Posted on 12/16/2004 6:48:26 AM PST by cougar_mccxxi
Americans Owe Confederate History Respect
By CHRIS EDWARDS
The Time Has Come To Take A Stand After attending the Confederate Memorial Day service on June 1 in Higginsville, I found myself believing our nation should be ashamed for not giving more respect and recognition to our ancestors.
I understand that some find the Confederate flag offensive because they feel it represents slavery and oppression. Well, here are the facts: The Confederate flag flew over the South from 1861 to 1865. That's a total of four years. The U.S. Constitution was ratified in April 1789, and that document protected and condoned the institution of slavery from 1789 to 1861. In other words, if we denigrate the Confederate flag for representing slavery for four years, shouldn't we also vilify the U.S. flag for representing slavery for 72 years? Unless we're hypocrites, it is clear that one flag is no less pure than the other.
A fascinating aspect of studying the Civil War is researching the issues that led to the confrontation. The more you read, the less black-and-white the issues become. President Abraham Lincoln said he would do anything to save the union, even if that meant preserving the institution of slavery. Lincoln's focus was obviously on the union, not slavery.
In another case, historians William McFeely and Gene Smith write that Union Gen. Ulysses S. Grant threatened to "throw down his sword" if he thought he was fighting to end slavery.
Closer to home, in 1864, Col. William Switzler, one of the most respected Union men in Boone County, purchased a slave named Dick for $126. What makes this transaction interesting is not only the fact that Switzler was a Union man but that he bought the slave one year after the issuance of the Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation. Of course, history students know the proclamation did not include slaves living in the North or in border states such as Missouri.
So if this war was fought strictly over slavery, why were so many Unionists reluctant to act like that was the issue?
In reviewing the motives that led to the Civil War, one should read the letters soldiers wrote home to their loved ones. Historian John Perry, who studied the soldier's correspondence, says in his three years of research, he failed to find one letter that referred to slavery from Confederate or Union soldiers.
Perry says that Yankees tended to write about preserving the Union and Confederates wrote about protecting their rights from a too-powerful federal government. The numerous letters failed to specifically say soldiers were fighting either to destroy or protect the institution of slavery. Shelby Foote, in his three-volume Civil War history, recounts an incident in which a Union soldier asks a Confederate prisoner captured in Tennessee why he was fighting. The rebel responded, "Because you're down here."
History tends to overlook the South's efforts to resolve the issue of slavery. For example, in 1863, because of a shortage of manpower, Lincoln permitted the enlistment of black soldiers into the Union Army. Battlefield documents bear out the fact that these units were composed of some of the finest fighting men in the war. Unfortunately for these brave soldiers, the Union used them as cannon fodder, preferring to sacrifice black lives instead of whites.
These courageous black Union soldiers experienced a Pyrrhic victory for their right to engage in combat. However, history has little to say about the South's same effort in 1865. The Confederacy, its own troop strength depleted, offered slaves freedom if they volunteered for the army.
We know that between 75,000 and 100,000 blacks responded to this call, causing Frederick Douglass to bemoan the fact that blacks were joining the Confederacy. But the assimilation of black slaves into the Confederate army was short-lived as the war came to an end before the government's policy could be fully implemented.
It's tragic that Missouri does not do more to recognize the bravery of the men who fought in the Missouri Confederate brigades who fought valiantly in every battle they were engaged in. To many Confederate generals, the Missouri brigades were considered the best fighting units in the South.
The courage these boys from Missouri demonstrated at Port Gibson and Champion Hill, Miss., Franklin, Tenn., and Fort Blakely, Ala., represent just a few of the incredible sacrifices they withstood on the battlefield. Missouri should celebrate their struggles instead of damning them.
For the real story about the Missouri Confederate brigades, one should read Phil Gottschalk and Philip Tucker's excellent books about these units. The amount of blood spilled by these Missouri boys on the field of battle will make you cry.
Our Confederate ancestors deserve better from this nation. They fought for what they believed in and lost. Most important, we should remember that when they surrendered, they gave up the fight completely. Defeated Confederate soldiers did not resort to guerrilla warfare or form renegade bands that refused to surrender. These men simply laid down their arms, went home and lived peacefully under the U.S. flag. When these ex-Confederates died, they died Americans.
During the postwar period, ex-Confederates overwhelmingly supported the Democratic Party. This party, led in Missouri by Rep. Dick Gephardt and Gov. Bob Holden, has chosen to turn its back on its fallen sons.
The act of pulling down Confederate flags at two obscure Confederate cemeteries for the sake of promoting Gephardt's hopeless quest for the presidency was a cowardly decision. I pray these men will rethink their decision.
The reality is, when it comes to slavery, the Confederate and United States flags drip with an equal amount of blood.
Chris Edwards is a local musician and MU graduate student of history. He is a member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans and of the board of Missouri's Civil War Heritage Foundation.
LOL! According to your formula it's not, according to mine it is wise guy.
The difference being of course that I can always demonstrate that the correct answer is not 61.
Indeed, it is quite an old problem which, I believe, millions could answer quite readily.
Agreed.
sorry......withdrawn.
i mentioned earlier i believe in this thread or the "student" thread that i didn't enter the thread hoping to make friends but i also don't desire to make enemies
Of course, as soon as your FRAUD engineer butt posts your solution I will post the real solution and prove you to be the ignorant FRAUD that you are.
