The promise of “Freedom of the Press” becomes meaningless when large national “Progressive/Liberal” conglomerates maintain a virtual monopoly on access to newsprint within a given geographical area. Their virtual monopoly provides them with the opportunity to highlight the words and actions of their fellow Progressives while denying those who were slandered or attacked the opportunity to respond. The Nazi Minister of Propaganda, Herr Goebbels, would be proud of the work of modern day Progressive censors/suppressors of the truth.
After a successful vote to pass a Bill in the Louisiana House of Representatives to protect monuments to all veterans, the LA Black Caucus denounced the vote as being evidence of modern day “White Supremacy.” The local newspaper reported this slanderous statement made against all Southerners who love their Southern heritage. The Kennedy Twins decided to respond by placing open letter to the LA Black Caucus in the local paper. The open letter was to be a quarter page paid ad but the paper rejected the ad—in effect they censored or silenced opposition and thereby allowed the slander to remain unanswered. Below is the Ad too “hot” for the liberal newspaper in Baton Rouge, LA to print. Read it and ask yourself if “those people” desire equal treatment for ALL. The Advocate in Baton Rouge turned down a $2800.00 paid ad rather than be fair to the people of the South. Read the ad and you be the judge.
Open Letter
To: Louisiana Black Caucus
From: The Kennedy Twins of Louisiana
The Louisiana Black Caucus recently slandered thousands of Louisiana citizens when they attempted to connect our love and respect of our Southern heritage to the evil memory of “white supremacy.” A famous Southerner once declared that he looked forward to the day when people are judged by the content of their character. To judge and viciously slander an entire group of people for political purposes is the worst form of bigotry. Prejudging a people without knowing their character or motives is nothing less than an act of prejudice that, of all people, black leaders, having suffered such insults, should want to avoid.
The harm done “yesterday” by chattel slavery and segregation will not be absolved by creating new divisions between our people today. Anger and hatred are useful tools for “ginning up the votes” and winning elections. But it has been the historical source of much of our current division. For instance, Radical Republicans used racial divide to garner control of the South during Reconstruction and in the process made many promises to newly freed slaves. While Radical Republicans gave away millions of acres of land out west—none was provided to the newly freed slaves. The reason was that Lincoln had already declared these western lands to be reserved for “white” people. His announcement was met with enthusiastic applause from his Northern audience. As explained in Punished With Poverty, the Suffering South the technique of divide and rule has often been used to maintain control of a people. It was and still is being used today.
What is the character of the vast majority of Louisianans who wish to protect the memory of our blood relatives who wore the gray in the War for Southern Independence? In 1989 the Sons of Confederate Veterans (SCV) passed a resolution denouncing the misuse or misappropriation of Confederate flags, symbols etc. by individuals or groups espousing “racial superiority.” Violation of this standard is grounds for removal or denial of membership in the SCV. The Kennedy Twins have had personal experiences enforcing this standard here in Louisiana. Character matters. It is morally irresponsible to slander people who respect their ancestors by stereotyping them as advocates of “white supremacy.”
The “art of memory” allows us to memorialize individuals for their virtues. Things that we wish future generations to emulate. There are no perfect leaders—of the Confederacy, the Civil Rights movement or any other group. There are no leaders in which some fault, error, or indiscretion cannot be found. This most human factor should not be used to prevent us from honoring former Civil Rights, Confederate or other leaders—honoring them for their virtue.
The reasoning used to attack Confederate monuments could also be used to attack the monument to Governor Huey Long that stands on the Capitol grounds in Baton Rouge. Long is honored for his efforts to improve roads, provide free school books and forcing national corporations profiting from the exploitation of Louisiana oil/gas resources to return part of their profits to the people of this state. But he was also a racist who refused to support anti-lynching laws because “we only lynch an occasional n—-r.” Will the Black Caucus demand the removal of the Long monument? We hope not, because the monument points to the good done not the error (grievous as it was) of the man and his times.
All citizens of Louisiana should take pride in our heritage. Every time your child or grandchild hugs a Teddy Bear, you should think of a Black Confederate Veteran, Holt Collier. Collier was the hunting guide for Teddy Roosevelt who captured the small bear that Teddy refused to shoot—thus the “Teddy Bear” was born. As we point out in The South Was Right! there were thousands of Black Confederates. After the United States Supreme Court (not the Confederate States Supreme Court) made the infamous “Jim Crow” laws the law of the land, it was white Confederate Veterans who defied both the law and local custom when they demanded and got the right to bury a Black Confederate veteran in the local “white only” cemetery. Levy Carnine was a member of the Pelican Rifles, Second Louisiana Volunteer Infantry and a local Confederate hero. To this day, he remains side by side with his Confederate friends and his grave is cared for by the decedents of Confederate Veterans.
While it may be politically correct and profitable to slander Black and White citizens who wish to honor their ancestors, it is not morally right. Such insults divide a people who should be united in their determination to judge people by the content of their character.
James Ronald Kennedy
Walter Donald Kennedy
www.kennedytwins.com
Facebook: The Kennedy Twins
