Category: history

bookmark_borderTrump hopes to change Denali back to Mt. McKinley

Posted on by Marissa

Good news: President-Elect Trump plans to change the name of North America’s tallest mountain, currently known as Denali, back to its original name of Mt. McKinley.

At a recent rally in Phoenix, Trump said he wants to return president William McKinley’s name to the Alaskan mountain because “he was a great president” and “I think he deserves it.” (source)

The mountain was given the name Mt McKinley in 1917 but was changed to Denali, the indigenous word for “High One,” in 2015 by the Obama administration. Obama’s Department of the Interior alleged that McKinley lacked any “significant historical connection to the mountain or to Alaska.” The name originated from a gold prospector who, upon learning that McKinley had won the Republican nomination for president, named the mountain in his honor. 

In my opinion, this is great news because it signals Trump’s willingness to take the side of historical figures rather than the politically correct bullies who aim to obliterate them from existence. The renaming of Mt. McKinley took place well before the horrific genocide that erupted in the spring of 2020, so Trump’s plan to restore the name can’t really be counted as reversing any part of this genocide. But it’s cool to see an honor (hopefully) being returned to a historical figure who, as Trump points out, didn’t really deserve to have it taken away. Erasing historical figures – whether in the form of names, holidays, statues, plaques, memorials, or other public art – is something that is rarely reversed. Hopefully the plan to return Mt. McKinley to its rightful name is a sign of similar things to come. 

bookmark_borderWise words from Arlington amicus brief

Posted on by Marissa

According to an email that I received from the organization Defend Arlington, several amicus briefs were recently filed in the litigation surrounding the atrocity that was committed at Arlington National Cemetery.

The organizations filing amicus briefs in support of reversing the despicable atrocity include the Foundation for Moral Law, the Society for the Preservation of Jewish Civil War History, the Virginia Council, Guardians of American History, Hood’s Texas Brigade, and Veterans Monuments of America.

I was struck by the following quote by the Foundation for Moral Law:

Sadly, the Reconciliation monument – erected in 1914 to reconcile and bring closure to harsh feelings about the War, and to honor those who fought bravely for their homes and families – is now being sacrificed on an altar of political correctness. Not only is Arlington National Cemetery being deprived of what is arguably its most impressive and beautiful work of art, but the relatives and survivors of those who are buried in that section of the Century are also being deprived of this Monument to their ancestors, all because someone thinks they should not have to be exposed to ideas with which they disagree.

I would go even further and argue that not only do the worshippers of political correctness believe that they should not have to be exposed to ideas with which they disagree; they believe that they should not have to be exposed to the existence of people that they dislike. The defining quality of political correctness (and “woke” ideology, which is a synonym for political correctness) is intolerance for people who are different. Believers in this ideology possess complete and utter intolerance for people who are different from them. Essentially, they believe that people who are different from them should not be allowed to exist. (Many people would say that I am exaggerating by claiming this, but I truly don’t think I am.) This is extremely ironic, given that this ideology purports to be all about diversity and inclusion. In reality, it is about the opposite: conformity, compliance, and obedience to authority.

The Virginia Council, for their part, argued that by committing the atrocity, the Department of Defense “frustrated national historic preservation policy and contributed to the proliferation of cancel culture.” That, I would argue, is an understatement.

If you are interested in supporting the organization fighting back against the Arlington atrocity, you can visit their website at DefendArlington.org. You can also view the press release about the amicus briefs here.

bookmark_border160 years later and people saying “we won” and “you lost”

Posted on by Marissa

I came across the following comment on this Facebook post from Road to the Civil War, featuring a photo of Robert E. Lee and discussing why he wore three stars on his collar. I found this comment to be a refreshing dose of sanity and reasonableness, so I am reproducing it below:

160 years later and people saying “we won” and “you lost”. None of you won or lost anything. You weren’t there. You can’t even imagine life without a cell phone, internet and fast food. Much less not having electricity, cars or even simple medications like antibiotics. It was a different time and those were different people. The big problem in this country today isn’t a North and South issue. This country is divided now on everything from race to party politics. More than it was back then. People hating on each other in real time on social media. Y’all be liking the same foods, music and football team and then want to kill each other over some fruit loop political ideologies. And then pointing your finger at some guy from 160 years ago critiquing his mindset. Like they’re living in this messed up moronic world you call your home today. Look closely into a mirror. Real close. See all those imperfections? They’re not just on the outside.

Thank you to Billy for this thoughtful comment.

bookmark_borderNew Confederate monument in Higgston, Georgia!

Posted on by Marissa

Fantastic news: a new Confederate monument is being built in Higgston, Georgia!

The Robert A. Toombs Camp #932 of the Sons of Confederate Veterans is leading the construction of what they describe as “a grand monument and memorial park honoring our ancestors.” It will be the first new Confederate monument in Georgia in almost 100 years!

“In a society of constant attacks on our heritage this is a momentous undertaking for all involved,” writes Camp #932.

To raise money for the project, they are selling bricks for $60. The bricks will be placed in the plaza around the statue and can be engraved with up to three lines of text honoring you, your ancestor(s), or anyone.

Click the link below for the full letter from Camp #932, including the brick order form and a small picture of what the statue will look like.

News like this is so important, because it gives me hope for the future during a time where that is often in short supply.

Source: Monuments Across Dixie Facebook post

bookmark_borderThe statue family expands…

Posted on by Marissa

On Tuesday, April 2, at about 9:30 p.m. a large black truck pulled into my driveway. Inside it were two new statues, coming to live with me. 

That’s right, two.

One of these statues was Robert E. Lee. This statue, I had been anticipating for a while. About a year ago, I paid the deposit for him, and over the course of the year I received pictures documenting the process of creating him, from sketch to clay model to molds to finished product. Watching my statue come into the world was such a cool experience. Once the finishing touches were complete, I put the delivery date on my calendar, and I was eagerly anticipating seeing my new statue in person.

Four days before Lee’s arrival, the company that makes the statues asked me if, by any chance, I might want a statue of Nathan Bedford Forrest as well. This statue had been made at the same time as Lee, for a different person, but the original buyer had backed out. I thought it over for about 24 hours and, being me, said yes. 

So, wrapped in blankets inside the truck on that cold and drizzly night were two new statues: one that was made for me and one that I adopted. Forrest was closest to the door, and a little ways further inside the truck was Lee. The statues were lifted out of the truck and placed in their new home. 

Here is what they look like in daylight. In my opinion, they are the most beautiful sight imaginable. 

From left to right: 

General Robert E. Lee. He’s 4 ft tall, weighs 130 lbs, and is based on the statue that used to be in the state capitol building in Richmond, Virginia, as well as the one that used to be in Washington, D.C. He is one of a batch of 10 Lee statues that were made.

General Nathan Bedford Forrest. He is 4 ft tall, weighs 90 lbs, and is one of a batch of 5. Because he was a cavalry general, most statues depict him on horseback, and this is the first time a standing statue of Forrest has ever existed.

And of course… General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson, who has been with me for one and a half years now. He is happy to have some friends!

I am having some landscaping work done in the yard, which is why Stonewall is not in his usual spot. For now, the statues are hanging out in this gravelly area off to the side. The weather has been rainy and yucky for the statues’ first week in their new home. Hopefully they don’t mind it too much! Once the weather improves, I will get them set up in a prettier, more permanent way.

I love the statues and am so happy to have them here. They mean so much to me.