A New Day, A New Attitude, and New Strategy For the SCV
In one sense this is not a new day. Dixie and her Flag have been under attack for the past 150
plus years. Of course from 1861-1865 Dixie was under literal, military fire. This was followed
by overt, in your face, Radical Reconstruction. Under these two attacks Dixie was united and
determined in resisting such attacks and maintaining as much as possible her Southern
thinking and way of life. In a very real and significant sense we beat off and defeated the
attacks of overt, Radical Reconstruction. This “victory” was followed by the infamous “truce”
with its re-union, reconciliation, and USA “nationalism”. During these years of truce, roughly
from the 1890s-1960s, we were free to celebrate Dixie and her Confederacy. Indeed in the
1890s and early 1900s among the ranks of former Confederates there were many
“celebrators” and a few “vindicators”. Correspondingly the vindicating of the Confederacy
slowly but surely begin to take a back seat more and more to the celebrating of the
Confederacy. This in one sense was what “the truce” was all about. But during this truce and
in the midst of all of this celebrating the Radical Reconstructionists had simply gone
underground, or to put it more plainly, they had gone into our schools and universities with
their radical reconstruction ideology and philosophy. They in essence were in the closet
plotting, planning, and propagating their egalitarian progressivism and its anti-Christian and
anti-Southern Confederacy ideology.
In the 1960s this covert reconstruction began to once again be overt. Dixie once again began
to be, slowly but surely and more and more, outwardly and directly attacked. The playing of
Dixie began to disappear in many places. The Battle Flag began to disappear, etc. While this
was beginning to take place most of the SCV continued to celebrate with very little
vindicating. In the 1980s this 1960s 2nd round of Radical Reconstruction known as the Civil
Rights Movement morphed into the 3rd round of Radical Reconstruction commonly known as
Political Correctness. This current overt attack upon all things Confederate has and is reaching
its zenith just in the last year or so.
Just as the SCV in the 1960s (with a few exceptions) failed to properly assess and thus
respond to the attacks upon our heritage so we continue in many ways to fail today. Many
among us continue to focus upon celebrating instead of focusing upon vindicating. USA
Nationalism has as much or more sway among many SCV men as does the Charge with its
Cause. In many ways the SCV as a whole is still operating as if it was 1905 or 1955 rather than
2015! Why the Vindicators? THAT is why! The Vindicators were birthed to call, by word and
example, the entire SCV and indeed the entire South into a determined, intelligent, and
passionate vindicating of the Cause. We exist to call the Sons of Confederate Veterans to be
CONFEDERATE, thoroughly and passionately CONFEDERATE!
So why do I call this a new day for the SCV? Because the intensity and out of the closet hatred
and attack upon our Southern Ancestor’s Cause that we have witnessed in 2015 has been
unprecedented in our lifetime. It is a new day for American Progressivism and its hatred for
anything and everything Confederate and its determination to rid the Continent of such. The
Progressive, anti-Confederate New Day demands a New Day for the Sons of Confederate
Veterans, a new day for vindicating the Confederate Cause. If we respond to today’s attacks
as we have before today, if we have many of the same attitudes and actions in 2015 and
beyond as we have had even as late as 2014, then we are going to be utterly defeated and
our enemies will accomplish their goal and agenda to sweep this continent clean of anything
and everything Confederate. At our June 2015 Texas Division Reunion, one of our newly
elected State Officers stated in his nomination speech that he was satisfied with the SCV we
had now. Only a few weeks after he made that statement all hell broke loose in antiConfederate attacks. I trust he has changed his mind and now realizes that in many ways we
have entered a new day and must have a new SCV to meet the challenges of today. Below I
give my vision for a 2015 and beyond SCV- attitude and actions.
First and foremost the SCV’s attitude and action must be molded and shaped by
the heart of the SCV Charge- the vindication of the Cause.
Attitude
CONFEDERATE
Action
CONFEDERATE
Our action(s) must be consistent with our attitude or we are just bumpin our
gums.
In view of the recent Grapevine Parade Issue along with last 4th of July Parade
Issue in Arlington and I suspect several others:
First I am not against what some SCV men are attempting to do in regard to
these situations and others like them. Indeed I am not against or opposed to
anybody who in any way speaks up for our Confederate Heritage. However I do
find it not only interesting but somewhat disturbing that in at least these two
particular situations (Grapevine and Arlington) one resulted in at least some
restrictions on the Battle Flag and the other with a reported “pairing with SUV”.
It seems to some extent and in some, if not many or most cases the SCV is
seeking to “defend our Heritage” by acting as subjects who have to dicker and
deal with our Progressive Yankee rulers for permission. I understand that in
some ways, unless we want to be hunted “outlaws”, that we all are indeed
somewhat “subject” to our Yankee Masters. But I for one do not want to be
“subject” to the sobs any more than I have to be. I think most of you know
where I am coming from but in case you do not understand where I’m coming
from please understand that I am absolutely opposed to this, as one Virginia
CSA Vet put it, “blue-grey business”. I absolutely refuse to in any way honor any
man or woman who participated in the illegal and immoral invasion, murder,
rape, theft, destruction, subjugation, and occupation of the free and
independent Confederacy of Sovereign Republics who only wanted to be left
alone. And in case I sent this to someone who does not “get” what I am saying I
know all about General Lee’s position and attitude towards Grant etc. I also
know Major Dabney’s position and attitude along with General Early’s and
many others. Anyway- here is my proposal to remedy this lapping up of bones
that our yankee masters toss us and dickering and dealing with them in order to
be involved in their progressive Parades that honor everything from that tyrant
Lincoln and his yankee horde to sodomites, etc.
I say that we ought to begin to have our own parades- Southern, Dixie,
Confederate parades and events that honor our Confederate people. I know
that we already have various events but how about our own parades with a
Confederate Color Guard and perhaps Confederate Bands playing Dixie and
other Southern songs. Yes, I understand that we are few in numbers and
resources but if we pool our numbers and resources and concentrate our
energy, time, and money on Confederate Parades and Events we could perhaps
pull off some good parades and events. Again, I do not oppose participation in
these events that are not about the Confederacy and its Cause but I say perhaps
it is time for us to put our limited time, energy, and resources into Confederate
events.
In short the SCV today needs to be CONFEDERATE- Confederate from the top of
our heads to the tip of our toes. Confederate inside and out. The “truce” with its
reconciliation and re-union and promotion of “American” nationalism was a
tragic mistake but we should learn from our mistakes and move forward.
Forward the Colors! The CONFEDERATE COLORS!
As a relevant postscript, it is yankee thinking to get caught up in how much we
do. It is Confederate thinking to be caught up with and concerned in what we do
and how we do it. We have limited men, limited time, and limited resources. Let
us take what we have and spend it wisely on vindicating the Cause and being
CONFEDERATE! RR