Pam, Mayme, and I have been back home at Mole Church for almost an hour now. We just finished a whirlwind 3 day, 1100+ mile trip to the South.........God was it Great!!!!!!!!

Before this post goes any further, I would like to most adamantly say "Anyone livin in the South, should thank God repeatedly everyday, for the privilege!" I say that because I don't have that priviledge......I only have Southron Blood in my genes, not stainin the color of the soil under my feet like it does my Southern brothers' and sistas' homelands.

We rolled out of the Land of Ape, at 7am wed, headed for Hellanta, we drove all through Indiana under road construction, and 3 miles from the Kentucky border, in order to avoid an accident panic stop, I hit the brakes so hard, we blew out a rear wheel brake cylinder. We limped the van another 10 miles, leavin a trail of brake fluid, to an auto center. I walked in, asked the service manager if they were full up, he said yes, but what did I need done. I told him, he said they would work us in.........With the brake pedal on the floor, I didn't really have that much choice............... One hundred and fifty three dollars later and three and a half hours later we were back on the road to Hellanta... We got to Lijah and Cheryl Coleman's house after dark. This was almost four hours later than they expected us....They still hadn't ate.....they had waited for us....After we carried our stuff in, they took us out to eat.......When we returned to the Coleman home, the ladies called it an evening, Lijah, was gracious enough to spend a couple hours, filling me in on the situation in Ga. I mean, I probably am as aware as some folks that live there as to what's goin on, but when a frontline soldier fightin the war in GA. takes ya under wing and lets ya in on the big picture, it means something, AT LEAST IT DID TO ME !

Sometime around 2 am (land of lincoln time) I called it a night.

April 1st the early morning was spent in the gracious company of Cheryl Coleman and children around the table. Despite her having to head to work, Cheryl had a fine breakfast waiting on the Warren family when we stirred. The Colemans could have not been more gracious hosts, and we in our little family will NEVER forget their kindness. When all were ready, we headed for the Capitol. Because of an accident in front of us, the 20 minute drive was nearly doubled, but we arrived at the parking lot at Turner Field, to the site of an already sea of '56 Ga. glags. That sea of flags would swell even larger in the next half hour.

What would follow our gettin out of our van, with its land of lincoln plates attractin so much attention, will be the memory, forever etched in our minds. So many people that we have corresponded with, talked on the phone with, but had never met, flocked to greet us. The brothers and sistas of the Movement in Ga. could not have made us feel any more welcome, had they provided us a key to the city. It was so overwhelming at times that I actually walked away, just to stand way off in the distance, to see throngs of good people, standing around Pam and Mayme. No high ranking dignitary could have ever been received more warmly than they were.......I was so proud that tears actually filled my eyes.

As we all marched to the capitol building, I could not help feel the power of the spirit of our brave and honorable ancestors, as they layed heavy on my heart, as they marched with us. THEY WERE THERE WITH US! This is somethin, I have experienced many times in the Indian world, and I have experienced it before in the Southron Movement, but NEVER to the degree as I did, April 1st , 2004 in Hellanta.

Hellanta April 1st, was the first "war zone" I had been in since leavin Guatemala in the 80's........it was the first ever for my wife and child. The police escort to the capitol, was memorable, as I glanced over my shoulder from my position of march in the the 5th column, all I could see was a Southron after Southern young and old alike, white, black and red alike, marching proudly with flags unfurled under a sunny Ga. sky.

Despite any report ya'll might read in some fish wrapper, the line of troops, stretched from the capitol, all the way back to Turner Field. I know, I was there ..I saw it clear with these old eyes of mine.

When we reached the capitol, the rules layed down by the "Perdue Power Rangers" immediately changed the mood of the moment. Directed to enter in one door, we were immediately ordered to exit the building, to which all did with manners, only to be directed to another entrance. Then it got nasty, flags that were to be allowed into the capitol building were then ordered to be surrendered upon entrance to the "Peoples House". When I tried to explain to security that the flag I carried was not a Ga. flag (I took the flag of the Blankenship camp 1802 it clearly says "Illinois" on it)........the guard said "He didn't care what it said, it was still a Confederate flag, and if I wanted to come in, the flag had to stay outside" I refused, I will NEVER surrender my camp's colors, my wife lovingly made that flag in my little brother's memory who passed away before he could become a member of the SCV, and that flag has flown loud and proud in campaigns, of almost every state in the South, and razorbacks, will fly out of my " Sweet Southron Backside" before I will surrender that flag!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now this attitude of defiance, placed me and mine in the group outside the capitol, a number I would estimate as near 50. Now I was witness to comments from brothers that we were spoiling the event, by refusin to go in. One gentleman who I previously had held in the highest regard, said we looked to the press like a bunch of "idiots", and that it wouldn't be a true represenatation of how many were actually in attendence. Well before I could pipe up my response, my wonderful wife voiced her opinion to the gentleman. In my opinion, she won that debate, as he walked away. Now, I may be just some "halfbreed hick with a flag on a stick", but I've seen my share of frontline action. I've been cussed at, spit on, attacked, and yes even arrested, but I've never surrendered any color I carried, whether it be Indian or Southern, and I won't. We have made too many concessions already, and the more gentleman-like we try to be, the more the enemy takes advantage of that behavior.

Now, to anyone who believes that those of us who remained outside the rotunda ruined the day, I simply say " I think not," I think we showed true Confederate spirit. The point that it would look like very few attended the rally, is a no brainer. The press covered the entire march, they filmed it, I know, cause I watched it on tv at the Dunning home in Hiawassee later that same night, after stoppin at "Rebel Rags" in Ellijay and discussin the days events with my Georgia brother Bobby. I share his opinion that the political types of Ga. are truly worried............We both based this opinion on the manner in which we were treated at the capitol.. "when the enemy is real nasty, they are scared."

Now, I hope I haven't rambled on so long that the intent of this postin was missed. What I wished to convey, is that the Southron Movement is alive and well in Ga. I refer to way more than just to the '56 flag fight. I mean the whole Southern fight, of states rights, a return of the Constitution, religious freedom, free speech, and more, are alive in Georgia. Be aware folks, all the world is watchin Georgia! Band members of mine followed the events of the rally on tv and radio from their homes here in the land of Ape Lincoln. That pretty much says it don't it?

So with everyone knowing how much I love America, (I've always tried to make that most clear), well I love Georgia and her people more. May God Bless everyone who helped get my family to the rally, (Ya'll know who you are)......I hope we weren't an embarassment to any of ya, I pray that you are closely aware of how meaningful it was for Pam, Mayme , the men of my camp, and myself to fly our colors with ya'lls and to stand shoulder to shoulder in the "warzone" known as Hellanta.

From behind enemy lines,
T Warren