Incident at an Antique Store

[L Verge]

Like Betty, I am proud of my Southern background and resent the fact that the popular feeling continues to be that the South caused the Civil War by their refusal to end slavery and then had the audacity to kill the greatest president who ever lived. However, IMO, the whole issue has escalated drastically over the past few decades due to the prevailing demand for "political correctness" and the seemingly endless growth of big government sticking its nose into every aspect of daily life. Shades of 1860?! And, I'll take the help offered by a redneck any day compared to a bureaucrat in a three-piece suit...

My husband and I did Civil War reenactments for nearly ten years back in the 1970s - and we portrayed a Confederate private and an officer's wife (soon learned hoop skirts kept one from having to stir the stew around the campfire). During those encampments, it was very rare to see any trash-talking between the two sides as to who was right and who was wrong in 1860. It was fun for those who liked to fire black powder and educational for those equipped to talk good history from various perspectives. I am out of the reenactment loop now, so I have to wonder if the social and political culture of today has changed things.

The flag issue to me is an outward sign of an inward anger over lingering issues with our society, culture, and politics. I did not appreciate the flags of black power fists that appeared a lot during the 1970s Black Panther movement. I dislike the Mexican flags being waved today (indicating to me a rejection of American values). Don't even get me started on flags of our enemies being hoisted in public places or traffic being stopped on our city streets for mid-day prayers. I used to have a Catholic priest friend (now deceased), who expressed his views on life by admitting that he was "an equal opportunity bigot." I may fall into that category if I feel that the country envisioned by the Founding Fathers is being threatened.

As for views on Mr. Lincoln, I admit to being one of those who sees him as a pure politician who had good points and bad points and knew when to use situations to his advantage. I also think the amount of folklore and legend that has grown up around him does a disservice to legitimate studies of the man. For example, "let 'em up easy" is a very generous thought after he knew that the Feds had defeated the South. He didn't show any compassion, however, while Grant was waging total war with the help of Sherman in Georgia and Sheridan in the Shenandoah Valley destroying infrastructure and natural resources as well as homes and livelihoods that would be needed after the war. Did it win the war faster? Most likely, it did - but was total destruction necessary by 1864?

And one more personal note of my feelings on "racism" and "cultural diversity:" I am actually required to attend classes on embracing cultural diversity, as are all employees of the agency that I work for. I go and I participate - and I often wonder why. Truthfully, I have personally had an African American gynecologist for over twenty years, an East Indian internist and cardiologist for nearly thirty years, a Muslim gastroenterologist for ten years (complete with prayer rug hanging on a rack in his office), a Jewish dentist for about twenty years, and was married to a man who was second generation Italian on his father's side and second generation Russian on his mother's.

I think I have a pretty good idea of what cultural diversity is all about. It's having it shoved down my throat that makes me mad. That likewise goes for the issues of the South being the cause of the Civil War and trouble ever since.

I should probably add that I am on the board of advisers of The Lincoln Forum, was on the board of advisers to the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission appointed by President Clinton, and I'm a member of the Lincoln Group of D.C. I am not anti-Lincoln - I just enjoy learning about what he did wrong as well as what he did right.

My rant has ended - carry on...