During the War of Northern Aggression not every Southerner was on board for the Cause. Not every Yankee was opposed to the Cause. The numbers, apparently, from the action of four years of massacre and bloodshed indicate that each of the other sides saw few who crossed over. So be it. Or so it was.
Records are probably not available on certain subjective subjects, but through diaries, newspaper accounts, witnesses to personal conversation and such reports as were had, it seems to be the case that most who took the opposite side were in some measure at the least, respected. George H. Thomas and John C. Pemberton were men who went over to the other side: Pemberton of Pennsylvania to the CSA, Thomas of Virginia remained with the Union.
For the most part (reading as much subjective history as possible) both men were honorable and respected by their birth place.
Today, the stampede is not just to denigrate the South for its “rise in treason via so-called rebellion” but to do as Sherman (respected mostly by the Devil if by anyone) attempted to do with the torch: that is, eviscerate the Southern Cause and the Southern life. Today’s stampede wishes to grind into the dust the monuments, the flags, the words and any semblance of duty to family and community. It is so pronounced that to any truly honest student of history, that old bromide “Me thinks the lady protest too much,” sounds an ugly echo!
This rampant protestation by and for the politicization of a new South is generally a clamoring by Republicans in conservative clothing. These are the usual suspects, Sean Hannity, Mark Levin, Rush Limbaugh and most of the Fox News gang.
But this mad dash again has Southerners on the “other” side; and not the George H. Thomas sort of Southerner. And a few of these are the kind who, like Judas, do it for silver. Respected? Not from this corner.
But now these Judas-type of partisans of political attention-preening, rise, it seems, like maggots off of road kill. These are the sectional sissies who prize attention from those whom they hope will help them the most. Their principles lie on the same highway like a yellow streak where the road killed was killed—often skunks.
Those muddled little cowards like Jeff Sessions who thought he no longer needed Southern (specifically Alabama) support. So as soon as he was appointed Attorney General, he waddled up to Philadelphia to announce that Southerners had always been lying when they said the War was not about slavery. Sessions gave the typical neocon version that Southerners only pretended the War was over states rights and true “republican” rights so that they could enslave and hate. Sessions stood proudly on Lincoln’s birthday to get those neocon Yankee bravadoes for his crossover applause.
But dang! As luck would have it, little Jeff with his Alabama twang still in tack turned tail and ran from the big bad deep-state, thereby ultimately losing his job as A.G. He ended up back in Alabama looking for his old job, the yellow line still painted.
The resulting irony of that will be saved for the moment.
Because now another of the “I love the South as long as it makes me money folks.” This lover of lucre but not of (also) Alabama is Early James, singer of songs.
This is a 26-year old singer, who now with Southern fame (“I’m in Nashville, yaaaaaa”) decides to pile on the blame and shame game of the South.
James has taken the song made relatively famous and with a tinge of Southern sympathy in it “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down,” did a neo-con tweak by changing some of the lyrics and then verbally expectorated on at least a few Southerners. “I hope this pissed some people off,” James remarked.
Unlike my father before me, who I will never understand
Unlike the others below me, who took a rebel stand
Depraved and powered to enslave
I think it’s time we laid hate in its grave
I swear by the mud below my feet
That monument won’t stand, no matter how much concrete
If it makes you happy, Mr. James, it did. But not at you. You ain’t worth a dime’s worth of “pissed off.” Any anger is reserved for the lack of honor you gave those you betrayed.
There are a lot of Southerners who have different thoughts and opinions of the everything from the War of Northern Aggression to the Civil Rights era post WWII. And most don’t wear their political patches for all to see while they pompously smile for the lights and cameras.
I have no idea what the mindset of Charlie Daniels was regarding the late war of 1861-65 or his contemporary civil rights notions. But he was a proud member until the day he died of the Sons of Confederate Veterans. This organization having had members spread across the spectrum from Harry Truman to Clint Eastwood. The point being, these men wanted not to “piss off,” but to compliment courage and honor. Perhaps one day you may understand what these things are.
Oh yeah—about that irony regarding the poltroon prince, Jeff Sessions. Oddly enough he lost his Senate race to a former football coach from Auburn. What can be more laced with irony than that. Don’t see it?
One of the proudest members of the SCV until the day he died was a football coach from Alabama by the name of Paul Bear Bryant.
Happy Confederate Memorial Day next time, Jeff, Early. Say hello to Judas when you meet him in eternity.
