Monthly Archives: December 2010

They gathered in Charleston, South Carolina this past weekend to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the day their ancestors announced a declaration of secession from the United States. Over 200 people at this gala ball were dressed in 19th century costumes, and when the document was once again signed, they rose and sang, Dixie, the song which was sung by Confederate soldiers who were engaged in a war to end their nation. Michael Given, defended honoring those who began a war that resulted in the death of over 500,000 men and wounding of nearly a million. He denied it was about slavery, and defended his ancestors for standing up for state rights. ‘It’s about honoring our ancestors for their tenacity. It’s about the bravery and courage of our ancestors.” Like most in the audience, the Civil War had nothing to do with the issue of slavery, it had to do with defending state rights. As Professor Blain Roberts of California State University put it, the South may have lost the battle of the Civil War, but, “they won the memory of the war, at least.”

Fast forward to 2139 in the city of Munich in Germany. A group of Germans have gathered to celebrate the beginning of World War II which, in their view, was war about restoring the honor of their nation which had been humiliated in 1918 after losing WWI. The Nazi regime of Adolf Hitler had nothing to do with the issue of Jews, OK, a few died, but the real reason for this celebration is: “to honor the bravery and tenacity of German soldiers. They must be honored for their bravery.”

As I recall, when Muslims in America wanted to build a mosque near Ground Zero they were accused of humiliating those who died on 9/11. Yes, 2,900 died on that day, but 500,000 died in the Civil War and no one is protesting celebrations of those who did the killing.