“Any society which suppresses the heritage of its conquered minorities, prevents their history or denies them their symbols, has sown the seeds of their own destruction.”
– Sir William Wallace, 1281
Category: history
bookmark_borderWise words from Arlington amicus brief
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”
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!
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.
bookmark_borderThe statue family expands…
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.
bookmark_borderSeen on Facebook…
A refreshing point of view from Germany. The points that he makes are 100% correct.
bookmark_borderRobert E. Lee memorial at Antietam Battlefield
Beautiful post from Dixie Forever about the Robert E. Lee statue at Antietam Battlefield:
You can also view the post here on Facebook.
This post really brings home for me the gravity of the horrible things that have happened, and continue to happen, in our country. The images of this statue are so beautiful, but are also a punch in the gut for me. Sadly, as the post states, this is currently one of the most threatened monuments in America. It’s despicable and sickening that this is the case. How anyone could think that the battlefield would be made better by removing this beautiful statue (beautiful both aesthetically and in terms of what it represents) is incomprehensible. If the bullies, whose goal is to inflict the maximum amount of pain possible on people who are different from them, get their way then I hope at least the statue will be returned to private land as it was before 2005, when the National Park Service took ownership of it.
bookmark_borderSilent Sam, gone but not forgotten
Source: Facebook post from Judy Smith Photography
He won’t be forgotten by me, and neither will any of the statues that have been unjustly torn down. There is nothing more important than statues and the historical figures that they represent, and I have dedicated my life to keeping their memory alive.
bookmark_borderWhy Columbus did actually discover the Americas
This Instagram post from Save Columbus Day makes a great argument for why it is actually correct to say that Columbus discovered the Americas.
As the post points out, the dictionary definition of “discover” is:
“To notice or learn, especially by making an effort.”
or
“To be the first, or the first of one’s group or kind, to find, learn of, or observe.”
It’s indisputable that Columbus made an effort in finding the new continent. Starting when he was a child, he was so interested in the sea and traveling, that he took the initiative to teach himself sailing skills, geography, history, and different languages. He was so confident and impassioned about trying to find a westward route to Asia, that he spent years trying to persuade the rulers of various kingdoms to finance his idea. And of course, once he finally gained backing from Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand of Spain, the voyage itself required great effort from Columbus and his crew. They sailed in wooden boats, into literally unknown territory, far from home, with no comforts, little to eat or drink, and at the mercy of the dangerous seas. Columbus’s voyage absolutely fits the first definition of the word “discover.”
Additionally, Columbus was indisputably the first of his group or kind to learn of the new continent. The anti-Columbus bullies enjoy making the tired, hackneyed argument that Columbus did not discover the Americas because there were already people living there. Of course, it is true that people were living on the continent when Columbus arrived, so Columbus was not the very first person ever to discover the Americas. He was, however, the first European person to do so, which means that Columbus’s voyage fits the second definition of the word “discover” as well.
The fact that the anti-Columbus bullies completely ignore this part of the definition – the fact that being the first of one’s group or kind counts as discovering as well – demonstrates their intolerance and racism. The anti-Columbus bullies see things only from the indigenous perspective. Other perspectives and viewpoints don’t matter to them. In their eyes, because Columbus was European, his perspective and his viewpoints don’t matter, and his accomplishments don’t matter. In their eyes, because Columbus is from a different group or kind than themselves, he ought to be attacked, condemned, and shamed, and his accomplishments dismissed and ridiculed. This is why I use the word “bullies.” Anti-Columbus activists are operating from a place of intolerance for any perspectives, viewpoints, and cultures other than their own. In their eyes, the only people who matter are themselves.
Christopher Columbus was the first European person – the first of his group or kind – to discover the Americas. And that accomplishment matters.
bookmark_borderHow I feel about Black History Month
I recently came across a social media post about Black History Month, which said: “Celebrating Black history does not take away from those of other backgrounds.”
While I technically agree with this statement, the problem is that removing statues, monuments, memorials, and holidays of other backgrounds does take away from those of other backgrounds. And unfortunately, removing statues, monuments, memorials, and holidays of other backgrounds is exactly what has been happening en masse in our country since 2020. Plus, it tends to be the people who are most adamant about celebrating Black History Month who are also the most strongly in favor of removing statues, monuments, memorials, and holidays of other backgrounds.
Personally, Black History Month isn’t exactly my favorite thing. I am more interested in ancient and medieval history, because people in those long-ago time periods were so different from people today, as well as the history of people and groups who are overlooked, misunderstood, and looked down upon today. Black history is so emphasized, so prominent, so widely celebrated, and so popular in today’s society that due to my contrarian nature, it isn’t super interesting to me.
With that being said, I don’t have anything against Black History Month, per se. I would have no problem with Black History Month being celebrated if Confederate Heritage Month, Confederate Memorial Day, Lee-Jackson Day, Italian Heritage Month, and Columbus Day were celebrated equally prominently, and if all of the Confederate statues and Columbus statues that have ever existed, continued to exist unharmed and unthreatened. But unfortunately, this is far from the case.
It’s not fair to celebrate the history and heritage one group, while the history and heritage of other groups are being deliberately erased, obliterated, and destroyed. It’s not fair to honor and venerate one group, while other groups are attacked as immoral and shameful merely because they are different.
So while I don’t have a problem with Black History Month itself, I have a problem with the inconsistency of celebrating and honoring some groups, while attacking and destroying others. It is unfair to celebrate Black History Month unless Italian history, European history in general, and Confederate history, to give just a few examples, are celebrated just as widely and prominently. That is why I will not be celebrating Black History Month.