Celebration of Black History Month / An Open Report
From: "HK Edgerton"
Date: February 29, 2008
In an earlier report dated February 21, 2008, I had expressed my disappointment and outrage in the decision of the Jessup, Georgia Wal-Mart not to honor the requested order made by Dixie OutFitters for a Confederate Battle Flag cake for myself and Lee, one of their employees. No sooner than I had finish that report, than I would find myself standing at North First St. and Wal-Mart Drive, under the Wal-Mart sign with my flag , while dressed in the uniform of the Southern soldier. Many folks would inquire as to my presence. I would tell them about the cake and remind them that it was also Black History Month, and that my presence was also a revelation to the place of honor in Southern and American History that Black folks had earned alongside a man that he not only called Master, but also family and friend. Kaylen, a young White girl who worked for the Taco Bell restaurant across from where I stood, would bring me a poncho that she had purchased, because in her own words, she had become concerned for me, as it had been raining for some time as I stood proudly with my flag. She would also relay a message from her Manager , that I if were in need of nourishment, to come over to their restaurant, and they would feed me ; a young Black man would also come over minutes later, and tell me that he was so happy to see me standing there with the flag, because far too many people had forgotten the place of honor that Black folks had earned under the flag, and that my presence kicked the moment of racism in the face. An elderly White man who indicated that he was in his eighties, exclaimed that he could finally die in peace now; I had answered his prayers that some black person would stand up for the South and her flag. I ask him to please not die on me. I would be joined the very next day by several members of Sons Camps from the towns of Jessup and Odum, Georgia . We would later appear in a local newspaper column where Wal-Mart would give a half hearted apology, while recanting the actions of their employee, but not before I had traveled on to Cross City, Florida.
In the town of Cross City, Florida , a place that has drawn national intention because of the granite stone that sits outside the courthouse steps, which encase a copy of the Ten Commandments; Saturday afternoon, February 23rd, 2008, the smallest Camp in the Sons of Confederate Veterans, (Camp 2086) would once again distinguish itself by presenting probably one of the few Black History programs to the public that is indicative of what the true history of Black’s in the body politic of this nation and especially the South was, and not what has become instead of Black History Month; “ Beat Up On The Christian White People In The South Month”, as every atrocity or event that involved the interaction of Southern Whites and Southern Blacks in the South are made into evil saga’s that twist and hide far too much detail of the moments of complicity by far too many other entities in the vestibule of evil. To a packed house that would include members of the local Historical Society,( who would invite me to speak at an event they will hold in March), a County Commissioner, Adjutant John Adams of the Sons; I would give the keynote speech and be humbled by the standing ovation and accolades received.
Monday morning, February 25th, 2008, I would leave the hotel room and with the Southern Cross in hand , march down highway 19 to the corner of Main street, where I would be stopped by a middle aged Black man who would express his sensitive moment at seeing me walking around Dixie County with the Confederate Battle Flag, and also inquire, where I was from ? I told him, and asked him was he a Yankee ? He said that he was born and raised in Dixie County. Somewhat confused, I asked him, pointing to the Stars and stripes, if the reasons for his sensitivity included the flag flying across the road that marked over 142 years of deferred promises to Southern folks and the unpaid bills of pillage, murder and plunder, and of course the modus operandi of Negro Rule during the period of 1865 to 1877 that put asunder in far too many instances the love and respect that Southern White and Southern Black folks had found and nourished for each other . Unable to find any rebuttal to the moment of truth that he was facing with me, he proclaimed himself to be an American, thereby giving the Northern portion of the Stars and Stripes blanket pardon in any complicity that it might share in the rhetoric he now brought before me with the programmed response he had been told would shame me for honoring those of my kind who like their counterpart were Southern. I told him to go in the store behind us and get a Tylenol if his sensitivity still bothered him.
Moments later, I would stand beside the Ten Commandment monument while being greeted warmly by the many citizens entering the courthouse or just passing by. Commander Joe of the Sons and I would journey on to Chiefland, Florida where I would once again set up a vigil at one of Wal-Mart’s stores. Two men would exist the gate entrance of the store and immediately tell me that I would have to leave from where I stood, and that Wal-Mart did not allow any soliciting on their property. I pointed out to them that I was not soliciting anything, and furthermore that I was clearly standing in the public easement. They indicated to me that Wal-Mart owned the property all the way to the edge of the highway, and that the only place I could stand was on the white line on that edge. They also indicated that Wal-Mart had a Black History display inside the store that included the Black Confederate soldier with the Battle flag. Feeling reasonably sure that I was going to comply to their foolish demands, they walked away. However, I called Kirk D. Lyons and MR. Roger McCredie of the Southern Legal Center as I always do in these kinds of legal matters. I informed them of the situation and of my location next to the public drain outside the fence of Wal-Mart. Assured now of my legal standing, I continued the vigil. Joe would return moments later with a young man that wore a badge indicating that he was the Assistant Manager of Wal-Mart, and after some conversation, indicate that from his tenure with Wal-Mart, he questioned the actions of the Jessup Wal-Mart’s handling of the cake request, and certainly those of the men who proclaim they were in management who had earlier asked me to move to the road with my protest. He assured us that he would find out the companies policy about the baking of the confederate Flag cake. Later that evening, I would be surprised by the Adjutant his wife, and the many folks who would gather in the restaurant hall of the Carriage Inn to hear me deliver the guest speakers message for the Sons of Confederate Veterans Camp # 2086 meeting, not only with the singing of happy birthday, but also with a Confederate Battle Flag Cake from the very same Chiefland Wal-Mart store that we had earlier visited. Clearly as I read the written newspaper report the next day in Jessup, Georgia of the apology that Wal-Mart had issued , this had turned into a much needed victory for my Southland and those of us who only want to show and honor our ancestors and the moment of their honorable stand for Southern Independence.
Lastly before I would leave the great state of Florida, the Honorable John Adams would present on Fox News national program, the proposed legislation for the Sons of Confederate Veterans Heritage License Plates. After that presentation, a Black female legislator would come and present her views on this proposed legislation. She would began her libel and slander of the Southern Cross by stating that the introduction of this plate would conjure up moments of hate for a flag that had also ushered in Jim Crowe; knowing full well that every member of the Supreme Court with the lone member of the South, a former Plantation owner would cast the only descenting vote to Jim Crowe; another lie presented as truth by a person who is cast in the light as coming from someone by their station as one that should present the truth. However, clearly only a dispersion of tainted truth of history that has become the modus operandi of those who would sacrifice their honor to carry out an agenda to divide and separate Black and White folks in the Southland of America, while covering up their very own inadequacies to bring about social vertical mobility to all of the citizenry they were elected to represent. There is clearly a fear of those who hate all things Southern and American, to have any dialogue about the events that would lead an honorable people to depart ways with a man who had broken every promise decreed in the Constitution, and by his criminal actions forced it’s most honorable soldier to call an end to the hostilities that were being unleashed upon a hapless civilian populous, as never in the annals of mankind.
