I get called a lib a lot around here.......... kinda weird, but that happens. Anyways, I pose a question of both the right and those of us not so far right.
Don't folks have the right to maintain some pride in their own heritage?? I mean, shouldn't the American Indian be proud of who he is and what his heritage is all about and realize his/her people offer much to the planet.... even IF others are too stupid to understand that?
Same sentence but substitute "black white man" as the Indians used to refer to black folks. Don't THEY have the right to feel pride in their ethnicity? Their heritage, their history?
Now, we Americans are damn proud of OUR history and culture.......... while, at the same time, we ignore many abominable acts done in the past to varying peoples all over the globe in the name of progress, or expansion, or just crazy imperialism and stupidity in our name. Yet we pound ourselves proudly on the back and play our anthem at EVERY sporting event in the Country, literally thousands of times a week in cities and towns all across the Country, proclaiming our great heritage. We think nothing of it. We're proud of who we are. Within reason, that's rightfully so. We HAVE stood solid for freedom for awhile now and ought to be proud. We also ought to start growing up intellectually. Start being honest with ourselves. We're far from perfect and our history (if we're honest with ourselves) tells us so. Very plainly. We're a flawed people. Divided from the start. Half pompous puritans, and other religious sorts, and the other half outlaws/ruffian loners who just won't let others tell him "how to live". The Constitution (from the gitgo) was a compromise between these two elements.
The southern folks should have the same rights as the Indian or the black man to feel proud of their heritage and who they are.....including their ancestors who may have fought and died for the Confederacy........ they were no less honorable than the brave soldiers of the union.......... they just did their perceived duty..... in Lee's case for his beloved Virginia. My ancestors were torn in two. Missourians, we fought brother vs. brother in that F-ing war. One brother was not more honorable than the other........ no matter which side won! Both brothers have a RIGHT to feel proud of who they ARE! As do their descendants!
So does the southerners of us today. As long as they realize "men are men" and ALL are flawed, including ourselves!! The confederacy committed no greater transgressions against this Country than did the Union forces. Sherman's march was an abomination against everything decent, and it sure as hell was an injustice perpetrated on Americans! The people abused during that march were Americans prior to the war, and Americans again afterwards That war was Americans vs. Americans. Let's not forget that. Lee was not a "traitor", He was a flawed man doing what he deemed his duty to his own people/state.
Similarly, The great Indian Chief, Cochise was not a "traitor" for fighting against and killing those that sought to take away his people's land and way of life. Indians have no need to feel shame for killing Union troops during those conflicts. They were acting honorably, doing what was expected of them to protect their own people. It should be the exact same with those descended from the confederacy. Leave them their pride in their ethnicity. No one is practicing slavery these days and prejudice has always been around and is a deficiency of compassion........ not an expression of ethnicity.
Nobody has any right to feel that they are some sort of superior "American" because they descend from northerners. Plenty of atrocities have been committed under OUR flag by soldiers from all parts of this land, all just doing their duty......... honorably. When atrocities are committed, you can't blame the individuals (or their descendants) if they were just doing their honorable duty. You must look at the whole, the why? Sometimes there is no one to blame (individually) for an evil. Other times we can find a culprit who was primarily responsible (like Hitler), but it was still us. Humans. We're violent and flawed. By nature. Time to deal with it and try on some intellectual growth and honest assessment about ourselves. See IF we can start treating each other with more respect. Stop hating and fearing each other because we're different and celebrate those differences instead. Build bridges, not walls!
Call me all the names you want, BUT try and answer the question I posed. Doesn't the "rebel" have just as much right to celebrate HIS heritage as do you?