My thoughts on this topic have changed over the years.
Bit of history, my father was born in Bossier City, my mother in New Orleans, they met at LSU in baton rouge back in the late 40's. I believe I can honestly say, neither my father or mother were at all racist. Just before I was born, my family moved to New Jersey.
My father liked to paint every now and again, and after moving to New Jersey, he painted a rather large painting of the image below
. And hung it over the Fire Place mantle. For my father, this was completely a North vs. South thing. It wasn't even that you'd ever hear my father talking about such things, like the confederacy, or these "damn yankees" that kind of thing. I guess he thought of it enough to give me my middle name of "Lee" after General Lee.
My family moved back to Louisiana some 30 years ago. I've always found this debate to be a bit on the ridiculous side. So over the years, at times I've thought it silly that a courthouse or the like should fly the confederate flag. Thinking in terms of only the south lost the war. And I could see that the flag could upset 'certain' people.
However, over the years, I think I take a bit more pride in knowing my southern 'heritage'. we all like to take pride in where we come from. Be it pride in your state, or your city, and we like to belong. That rebel flag, differentiates us from those "Damn yankees" up yonder
Quote:
"Governor, if I had foreseen the use those people designed to make of their victory, there would have been no surrender at Appomattox Courthouse; no sir, not by me. Had I foreseen these results of subjugation, I would have preferred to die at Appomattox with my brave men, my sword in this right hand."
General Robert E. Lee,
August 1870 to
Governor Stockdale of Texas
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Quote:
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"If I thought this war was to abolish slavery, I would resign my commission, and offer my sword to the other side." --Ulysses S. Grant
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