Today marks the 150th Anniversary of the start of the Civil War. In April of 1861, Confederate troops fired on Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina. They took the Fort, and from that point on there would be no turning back. The War had begun.
My connection to this event is that I grew up in the South during my elementary school years. My father taught at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. I grew up a Crimson Tide fan. My family eventually moved to Green Bay, Wisconsin and I spent much more of my life there, but I do have very fond memories of Southern Culture.
Southerners still used the catchphrase "Damn Yankees" a lot when I was growing up. And no, they weren't talking about the baseball team from the Bronx. Southerners were very proud of their culture and history and it was fairly common to see Confederate, or "rebel" flags flying from homes, cars, etc....
In fact, the photo above is from a University of Mississippi football game. "Ole Miss" is nicknamed the Rebels, and their mascot was a rebel.... until the liberal "thought police" stepped in.
The next thing you know the rebel flag was being banned at Mississippi games, even though it had been a longstanding tradition.
I don't care for revisionist history, and if I am ever elected to public office, I will work hard against it.
In fact, I'm thinking of bringing legislation forward called the "Historical Accuracy Act" that would state that the Federal Government cannot mandate that organizations change their names/logos simply because they are not politically correct. No University should be denied anything just because their school nickname is "The Rebels".
I know African Americans are touchy about this subject, but you can't go around destroying history just because you don't particularly like it.
The professional football team in Washington D.C. can be called The Redskins, but Mississippi has to give up their rebel flags?... It makes no sense.
Critics will say that the flag stands for slavery.... but eight American Presidents owned slaves.
Including George Washington. So...should we tear down the Washington Monument next?
And the Jefferson Memorial also...? He was another slave owner.
Eventually, you reach a point of ridiculousness with all this nonsense.
You can't whitewash history. Let it go.
These people lived in different times.
To hold them to modern standards is ludicrous.
