The Confederate Veterans Monument is NOT a monument to Slavery: Many of the monuments erected were done so by friends, families and loved ones who had lost fathers, brothers, wives and children during this bloody war. Anyone who has studied history from this time period understands this, as many first-hand documents will reveal just how difficult life could be for all people throughout the Border states and the South as a whole. Many who fought and died did so because their communities were under attack, or they had lost family members through acts of brutality by the enemy. Under martial law in places like Missouri, voter rights were denied, gun ownership prohibited, people were imprisoned on rumors, loyalty oaths were instituted, public figures were ousted from office, men and boys were gunned down on their doorsteps or hung from a tree in their yards, and freedom of religion was denied. It’s a fact that most Southern people owned no slaves at all, and ended up fighting the North because there was no third option to align themselves with. See “The Half Not Told” By Preston Filbert, “The Real Lincoln” by Thomas J. DiLorenzo, or “When the World Ended: The Diary of Emma LeConte” for more accounts of this.
2. Confederate Monuments ALSO Honors African American, Native American and Hispanic Veterans: Whether it be in St. Louis, Charlottesville, New Orleans or Durham, North Carolina – attacking Confederate monuments erected in honor of those people lost in this tragic period of history is also an attack on African Americans, Hispanics, and Native American veterans who fought for the South. We all share the same history – and it’s ironic that when we should be honoring minority contributions to our communities, we’re seeking to erase them. There are records and historical documents of African Americans and Native Americans fighting in bushwhacker units, as well as other parts of the South – like Native Americans (Cherokees) fighting at Pea Ridge, Arkansas. Not many records exist of this however, as in the chaos of war many such records were lost during the fall of the Southern Government. However, one good resource on this is “Black Southerners in Confederate Armies” by J.H. Segars and Charles Kelly Barrow.
3. Confederate Veterans Monuments are NOT about honoring Traitors: We often hear the dogmatic assertion that the Confederate soldier was a traitor and “satan incarnate” to the supposedly holy Union. If this is true, then George Washington and Thomas Jefferson are traitors as well, based on their act of secession from the British Empire. Additionally, during the American Revolution, Slavery was also present in society. So the case could certainly be made that the American Revolution was also a slave-holding country seceding from their parent government. For further reading, see “The War Between the States” by John J. Dwyer, “The Politically Incorrect Guide to American History” by Thomas E. Woods, Jr. PhD, or “The Anti-Federalist Papers and the Constitutional Convention Debates“.
4. History as taught from Public School, College or a Movie may not be accurate: Yeah, yeah. I get it that we all learned a cursory overview of American History sometime back in elementary school or junior high. And maybe we took a history class from some crusty professor with an axe to grind back in college. Or better yet, maybe we’ve all seen the heart-stirring propaganda from folks like Quinten Tarantino and his heavily biased and bloody “Django Unchained”. The point is, that like any period of history – nineteenth century history is complex (like today), with many different kinds of people groups and beliefs. Blanket assertions today or two-second sound-bytes discredit these people and their stories, no matter which “side” they’re on. Read and study the history in question for yourself before marching on some Orwellian crusade of eradication.
5. Many People Who Defend Confederate Monuments ARE NOT RACIST. This should go without saying, however in this volatile time in which the establishment media “gestapo” and Leftist fanatics are attempting to resurrect the next French Revolution, it kind of needs to be said. Many people who support these monuments value history and learning from the past. Some of us also believe that a lot of these monuments signify the commemoration of hundreds of thousands of dead men, women and children lost through the savagery of war. And a lot of us also believe that this is something worth remembering. Veterans monuments (Revolutionary War, “Civil” War, World War 1, World War 2, Korean War, Vietnam War, Iraq War, etc) are a way to remember the horrible circumstances people went through in order to build the communities we have today.
Our communities are made up of many diverse people, and we may not share the same beliefs (duh). Our communities 150 plus years ago learned the hard way about the cost that comes from not getting along, and what tragically happens when a bunch of power-hungry politicians and radicals attempts to force their way. Perhaps if more people learned from history, we wouldn’t have such a mess today. Also see: I don’t need your civil war.
Libertopia Graphics 
1. In the vast majority of their writings and speeches, the primary organizers of the 1900-1920 Confederate monument craze, the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC) clearly stated that their intentions in building these monuments was to not only memorialize the soldiers, but also to celebrate the Confederacy via statues, speeches and ‘approved’ textbooks, to promote its ‘Lost Cause’ beliefs and also to promote the “Anglo-Saxon” race, aka support white supremacy. Some monuments even mention “Anglo-Saxon” right on them, and the UDC supported the KKK right up into the 1930s and perhaps beyond. So before claiming that “Anyone who has studied history from this time period understands this” perhaps you might do a bit more reading of your own.
