these statues represent the common Southern soldier. And, more often than not, the moneys for these granite and marble remembrances was generated by fundraisers; hosted by the widows and orphans of those who gave their last full measure of devotion.

Interestingly enough, the same statues which were erected in the North, after the Civil War, were also erected in the South. It seems one company, in particular, manufactured the same exact granite model; the only difference between them, the belt buckle. (US/CSA)

I happen to be a member of The Sons of Confederate Veterans organization; the successor organization to The United Confederate Veterans. (Obviously, these brave men have long since passed from the earth). As a member of the SCV, I am a direct descendant of at least two Southern gentlemen who fought under the flag of 'the stars and bars,' (The Confederate Battle Flag).

At the same time, it is important to declare that I deplore such 'organizations' as the KKK and the White Militant Movement. The myth of Aryanism and white supremacy and the practice of racial bias has absolutely no place in our country and culture.

All this being said, leave our statues and Southern heritage alone. Allow us to celebrate the common Confederate soldier who fought for home, family and country, who gave his tomorrows for our todays, and who now rests beneath the sacred soil for which he gave the last full measure of devotion.

by William McDonald, PhD. Excerpt from (Mc)Donald's Daily Diary. Pt. 72. Copyright Pending.

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