“…if food makes my brother stumble, I will never
again eat flesh at all, that I may not make my brother stumble.”
1 Corinthians 8:13
From my own perspective as an adult, the Confederate flag has simply been a regional symbol of the rich history of my birthplace, including contributions made by all racial groups. It was about the fortitude to remain standing, even when eclipsed and outmaneuvered by opponents. I had never interpreted it as an endorsement for supremacy, hatred or bigotry.
I was born in the Deep South during a time when young persons were taught a sanitized version of history. My parents were a product of their flawed upbringing and the Confederacy was a sore subject to them. The people of the Southern States believed they had been victimized and stripped of their way of life by an industrialized North, with deeper pockets and unequal access to resources.
Growing up, I was told many times that the War Between the States was about dominance and tyranny by partisan groups, rather than slavery. Most Southerners I knew insisted that African American plantation laborers were treated as family members and never held against their will. As a child, I didn’t know anything other than to believe them. I still desperately cling to the hope that it was true for some.
This was a period of time when the graphic details of slavery and exploitation of African Americans were barely beginning to surface in certain sheltered circles. I understand that ignorance is not an excuse and the horrors of slavery and other historical sins of our forefathers must never be sugar-coated or glossed over.
I believe that all people deserve to be evaluated by their individual merits rather than being profiled, demonized and punished for sins committed by ancestors, generations ago. Now more than ever, when our nation is hurting deeply on so many fronts; it is time to reach out to each other and time for sacrifices to be made and for groups to come together in the name of brotherhood and tolerance.
History belongs in museums; the truth always needs to be told, no matter how painful, and "…love covers a multitude of sins."
— with Pierre O'Rourke.
Confederate Soldier Song "Johnny Reb" Johnny Horton
Confederate Soldier Song "Johnny Reb" Johnny Horton
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