2, A statue of a white man (ironically in many cases modeled after a Yankee by the artists), with zero mention of the contributions of African or Native American fighters, built by white supremacists to celebrate the Old South can hardly be called a tribute to African-American or Native American fighters – who were not mentioned in a single dedication speech, out of thousands. That is complete bullshit, revisionist hogwash, only put forth now as a method to help hide the racism underlying these same memorial tributes. Go back and read the documented speeches, many of which specifically talks about white superiority and try to re-frame southerners as great hero of freedom. Some even talk about the joy of whipping negroes. Give me a break!
3. Yes, it could be said that Washington and his fellows were traitors to the English crown. But did they specifically mention slavery as part of the cause they were fighting for, like many of the documents produced by South Carolina and others as to their reasons for wanting to leave the Union? No. So that is where the analogy falls short.
4. I agree that history and people are more complicated than a cut & dry summary. However, that sword cuts both ways – the idea that the Civil War had northing to do with fighting for slavery is completely at odds with the articles of succession written by many of the states which specifically mention it as a cause. Likewise, while there were many selfish reasons the North had for opposing slavery in new states in the Midwest, the fact is, they did oppose slavery there and the south was fighting for the right to declare those states as ‘slave state’ according to their own writings. The original propaganda film, “Birth of a Nation” celebrated the KKK and the Old South and was even shown at the White House. Read up yourself, on the motivation and strategy declared by the UDC as to why they wanted to build all these 1000+ statues. It wasn’t just to honor the dead as many claim, and this is not just subjective opinion, it is documented in their own writings. Move them to cemeteries and museums or at least allow local communities to decide for themselves.
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“In the vast majority of their writings and speeches, the primary organizers of the 1900-1920 Confederate monument craze, the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC) clearly stated that their intentions in building these monuments was to not only memorialize the soldiers, but also to celebrate the Confederacy via statues, speeches and ‘approved’ textbooks, to promote its ‘Lost Cause’ beliefs and also to promote the “Anglo-Saxon” race, aka support white supremacy. Some monuments even mention “Anglo-Saxon” right on them, and the UDC supported the KKK right up into the 1930s and perhaps beyond. So before claiming that “Anyone who has studied history from this time period understands this” perhaps you might do a bit more reading of your own.”
Sorry, but I have to call BS on your statements.
I trust you can prove that the “vast majority” do in fact say that, as opposed to a few cases. Perhaps you can provide a detailed number of accounts citing this as compared to the 3,000+ Confederate monuments and markers in existence, proving that the “vast majority” of those supported anything but honoring soldiers. Until you can do so, I call BS.
Well, can you, or are you just virtue signaling and talking out of your back end?
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Native Americans fought for the South, Apache, and Hispanics in S. Texas, Cherokees. CSA Gen. Stand Watie. The R E LEE statue just taken down in Dallas had Lee and his African American aide on it.
And little doubt Lincoln was a white supremists. “I have no purpose, directly or indirectly, to interfere with the institution of slavery in the States where it exists. I believe I have no lawful right to do so, and I have no inclination to do so.” Lincoln’s first inaugural address.
http://atlantablackstar.com/2015/05/05/not-great-emancipator-10-racists-quotes-abraham-lincoln-said-black-people/
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Ita Lion, your first paragraph (indeed, most of your snide reply) is unsubstantiated opinion, same as the OP. If there was any effort by the women of the South (not all monuments were raised by the UDC) beyond commemorating soldiers who did all that was humanly possible to defend their homes and families from invading barbarians wearing military uniforms, it was likely due to circumstances that arose during the military dictatorship of the South and carpetbagger rule.
Regarding race relations, there’s very little difference between white northerners and white Southerners regarding blacks. It’s just that Southerners were truthful about it. The USA was also built on a cornerstone of white supremacy — but they LIED about it, claiming as a founding principle that “all men are created equal and endowed…with liberty” — but the allowing slavery for 89 flipping years, prohibiting all but white men from voting, prohibiting non-white immigration, and on and on. New England’s maritime interests were eager participants in the TransAtlantic Slave Trade, and when it was outlawed, many became eager slave smugglers, and did so right up until the eve of the war. When the north abolished slavery at the state level, it SOLD many of its slaves rather than free them, to keep their states’ black populations small. And that Big Debate about keeping slavery out of the western territories? Many of the same folks argued to keep FREE blacks out. Colonizing blacks to Elsewhere what a popular notion in the north, where even abolitionists were virulent racists.
