I've been sittin here trying to catch up on some backlogged mail. I got sick the Wed. before Christmas and have done barely nuthin since but those things associated with respiratory infections. I have, when I could stay awake, watched some TV (mostly a waste of time). We don't watch commercial TV here persay, mostly the blk and white vintage movies of the 30's-50's, some history channel, (when we need a good laugh), and Christian channels when we need an attitude adjustment.

Yesterday, it seemed I couldn't find anything I hadn't seen or rather wanted to watch. So, while running the remote down to the public access channels, I stop at the FSC (free speech channel). I have watched some stuff there before but not for any length of time, cause it is usually ultra liberal, or marathon programs pro gay and lesbian, none of which I have any interest in.

Well yesterday proved to be much of the same, but I watched a program devoted to Memorials, and to the good and harm they do. Yes according to some think tank geeks, they have come to the conclusion that some memorials do harm.........ie: those such as ours that honor our CSA ancestors as they "perpetuate slavery." yea right! ....Geez, I am so sick of supposedly brain tank thinkers and gliberals thinking anyone who believes in the original Constitution, states' rights, and that there is pride in honoring our Confederate ancestors then he or she must be a gap tooth, inbred, illiterate racist SOB...........Lord, how can so many people be so wrong? Anyway back to the program I watched. One project underway takes place in Duluth MN, where an entire block is being built to the memory of three blacks who had been arrested for the gang rape of a white women. They were busted out of jail by a mob of 10,000 in the 20's or 30's, walked a few blocks and were hung from lamp posts. Now, I ain't for vigilante justice in this day and age... (There was a time I'd been for it for sure, like when a six shooter settled the problems between right and wrong, but like a record made of wax those days ain't coming back). The premise for the memorial is "healing within the blk and white community". What kind of healing is this gonna bring about? If anyone out there can enlighten me, then please do. I openly await any genuine answer.

The program then went on to the shortage of memorials to slaves and their descendants. As one of the contributors interjected this is "a travesty far too long overlooked". Ok so let's build some memorials to those unfortunates who were bought and sold into slavery. But, let's place them everywhere they belong, North, South, East and West all across this stinkin world not just in America, and certainly not just in the South, the targeted area.

There were a couple of segments of the program I had to agree with. That the veterans of WWI and WWII needed to be recognized far more than they have been........ain't a moment's doubt in that to me. Point of agreement two........that the Vietnam Memorial Wall (including the moving wall) was most appropriate, possibly the most healing memorial ever created. With the names of eleven personal friends on that wall, I would most eagerly agree... It made me think, it made me weep, and in some bizarre way it brought some healing and closure to that ugly time to me when Pam and I visited it a few years back.

Partial point of agreement three, when the principal chief of the Cherokee of OK said if he had his way, he would create a memorial to the 4000+ who died on the Trail of Tears. Now, his idea is a bit extreme (even to this activist). He thought if a hundred yard swath the entire distance from its start in GA, to its conclusion in what is now OK, would be burned and salted so nothing were to ever grow again would be a fitting and permanent memorial to those lives that were lost upon the way. Now I can't see that happening, but I do believe something more due than the tiny handful of kiosks that exist. Of course I see that project a little more self centered than some. First of all, my Momma had kin on that forced march, and secondly in 1988 I, along with a couple hundred others made that trip on foot, horseback, and wagons.......well, I made it as far as KY before being Med evac'ed to the hospital when pneumonia put me down......of course that was a blessing in disguise, as it was then they found the tumor on my left lung. Yes, they took the lung, and still only gave me months........but it's along time now since 88-89, and I'm still kickin' and raisin' cane. BTW, the flag that led that journey and made it all the way to OK was presented to me in 1989. It hangs proudly to this day on our living room wall in Mole Church.

The program went on to discuss the holocaust memorials in various places in the world, and the proposed memorial to 9/11 at ground zero. Hell one supposed bright guy (I saw him as an idiot) thought that a memorial to those who died on 9/11 was a mistake, that no good would come from it. He felt it will enrage our enemies in the Mid East, and would only keep alive the memories of that day to the American people. Duh, are we supposed to forget? I won't ever, and I seriously doubt those on this list will either.

Now I have barely touched on all that the over an hour program consisted of, however, I have highlighted that which I agreed with and that which disturbed me. As someone who has a granite memorial to Confederates on his front yard, I'm right big on memorials. And if I was asked if there were any I thought should be dedicated, well hell I could make a list as long as my arm. But I think there should be one huge memorial created to all those that lost life, limb, and home on that Killer Sherman's march to the sea.

The only act of cowardice and murder that equals that purge (at least in my mind), is his continued thrill of murder after the WBTS when he ordered cannons fired upon lodges made of skin and bark in which the young, old, afflicted, and female lay sleeping during the plains campaign. How sad it is that some souls created by God, can go so far adrift what is right and human. I have come to the conclusion that free speech and memorials apply to everyone but those of us whose ancestors fell victim to the Federal Armies of the 1860s and 1870s. We just don't seem to count.
Off my soapbox now,

Confederately,

T Warren
Redneck/ redskin who misses the red dirt of the South

p.s. I know the power of the prayer list of SHNV readers, so please add to your prayers Border Ruffian Banjo player Jerry Brashear who has just entered the 6th week battle with pneumonia and is barely better if at all than when it started. He is like a brother to me an mine, and I have yet to meet a better Christian family man. I thank ya'll in advance.