I just feel the need to remind you (and all lurkers), yet again, that you are unable to answer simple questions which should pose no problem to someone of your purported background. All you can do is bluster in an attempt to cover up your glaring lack of knowledge.
Hey mister FRAUD engineer:
What is the next number in this sequence: 14-23-34-42-50-?
Can you provide a positive integer solution for a cubed plus b cubed equals c cubed?
Hey mister FRAUD naval officer:
What is the standard of proof at an Article 15 proceeding?
By whatever name, Captain's Mast or Office Hours, what is the required standard of proof to sustain a charge?
Does the accused service member have a right to appointed counsel at all courts-martial?
Hey mister FRAUD engineer:
What is the next number in this sequence: 14-23-34-42-50-?
Can you provide a positive integer solution for a cubed plus b cubed equals c cubed?
Hey mister FRAUD naval officer:
What is the standard of proof at an Article 15 proceeding?
By whatever name, Captain's Mast or Office Hours, what is the required standard of proof to sustain a charge?
Does the accused service member have a right to appointed counsel at all courts-martial?
i think i'll just borrow your really innovative (lol!!!)
tactic of repetitively cut and pasting.
but i'll throw in some tidbits as "the coven" suggests to break the monotony:)
"i just feel the need to remind you and all lurkers that you are unable to"..................have permission to ask any questions of ANY FR MEMBER until and unless "THE COVEN" of infidels deems you worthy.
you are not yet worthy.............unanimous decision SMSGAMGMLFC CHAN STARFLEET DUDE:(
keep trying to improve ok?
this is you isn't it? i hope you aren't like.....ticked at me for the innuendo about your "peculiar similarities" to dr winkenblinker.
rofl!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!
and here's a bioya for your weak effort:):):)
and..............................here we go!!!!!!!!!!!!!
in stereo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! snicker,snicker:)
368 posted on 12/31/2004 10:28:43 PM PST by nolu chan!!!!!!!
lol!!!!!
either 2 or 3 hours behind pst. hmmmmmmmmm.
happening new year's eve filled with relatives / friends / party activities???
no? rofl!!!
what a surprise:):):)
just you and google?
or you and professor winkenchiefmogulblinker?
"the coven" has noted your nastiness and bitterness and though realizing what a vile pos racist "southron" ant you are, the members believe something in you is redeemable.(???.....well....they are not dealing directly with you and that my cloud their view)
i think the "coven" is concerned that there you were on new years miserably bapping away instead of enjoying time with others. and 2005 is starting out even worse for you as your postings are lacking ............really anything of substance now.
my personal belief is the repetition is a panacea, salve for the frustration at being verbally stomped down and inadvertently producing a record of ineptitude and phoniness here on fr that will be difficult to run from.
or you could just MAGICALLY say you are not in the 3 hour LOSER window on new years eve when you wrote this post:):)
after all, i say i am in los where it is 1750 hrs on jan 1 about now. but alas, you have scorched your credibility SMSGAMGMLFC CHAN STARFLEET DUDE even beyond your mate, dr/business/mogul waitingwonkpumper. ROFL!!!!!!:):):)
STEREO, I SAY!!!!!!
Hey mister FRAUD engineer:
What is the next number in this sequence: 14-23-34-42-50-?
Can you provide a positive integer solution for a cubed plus b cubed equals c cubed?
Hey mister FRAUD naval officer:
What is the standard of proof at an Article 15 proceeding?
By whatever name, Captain's Mast or Office Hours, what is the required standard of proof to sustain a charge?
Does the accused service member have a right to appointed counsel at all courts-martial?
sure enough!!!!! from one thread to the other.LOL!!!!!!!!!!
but it is my duty when able to follow after you, you little
multilegged scurrying ant-like STARFLEET DUDE!!!!!
"i just feel the need to remind you and all lurkers that you are unable to"..................have permission to ask any questions of ANY FR MEMBER until and unless "THE COVEN" of infidels deems you worthy.
you are not yet worthy:(:(:( still. ROFL!!!!
"the coven" has noted your nastiness and bitterness and though realizing what a vile pos racist "southron" ant you are, the members believe something in you is redeemable.
i think the "coven" is concerned that there you were on new years miserably bapping away instead of enjoying time with others. and 2005 is starting out even worse for you as your postings are lacking ............really anything of substance now.
my personal belief is the repetition is a panacea, salve for the frustration at being verbally stomped down and inadvertently producing a record of ineptitude and phoniness here on fr that will be difficult to run from.
LOL!!!!!!!!!!! jiggle,jiggle,jiggle.......shake,shake....
(that should fire up SMSGAMGMLFC CHAN STARFLEET DUDE's ant
farm)!!!!!
rofl!!!! let's see how long before this gets replied to:):)
i will turn out the lights for now as i need to get out and on the bkk town:):):):)
never been here?? cool place.
Lets think about what the American Indian FEELS regarding the American flag being a symbol of slavery and oppression, shall we? I think they may have a very good persepctive, maybe better than some.
Hey mister FRAUD engineer:
What is the next number in this sequence: 14-23-34-42-50-?
Can you provide a positive integer solution for a cubed plus b cubed equals c cubed?
Hey mister FRAUD naval officer:
What is the standard of proof at an Article 15 proceeding?
By whatever name, Captain's Mast or Office Hours, what is the required standard of proof to sustain a charge?
Does the accused service member have a right to appointed counsel at all courts-martial?
59
free dixie,sw
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