Whatever you wish to complain about with regard to the South and the Confederacy, the north was no better. There may have been a people somewhere on the planet with the moral authority to make war on the Confederacy, because of slavery or anything else, but it wasn’t the United States. Not secession, not preserving the union, not ending slavery, not ANYthing, justified the union’s barbaric, genocidal war on the Southern people.
And that is why we honor the men who fought against that savage invasion to this very day.
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Thank you Ms. Connie Chastain for your excellent reply and for the important work you do! Your words have influenced many 🙂
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Under what circumstances was the “freedom of religion” denied under marshal law in Missouri during the War between the states along with the second amendment? Also, although Ital maintains that there were no blacks honored through the dedication of these statutes he obviously has not read about the account of the dedication of those monuments in the old Confederate capitol of Richmond itself, in which an entirely black reserve unit was present during the dedication. As for the whole issue of slavery: isn’t every American today in essence a slave to our nation’s creditors with each of us owning an equal share of the nation’s trillion dollars in debt in violation of the thirteenth amendment as made possible by Section four of the fourteenth amendment and the ability of local governments to raise their revenue by taxing you out of your homes and property?
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Mr. Schweikert, thank you for your reply. In answer to your question regarding the “freedom of religion” being denied under Martial Law in Missouri, there is an extensive amount of writing regarding this subject. I myself have read a number of first-hand accounts of pastors who were forcibly removed from the pulpit (or worse) for not taking a federal oath, or for not preaching the right thing or saying the right prayers. Some books you might find of interest are American Bastille, 1881 by John A Marshall, or Martyrdom in Missouri, 1870 by Rev. W. M. Leftwich.
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What if Lincoln had allowed the South to leave in peace? Of course he was not going to let the South leave because the South produced the tax revenue to fund the government and he had plans to increase the size of that government doubling the taxes. The South had good reason to leave. Do not be ashamed of our ancestors fight for independence.
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War to collect Taxes!
“My policy sought only to collect the Revenue (a 40 percent federal sales tax on imports to Southern States under the Morrill Tariff Act of 1861).” reads paragraph 5 of Lincoln’s First Message to the U.S. Congress, penned July 4, 1861.-Roger K. Braxton
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“I have no purpose, directly or in-directly, to interfere with the institution of slavery in the States where it exists. I believe I have no lawful right to do so, and I have no inclination to do so,” Lincoln said it his first inaugural on March 4 of 1861.-Roger K. Braxton
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“There is no proof of Lincoln ever declaring the war was fought to abolish slavery, and without such an official statement, the war-over-slavery teaching remains a complete lie and offensive hate speech that divides Americans, as is being done now by the media and politicians regarding the Confederate flag.”-Roger K. Braxton
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“White, black, Indian, Hispanic, Protestant, Catholic and Jewish Confederates valiantly stood as one in thousands of battles on land and sea. Afterwards, they attended Confederate Veterans’ reunions together and received pensions from Southern States.
Photos of black Confederate veterans may be seen in Alabama’s Archives in Scrapbook – 41st Reunion of United Confederate Veterans, Montgomery, June 2,3,4 and 5, 1931.”-Roger K. Braxton
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“Lincoln did not claim slavery was a reason even in his Emancipation Proclamations on Sept. 22, 1862, and Jan. 1, 1863. Moreover, Lincoln’s proclamations exempted a million slaves under his control from being freed (including General U.S. Grant’s four slaves) and offered the South three months to return to the Union (pay 40 percent sales tax) and keep their slaves. None did. Lincoln affirmed his only reason for issuing was: “as a fit and necessary war measure for suppressing said (tax) rebellion.”-Roger K. Braxton
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“Lincoln declared war to collect taxes in his two presidential war proclamations against the Confederate States, on April 15 and 19th, 1861: “Whereas an insurrection against the Government of the United States has broken out and the laws of the United States for the collection of the revenue cannot be effectually executed therein.”
On Dec. 25, 1860, South Carolina declared unfair taxes to be a cause of secession: “The people of the Southern States are not only taxed for the benefit of the Northern States, but after the taxes are collected, three-fourths (75%) of them are expended at the North (to subsidize Wall Street industries that elected Lincoln).” (Paragraphs 5-8)-Roger K. Braxton
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“It was on April 8, 1861, that Lincoln, alone, started the war by a surprise attack on Charleston Harbor with a fleet of warships, led by the USS Harriet Lane, to occupy Fort Sumter, a Federal tax collection fort in the territorial waters of South Carolina and then invaded Virginia.
On April 29, 1861, President Jefferson Davis described the South’s response of self-defense in his Message To the Confederate States Congress: “I directed a proposal to be made to the commander of Fort Sumter that we would abstain from directing our fire on Fort Sumter if he would promise not to open fire on our forces unless first attacked. This proposal was refused.” (Paragraphs 8-9)
The only reason the South ever gave for fighting was in self-defense of the voluntary Union of independent States, as symbolized then by the U.S. Flag.
