Joined: Mar 20, 2004 Posts: 2519 Location: By the winding Allegheny
Posted: Mon Apr 25, 2005 1:38 pm Post subject: Ceremony for Civil War monument draws protest
Since there haven't been many southern topics posted here I thought since this was about something from the south it belonged here. Can't wait to hear what you have to say about this.
Posted on Mon, Apr. 25, 2005
Ceremony for Civil War monument draws protest
Associated Press
STARKVILLE, Miss. - The weekend dedication of a monument at the Oktibbeha County Courthouse honoring those who fought during the Civil War attracted both supporters, including some dressed as Confederate infantrymen, and protesters.
During Sunday's ceremony, about 25 protesters demanded answers from two black county supervisors who approved putting the monument on county property.
About 60 people, including the Civil War re-enactors, showed up for the unveiling of the monument paid for with private funds by the area chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy and individuals. The monument was erected Friday afternoon.
Some area residents complain the monument is a reminder of the South's history of allowing slavery. Supporters say the monument honors everyone - white and black, Southerners and Northerners - who served in the war.
Kay Henry, a member of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, said she was pleased to see the monument on county property. She said it belonged near other monuments honoring soldiers who served in World War I and World II.
"Why not?" Henry said of putting the monument by the courthouse. "There are those right there."
County supervisors voted unanimously in November 2003 to allow the monument. Supervisor Orlando Trainer, who is black, made the motion to put it on county grounds.
No one had objected to the monument at any of the county board meetings, officials said.
The protesters, however, have said they weren't aware of the board's decision to have the monument placed near the courthouse.
Roy Perkins, a city alderman, said he was disappointed in Trainer and the other supervisors.
"This is really giving us a black eye," Perkins said. "This is not a day to give homage to slavery."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Information from: Starkville Daily News, http://www.starkviledailynews.com _________________ There is nothing so kingly as kindness; there is nothing so royal as truth.
The American Civil War was NOT all about slavery! When are these idiots going to get that through their thick skulls? I think that the fact that 2 of the folks who approved it are BLACK speaks volumes here. Apparently, they have actually studied the history of that period, and realize that, while the slavery issue was ONE of the reasons for the war, it wasn't the ONLY ( or even the MAIN) issue.
As the woman for the Daughters of the Confederacy said, it's no different to have a monument to honor those who fought in the Civil War than it is to have a monument to honor those who fought in any other war. _________________ *Lynne*
~~~Duty, then is the sublimest word in our language. Do your duty in all things You cannot do more, you should never wish to do less.~~~ Robert E. Lee
I agree completely that the fuss over CW monuments is ridiculous. These are monuments to American Veterans who fought for a cause they believed in regardless of which side they happened to be on. The statement "This is not a day to give homage to slavery." is one of the more ludicrous I've seen lately. The rest of my comments might be better suited for the "Causes of the American Civil War" Board, but I'll have a go at it here anyway.
RebelLady wrote:
The American Civil War was NOT all about slavery! ... while the slavery issue was ONE of the reasons for the war, it wasn't the ONLY ( or even the MAIN) issue...
Playing "devil's advocate" here for a minute, if the CW was not about slavery, and if slavery was only one of the reasons for the war, just what was the CW about?
Now, before you go on to tell me about tariffs and other "States Rights" issues, please also answer this question: If the institution of slavery did not exist in the United States, do you think the CW still would have been fought? _________________ Mike Nugent
De l'audace, encore de l'audace, et toujours de l'audace!
Mike and I think alike on this issue, and we have discussed the issue of slavery before. Much of the civil war was most definitely about/caused by slavery, and there's no getting around that. Few southern soldiers fought for it, however, as less than 3% owned slaves or were members of slave-holding families.
When you're talking about the soldiers, slavery is hardly an issue. But when you're talking about the southern politicians, landowners and influentials who pushed for war, slavery is just about the ONLY issue...
Anyway, back to the monument fracas - it is ludicrous how this minority of bitchers equates anything to do with the southern soldier with "paying homage" to slavery. It's more than obvious that these bozos don't know the first thing about our history, nor do they care to learn. While they aren't hugging trees, throwing paint on people wearing furs, and trying to get us to "understand" the sympathetic condition of today's terrorist, they're going around screaming about anything having to do with the Confederacy.
Get a life, get a clue, and get a real history lesson...
... Much of the civil war was most definitely about/caused by slavery, and there's no getting around that ... When you're talking about the soldiers, slavery is hardly an issue. But when you're talking about the southern politicians, landowners and influentials who pushed for war, slavery is just about the ONLY issue...
I agree. I think that very few Confederate soldiers would have told you they were fighting to maintain slavery in the south. Likewise few Federal soldiers would have said they were fighting to free the slaves. At the individual level the war may not have been about slavery. Nonetheless, I think that saying "the war was not about slavery" is a huge oversimplification. The issue of slavery had been festering since the founding of the Nation and had it not been for that institution, I don't believe the other contested issues would have been enough to cause the Confederate States to seceed. _________________ Mike Nugent
De l'audace, encore de l'audace, et toujours de l'audace!
Joined: Mar 20, 2004 Posts: 2519 Location: By the winding Allegheny
Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2005 9:59 am Post subject:
Quote:
Roy Perkins, a city alderman, said he was disappointed in Trainer and the other supervisors.
"This is really giving us a black eye," Perkins said. "This is not a day to give homage to slavery."
I think the only black eye I can see here is on the protestors and Mr. Perkins who obviously don't have a clue as to what the real history is behind this monument and don't really want to know. They just want to create a fuss and not really honor those men with their actions. As JD said 'they need a real history lesson.'
In the July 1969 my family and I were honored to have just come upon a Daughters of the Confederacy cememony with some very fragile ladies in their late years commemoriating the battle at Manasses. There were some family members in attendance and some soldiers in their uniforms. The ladies sat in the sweltering heat under the shade of the trees and their parasols keeping the direct sun from their very delicate skin. The was a black lady among them and I have wished we would have talked with them to know their stories but wanted to respect their privacy at this ceremony. We sat in the back and watched and listened to them share their stories. I realize this isn't the same story as the grave dedication story but we were very much observers and wanted to respect their remembrances. Something these protestors don't have a clue of knowing or understanding.
Mindy _________________ There is nothing so kingly as kindness; there is nothing so royal as truth.
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
Forum FAQ
Search
Usergroups
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
