Southern Cultural Genocide–is some of it our fault?

by Al Benson Jr.

Member, Board of  Directors, Confederate Society of America

April is Confederate history and heritage month. How many Southerners are even aware of that. How many even care? Admittedly, the news media will give this no coverage, but if they did, how many would care or even take note?

Just last evening (April 1st) I read an article on The Abbeville Blog written by Lee Congleton. It was not a long article, but the author said what he needed to say very succinctly in a few words. He noted the stealthy attack and removal of our war memorials and asked the question “…but that’s the intent of the left isn’t it? Do it quietly but totally.” He labeled those who do this The American Taliban and he observed how effortlessly they pull down and remove our sacred monuments, the remembrances of our culture, heritage and history, just about unopposed by the descendants of those that these monuments are dedicated to.

To be fair, he did note that much of this activity is caused by the “order of leftist City Councils made up of modern day carpetbagger Socialists,…” And naturally you know the “news” media is going to support the efforts of those carpetbagger Socialists against the decent and ordinary folks in any given locality. You might be tempted to wonder why decent folks end up electing socialists to their city and town councils. Could it possibly be because they have not bothered to do any homework about where on the political spectrum these would be office holders are coming from?

And Mr. Congleton also noted: “But that doesn’t change the fact that there doesn’t seem to be any will of the citizenry to stand up against these Commissars of ‘PC Thought’ in support of our heritage and history. They have been brainwashed by our educational institutions to hate themselves if they are white, whipped up by the media, and pop culture that what the South fought for was wrong. We as parents and grandparents failed to teach them any different. We’ve failed generations.” Boy did he hit the nail on the head there. Most of our folks just haven’t wanted to be bothered. Some have, and some have opposed this politically correct leftist garbage–but not nearly enough! If you have fought against this leftist drivel then you know I am not talking about you here. I’m talking about all those folks that had the same chance you had to opposed this crap–and just couldn’t be bothered–too much effort and trouble!

And these will be the ones that bitch the loudest when their culture is gone–the ones that wouldn’t lift a finger to defend it. You will howl “why didn’t someone tell us?” You won’t remember that some of us have been trying to tell you for the last five decades and you didn’t want to hear it. So you wouldn’t listen and somehow now that’s our fault!

Your cop-out will be “our history teachers never told us any of this.” Well, those of us who did learn had the same “history” teachers that you did and by God’s grace we learned what goes on, so why can’t you–or more properly why won’t you? Sadly, many have let the pop culture around them turn them into political wimps.

Once your Confederate and Southern heritage has disappeared it will take generations for it to re-emerge–if ever it does. If you continue to let the far left remove your history and heritage you are ceding to them the right to control your future and the future of your children. Are you willing to hand that to them? I’m not! If you are, or don’t care, then shame on you–your birthright is for sale for a mess of bean soup–or the next reality show!

This next Saturday, April 6th, there will be A Confederate Memorial Day Service in front of the Carvings at Stone Mountain, Georgia at the Confederate Memorial State Park, sponsored by the Georgia Division of the Sons of Confederate Veterans.  It starts off with Southern music at noon and then a memorial service beginning at 1 pm. The flyer I have says: “We need to show the public and our politicians that we will not let the memory of these Confederate heroes be forgotten. Be sure to bring family and friends and enjoy a picnic lunch after the service.” Lots of folks from great distances away can’t make this, but it is within driving distance for lots of folks that can make the trip, so for those who can, y’all come!

Let the minions of the far left and those that finance their agenda know that you have not forgotten and won’t forget your heritage and history. Every time those people see a new Confederate flag somewhere it makes their job that much harder so let’s work to make it as hard for them as humanly possible.