Secession (withdrawal from a voluntary union) and war are two very different events.“-Roger K. Braxton
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Your remarks are ignorant. Eighty-five percent of all southern slaves were mortgaged to New York financers and British cotton brokers. The largest slave holders in the South were Brown Brothers of NY who owned 31 plantations they had forclosed on and hundreds of slaves. The Northwest was not so interested in not bringing slaves into the newly opened territories and states as they were interested in keeping blacks out. Di Tocqueville and Dickens in traveling in the United States both said that the relations between blacks and whites were the best in the South. There they grew up together, where as in the North they wanted nothing to do with blacks and were very racist. Monuments were raised in the South around the time of the 50th anniversary of the War between the States and again at the 100th anniversary Confederate Falgs, Johny Reb hats, bumper stickers and also all sorts of Confederated marketing items were sold to a lot of Yankees heading to Florida and proudly flown and worn at university football games, etc. At the time of the Southern secession, the South was paying about 87% of all Federal taxes through tariffs and duties on its cotton. The entire British and French industrial revolution was being run on Southern Cotton and yet when the South bought cotten cloth to cloth its slaves from Yankees they had to pay a Federal tax. All these taxes were going into Yankee industrialist pockets and to make loans to railroads that benefited mostly the North and West. The South resented this to the man and only 5% of Southerners owned slaves. In the North there were plenty of slaves and they were not freed until after the end of the ware and the 13th Amendment. The South recognized that slavery was not going to last forever and it was basically a private social welfare system, but it was putting cheap comfortable clothing on 50% of the worlds population for the first time in history and was an evil necessity. No other system of cotton production but one built on slavery had worked in history. What the South was concerned with were the taxes and tariffs they were paying in support of the Federal Government and the threat of the Yankees to take away their property (the most protected right in the Constitution) without just compensation. The issue from the Southern perspective was not one of slavery or human rights, but one of their rights to “property”. Lincoln said as much in the Lincoln – Douglas Debates and in his first inaugural Address. Until he declared the Emancipation Proclamation, he always said he was not interested in freeing slaves but in preserving the Union.
Your reply is one of historical revisionism and the propaganda of the NAACP!
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Thanks Cliff. Some really good points made here. I think a lot of the trouble these days is the public schools and universities (a.k.a. “marxiversity) that is unfortunately producing a lot of people indoctrinated to think only along certain lines. I know I was that way coming out of school and college too. I knew little of my local history or how to think logically. It took a while for me to investigate and read on my own, which of course takes work – work which a lot of people may not be interested in doing.
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Thanks for your comment Ital Lion. I understand this is a tough subject. But I have read up on the subject extensively, with source material backing up the statements made. There is no “lost cause” or “myth” here, as I once was in that camp having believed the typical public school/university “Lincoln Cult / Sacred Union” stance on the subject. After careful research, I’ve come to believe that many on the side of the south (of many different races) did not fight for slavery – but out of defense of their homes from an aggressive invader who in some cases scalped their victims, murdered women and children and more. This is why many people find the censorship of monuments to veterans, as well as to women and children who sacrificed greatly in service to their community, pretty ironic and orwellian. Thanks again.
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I hope the truth comes out about the war between the states.
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Pingback: Monuments: You Might Be Wrong – Dixie Outfitters
Thank you for sharing – from one artist and writer to another! Let me know if I can ever be of help with shirts 🙂
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GOP Robber Barons instituted KKK II to fight labor Unions, declarations of secession do not all mention slavery. read them for yourself. Read Patrick Cleburn on rreasons for war, or Booker T Washingtonn on monuments. North started Jim Crow antebellum and imposed it on South because they needed Cotton.
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I read this early mon. Morning. It was great reading and thank you for all of it at this time. Our great Country needs to read this and try to know more of that time period. Maybe we’ll be lucky and it will get read. But when some of these certain people get something in their heads it’s not leaving. Thanks again.
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This is truly a masterpiece. Thank you Honor for giving us all this information
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I hope the truth comes out very soon about the real cause of the war between the states. Here in the latter part of 2017 the different factions are tearing our country apart and creating the feelings of racism in many people that were not there before. IF those factions would admit to the truth maybe we could have peace again. – Southern born and Southern proud!
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They are American Artwork by American Artist as Historical Landmarks.
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Thanks Kathryn, I agree! To tear down these monuments to people defending their homes against tyrants is art censorship – pure and simple. And of course, in some cases it’s also the left tearing down the contributions of women, African Americans and Native Americans too.
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