Pitts: About the Confederate battle flag, remember this: Nazis have a heritage, too

The Salt Lake City Tribune ^ | 3 March 2008 | Leonard Pitts

[Rebeleye]

They will tell you the Civil War was not about slavery. Remind them that the president and vice president of the so-called "Confederate States of America" both said it was. They will tell you that great-great grandpa Zeke fought for the South, and he never owned any slaves. Remind them that it is political leaders - not grunts - who decide whether and why a war is waged. They will tell you the flag just celebrates heritage. Remind them that "heritage" is not a synonym for "good." After all, Nazis have a heritage, too.

[Non-Sequitur]

Poor little man. Well better luck next time. After all, as that well known Southron history book tells us, “Tomorrow is another day.”

[Bubba Ho-Tep]

Ah, so a guy with a PhD in sociology and no record of any academic publication on the Civil War whatsoever, quoting a guy with a BS in psychology, with no record of any academic publication on the Civil War whatsoever, on the subject of the Civil War on an internet opinion column is more credible than a guy with a MA in Civil War history, with a record of academic publication on the subject, speaking on the same matter. Gotcha.

Say, weren't you the guy who said that expertise is not transferable?

[Locomotive Breath]

I read your book. It was real brief

South -> everyone devils
North -> everyone angels

I predict a great future for you as a historian.

[Non-Sequitur]

Now, now, now. Stop picking on Loco Breath. He’s had a hard day.

[Bubba Ho-Tep]

Oh, and by “quoting” I mean completely lifting, with some editing for length, and with apparently no original material at all beyond an introduction.

[Non-Sequitur]

I read your book. It was real brief.

You are growing more and more puzzle-headed by the moment. Let me repeat for your benefit, I am not Kevin Levin. I have never claimed to be Kevin Levin. I have never written a book. You are confusing me with other people.

[Locomotive Breath]

I’m talking about your book-length comments on this thread.

[Bubba Ho-Tep]

I’m reading more of Lewin’s columns. Did you know that OJ is innocent and Barry Bonds has never done steroids? It must be true! He has a PhD!

[Locomotive Breath]

I know you don’t understand, but when you give a figure like Lewin approvingly quoting a Kelley he’s putting his name and face on that information just as if he had written it himself.

Given that Lewin was apparently proposing boycotting the movie because of the (non)portrayal of black soldiers in it, you’ve got a cats sleeping with dogs moment.

I recently had a conversation with a Harvard historian professor about the war. He was an engineer as an undergrad.

[Bubba Ho-Tep]

A figure like Lewin? Tell me, what is that figure? What are his academic publications? He teaches at a city college in NYC and he has an internet opinion column. Beyond that, who is he that we should all bow down at the altar of his expertise when he reprints an article by a guy with even less credentials as a Civil War historian, based on the standards that you've put forth?

By the way, if PhD's cite Kevin Levin's work, does that elevate it in your mind? In fact, if you do a little research, you'll find Levin is widely respected in Civil War history circles, while Lewin and Kelley are utter unknowns.

[Locomotive Breath]

utter unknowns

To you. So are you to everyone else.

If Levin's work on the crater gets into a forum other than the internet site at his high school or some non-peer-reviewed presentation it might give him some credibility.

Every single account talks about the incompetent Union Generals sending the USCT into a situation where they were certain to be slaughtered in the normal course of a battle. That is a known and agreed upon fact.

Levin's account omits that entirely and makes him suspect. I was promised voluminous data that Confederates slaughtered, apparently, every single black prisoner they got their hands on. So far we've got Levin who wants to talk about that ONLY. So forgive me if I find that suspicious.

[Locomotive Breath]

This might be a credible source. Haven’t read it.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0786718110/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

[TC Rider]

Plus he was a lousy field general. He refused to fight the kind of war that won like his counterparts Grant and Sherman did. He was stuck in the last century.

You mean using troops as literal cannon fodder? Lee's forces were outnumbered in most engagements by 2 to 1. Grant's losses were enormous compared to Lee's.

[stand watie]

there is an expression that's fitting for your post #554 = HOGWASH.

the FACT is that REL said over & over that slavery was an evil which was a blight on American society.

suggesting that he was ANYTHING but OPPOSED to "the peculiar institution" is false.

if you want "civility" don't post SILLY fiction.

free dixie,sw

[dinoparty]

LOL, thank you, may I have another?

[stand watie]

not nearly as much as the PRESENCE of "the DAMNyankee coven" is to people who are knowledgeable about the WBTS and/or are not "lincoln worshipers",LEFTISTS,nitwits, REVISIONISTS and/or fools.

free dixie,sw

[stand watie]

tour "ballad" was STUPID & filled with HATE for dixie & southernewrs of all sorts when you first posted it.

nothing, sad to say, has changed.

laughing AT you, BIGOT.

free dixie,sw

[Non-Sequitur]

I hope you’re having a better day than your buddy Loco Breath is. But then again you are a man without any shame at all, so of course you are.

[stand watie]

well, at least i'm not well-known as "The Minister of DAMNyankee PROPAGANDA", as you are.

fwiw, the currently crop of DYs on FR is really pitiful. if this is the best that the north an produce now, the brave/tenacious/honorable "Billy Yanks" of the 19th century must be turning over in their collective graves.

free dixie,sw

[stand watie]

your post in a word is: NONSENSE. further, as a thesis, it is: SILLY.

only a member of the most extreme lunatic fringe of northeastern/LEFTIST/REVISIONIST academia would be bold enough to SERIOUSLY think it viable as a position.

that's why.

free dixie,sw