The Confederate battle flag is not a flag in support of
racism it is a symbol of the South wanting to leave to Union. That’s right
going back to before the Civil War to the North and South being divided. It
wasn’t about slavery because there weren’t only slaves in the south. That’s is
a myth that has been instilled in our folk stories.
You see before the Civil War, the North and the South were
having issues that included States Rights, disagreements over tariffs, and of
course the one we have heard to be the cause, slavery. At one time slavery was
in the North and south but gradually it was banned by the states north of the
Mason-Dixie line.
With settlers moving towards the west there were
discussions, debates, as to whether or not slavery should be permitted to go
any further. The South feared if slavery was not allowed in these new areas
being settled, these new territories it would mean the government was
unbalanced because if there were no new states allowed to have slavery then the
amount of states without with be greater than the amount of states with, giving
control of the government to the abolitionists.
In 1860 Abraham Lincoln ran for president campaigning to
contain slavery to the south. In the December 20, 1860 election South Carolina
seceded from the union. It was the first state to do so but was followed only 4
months later by Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Texas, and Louisiana.
Later Arkansas, North Carolina, Tennessee, and parts of Virginia joined them.
The parts of Virginia that did not follow was the northwestern area which
stayed loyal to the Union and was formed into a state of its own, West
Virginia.
My father always told me there are three sides to every
story, theirs, yours, and the truth or the balance in between. The South claims
the war wasn’t over slavery, the north claims it was and still others claim
there was more than just slavery at steak. I would have to go with there was
more going on than they are letting the people know even all these years later.
Rumors have said the south flew the Confederate flag on
slave ships but that’s not true. Actually the slave ships weren’t owned by the
south. Slaves however were brought here by the British, Dutch and even Portuguese
but not the Southern Nation, as they had become known. Now the north isn’t as
innocent in this slave trade, as there were ships from New England who brought
slaves to this country and then made their money from the products they were
paid for, for each slave. I seem to
remember Ms. Murray my 5th grade teacher talking about this and how
unfair it was to put the blame squarely on the south since that was no true.
Now all these years later the people of this country want to
rewrite history and do away with the Confederate flag saying it is a symbol of
racism. Well that’s a bunch of bull plain and simple. There was more to that
war then the freeing of slaves. Politics were a big part of that battle and
many lives were lost in order to win an argument and when all the dust cleared
President Lincoln came out the hero who freed the slaves since he signed the Proclamation
Emancipation but if you were to read it you will find out it only frees the
slaves of the South.
It reads “All slaves in the rebellious states shall be then,
thenceforward, and forever free.” It did not say any slaves still held in the
North were also to be set free. Only the ones in the rebellious states which
were in the south. It was their pay back for not agreeing with the way things
were being run, as I stated earlier.
The Southern Nation, as they wished to be called, had four
flags in all. They started with their First National Flag but changed it
because they felt it was too much like the United States Flag. Their Second
Flag was slightly modified but too many felt it resembled a flag of truce and
they were not about to surrender so came the Third National Flag which became
the adopted flag of the Confederacy. They also had the Confederate Battle Flag
which never was the Southern Nations national flag. This was the flag proudly
carried into battle by serval armies of the Army of Northern Virginia and the
Army of Tennessee. It was also used by the Confederate Navy. The Confederate
Battle flag is known as the “Southern Cross.”
There are so many rumors spread about this flag and what it
stands for but to say a piece of material carried into battle hundreds of years
ago stands for racism in this country today is ludicrous. Why now? Why is this
flag upsetting so many people in 2017? How insecure are we as a nation that we
can allow this and how immature are the American people who have no clue and no
desire to find out the truth?
The Confederate Flag is a big part of our American History.
The south is a part of the United States of America and these men died for what
they believed in. They proudly carried their flag into battle just like the
north did. It was just that, a battle flag, not a National flag. It never flew
over a slave nation in support of racism or slavery. The truth needs to be
discussed and taught in our schools to our children so the history will live on
and not be destroyed by those who wish to change the face of the United States
of America.
If we keep allowing the big mouths of the world to take the
lead and sit back, do nothing, then they will succeed in ruining this great
nation and we have only ourselves to blame. The Civil War was fought on our
land and with it came lies that carried through the years. The South wanted to
be treated fairly on States Rights and tariff. They fought the American
Revolution right alongside their brothers in the north and deserved to be
treated equal. Yes, slavery was a part of the issue but it was slowly being
abolished throughout the land. We cannot allow history to be rewritten to
please a few people who want to keep the hate and deceit going.
It is not only the ancestors of those who fought for the
north who have a right to be proud, those whose ancestors fought for the south
should be able to hold their heads high and be equally proud of those who
fought for what they believed in. The south has some 70 million people whose
ancestors fought in the War Between the States, the Civil War. They are proud
of their heritage and proud of the Confederate Battle Flag which to them is
their legacy, their badge of honor and a huge part of their military history.
To those of the South this flag represents southern
heritage, freedom, states’ rights, individual responsibility, and resistance to
an out of control federal government which is exactly what they fought against
in the American Revolution. I am sure there are racist who raised both the
Confederate Flag and the American Flag so what are we going to do now ban the
American flag. Think folks before you start squawking because that is where we
are headed.
The Constitution of the United States of America which the
southern states belong to, gives us a right to free speech. If a person chooses
to hang a Confederate Flag, a United States Flag or the flag of their favorite
sports team and show their love and support we do not have the right to take
that away from them.
Are there demented people in this world who fly the
Confederate flag and are racists, of course there are, I don’t live in the land
of OZ, I am well aware of the evil that is in this world but there are also
racist people who fly the American Flag. They don’t wear a label on their arm
that says, “I’m racist.”
As proud Americans we need to stand together with those in
the South and fight against the removal, not just of the Confederate Flag but
all the statues honoring the Confederate soldiers who bravely fought for what
they believed in. These veterans should be honored and never forgotten.
Our history was played out a long time ago, that is why it
is called history and not the present. We cannot erase the parts we don’t like
but we can learn from them and in doing so fight for everyone’s rights and for
a better tomorrow. Teach our children the color of someone’s skin is not what makes
the person it is what is inside that counts, it is where the beauty lies.
This country has been divided too long and it’s time to unite
and stand up against the closed minded people and stand up for what we believe in.
I support the right for all Americans to fly the Confederate flag if they so
choose to. It is their way of expressing themselves, it is their right to free
speech and our responsibility as Americans to see to it these rights are not
taken from anyone.
May God Bless America and open the hearts and minds of all
those who are closed minded in this world.
No comments:
Post a Comment