[Capriole]

Didn't the Civil War end some time ago?

In my garage I have two bricks that are all that's left of a fine family home in the Shenandoah. That house belonged to my people until Sheridan's men burned it. They also dragged a kinswoman of mine from her childbed and gang-raped her when she had recently given birth. Her injuries were severe. These events had implications for my family that have lasted to the present day. Under these circumstances it's sort of hard to simply forget the War.

With this background, maybe you can understand the mental set some Southerners have. It's understandable that many of us of Southern heritage wonder about the rights and wrongs of the War, try to figure out how it came about, and try to comprehend what justice was, what God's will was, how we should feel about our ancestors. That combination of confusion and righteous anger at injustice form the basis for many of the discussions of the War on this site.

In addition, you know, we feel our culture under attack from the centralization of the federal government as well as from left-wing influences. Many of the best aspects of Southern life and culture are being lost along with the bad. For some of us, discussing the War is part of an attempt to rekindle Southern pride and fight off the forces of destruction that began to attack us in the late 1850s and continue to do so today.

[laotzu]

Thanks for your post. Well written. Deeply felt.

[annyokie]

Well said. Thank you.

[Corin Stormhands]

Well said.

[Poohbah]

In my garage I have two bricks that are all that's left of a fine family home in the Shenandoah. That house belonged to my people until Sheridan's men burned it. They also dragged a kinswoman of mine from her childbed and gang-raped her when she had recently given birth. Her injuries were severe. These events had implications for my family that have lasted to the present day. Under these circumstances it's sort of hard to simply forget the War.

I take it, then, that you support slavery reparations to African-Americans.

[Melas]

Not belittle the suffering of anyone who was gang raped, but could you please explain to me how this act has implications [sic] that last until the present day?

[justshutupandtakeit]

I'll bet every word of that "story" is a lie.

[conservativemusician]

That's a horror that nobody should have to endure. Every family that has sent it's own to war or has been in the path of battle has suffered. Needlessly, often enough.


"In addition, you know, we feel our culture under attack from the centralization of the federal government as well as from left-wing influences."

It ain't just your culture that is under attack. It's the American culture. The ever-growing blob in Washington is a problem for all of us. The left is relentless, as we must be.

BTW. The Southerners I know are the proudest people I have ever met.

[joesbucks]

This is not to diminish the horrors your family endured during that time (as described in your reply #17), however what you're saying is essentially the describing the same emotions that many blacks express when they desire reparations. I know that at least from your response, you haven't asked for any. But the pain inflicted on your family has passed on from generation to generation. It appears from my distant seat that I hear the same emotion based on past family pain in their plea (besides the chance to cash in.)

[jonna]

Then maybe you can understand why some black people, aka african americans, aka former slaves, are still complaining and kevvetching about slavery. What this country needs are fewer whiners and more positive doers. With all due respect to your ancestry just what is the return on all your involvement in your negative emotions?