Southern Pride
 
From: GeorgiaFlagger@JoiMail.com
To: hudson.o.todd@vanderbilt.edu
 
http://www.insidevandy.com/drupal/node/15911
 
Dear Mr. Todd,
 
I would like to have some words with you, regarding your most recent opinion on misguided pride for the south. Had you just kept your attacks limited to a certain event or time period, it would make a rebuttal easier, but since you managed to trash all aspects of the southern people in general, southern culture, and the entire region of the southern united States specifically, I will try to defend her as best I can, because honor demands it.
 
I gather from your extreme biased diatribe you are a southerner ( …We Southerners should be embarrassed…) and you are enjoying the benefits of a great southern based education in a southern city amongst the very people you claim to loathe. Wow, that in and of itself shouts hypocrite.
 
But I digress. What seems to be some points I might help clarify for you? You seem to dislike secession. That topic seemed to occupy about 2 of your paragraphs. I suppose but for secession, we would still be subjects of the British Crown speaking the Queen’s English. But perhaps ancient history is not your thing, so let’s go with more modern secession movements, like the State of Jefferson movement on the border of California and Oregon as far back as 1941, and even more recent as the secession efforts of Martha’s Vineyard (See Ted Kennedy and Chappaquiddick) in 1977. Of course there is the Vermont Republic, and secession movements in Alaska and Hawaii too. Heck dude, Reverend Al Sharpton was just talking about his wanting Arizona to secede last week in the media – perhaps you missed that interview?
 
But let us focus on the secession of states and places during 1860-1861. You read to us the Mississippi Ordinance.  What did the others say? Did Virginia’s mention slavery? Did either Arkansas or North Carolina? How about what the Indian Nations that became the Cherokee Braves? Could you please explain why Town Line, New York (near Buffalo) seceded and joined the Confederacy? Hint – it wasn’t about slavery! In fact Lincoln stated many times slavery was not in jeopardy where it existed. To compound your warped view just a little more, a bill to alter the Constitution was voted on, passed by both houses of congress, and ratified by 2 states (Ohio and Maryland) that would have made slavery permanent and unrepealable. It was the Corwin Amendment, and President Lincoln endorsed it openly – on March 4th, 1861 – his 1st Inaugural Address.
 
You state " Admittedly, the South …also cared about the states’ rights to suppress freedom of speech.." Wrong, BUT you must remember that it was President LINCOLN who suspended Habeus Corpus, and arrested the Maryland Legislature and Newspaper editors to silence them.
 
Your stats on crime and other social issues appear to be off. Things like FBI stats on hate crimes are far higher in states not from the former Confederacy. FBI stats also show blacks commit more crimes on others than do whites, but these things will never be reported in our PC media.  I can only speculate as to why you seem very concerned with the decriminalization of sodomy… Perhaps Martha’s Vineyard would be more favorable to such activities? The death penalty works 100% of the time for criminal deterrence – a convicted person who is executed never repeats their crimes.
 
I could wax poetically for days on the great things the south has contributed to this country – from George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, to buttermilk biscuits and fried chicken, sweet tea and Jack Daniels, to Blues, Jazz, Rock and Country to famous poets, architecture, and military leaders, but I feel mine will not be the last reply you get over this matter, and you shall receive a good dose soon.
 
Speaking of things military and honoring Confederates,  perhaps things like Ft Hood, Ft AP Hill and Ft Lee never crossed your mind. Perhaps you didn’t know about the USS Robert E Lee or the USS Stonewall Jackson. I can imagine you would be lost in trying to describe what the Congressional Gold Medal awarded to the last 2 surviving Confederate soldiers looked like, or why the Confederate Memorial Statue in Arlington National Cemetery is the tallest monument there, or why the British named our tanks given them by us in WW2 "Stuart Tanks".  Dude, even the Jefferson Davis Memorial Highway runs from the Pentagon to Blaine, Washington State.
 
Hopefully, the teachers and professors at Vandy will educate you NEVER judge a 19th century civilization by 21st century standards. Being as how you are a simple sophomore, such knowledge will take time, as does growing and maturing. Being that you are still very young, you will be able to do a far better opinion on such matters in about another 25 – 30 years. Please take that chip off your shoulder and research and experience, rather than throw rocks and spew hate. Jesus loves you.
 
Thanks and God Bless
Billy Bearden