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An Open Letter – March Across Virginia

Approximately two years ago, I would march in the President Day Parade
in Alexandria Virginia at the invitation of the Sons of Confederate Veterans.
Later that day I would attend an open house event at the beautiful headquarters
of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, where I would sign copies of a letter
that I had sent to President George W. Bush at the very same table that the
Honorable Marse Robert E.Lee had signed the surrender of his army at Appomattox
Court House on April 9, 1865. I could not help wonder just what must have been
on his mind. In my letter to the President , I would ask the President to help
end the social and cultural genocide as well as the atrocities still being waged
upon the Southland of America by those who hate all things Southern ; to include
the distortions and outright perpetual lies that Northern historians continue
to teach our children and populous about the causes of the War Between the States,
and their planned modus operandi to use this as a means to divide and separate
Black and White folks in the South and arguably the entire nation.

In the summer of 2005, one week before I would began a March to Maryville,
and Blount County, Tennessee in support of my courageous, and honorable babies
of Maryville, and Blount High School , as they too made their stand in Dixie
Land. I would receive a reply from a person who identified themselves as an
agent of the President; she would indicate that while my letter was of some
importance; the President didn’t have the time to meet with me or my peace delegation
from the South to deal with this matter. To my delight, several months after
this March ; I would have the opportunity to place this very letter in the hands
of the President at a Town Hall meeting in the Capitol of North Carolina. I
would make a vow then, that if the President did not respond; I would make a
March into the nations Capitol, where I would again seek the help of this President
who I had not only voted, but also his father, and every other Republican since
I became of voting age. I truly believed that President Bush, was the most courageous,
Christian , and honorable man to occupy the White House since President George
Washington; the attributes needed to face and deal with this American wrong.

On October 14, 2006, the anniversary date of the historic March Across
Dixie, along with my baby brother Terry Lee, I would adorn the Confederate uniform
of our Southern ancestors, enter the city of Appomattox, Virginia, march in
the historic Railroad Festival Parade along side the Sons and Daughters of the
Confederacy, the Order of the Confederate Rose, as well as the Children of the
Confederacy. I again could not help to wonder what must have been on Marse Lee’s
mind as we passed the Confederate Monument and basked in the ovation we received
from the throngs of people along the route. Later that day we would leave the
beautiful DixieOutFitter store in Madison Heights, Virginia; heading up highway
29 for the White House in the nations capitol, brandishing my letter requesting
help from our President.

I was some what surprised that only one person(Julie ) other than Dennis
Beeton co-owner of DixieOutFitters of Madison Heights, would accompany us on
first day of our march, and that the majority of financial support to help sustain
us had come from the Tennessee Division of the Sons, and the Thomas family of
Blount County, Tennessee. On we would march, rain, nor cold would deter us;
the dialogue and ovation from the people along the route, and the internal desire
to right this wrong that has almost succeeded in separating not only Black and
White folks in our homeland, but also our very own children from that honorable
stand, would be the driving force to carry us on.

Feeling very disheartened at the almost nil support, both fiscally and
humane for the March; at the invitation of Dennis Beeton , Terry Lee and I would
attend the meeting of the Garland & Rhodes Camp #409 of the Sons of Confederate
Veterans on Thursday night, October 19, 2006 . I would tell the Sons that here
in the Great State of Virginia, Capitol of the Confederacy, home of the Great
and Honorable Robert E.Lee ; on the grounds of DuPont where the remains of Confederate
Soldiers are buried; one could not wear anything depicting our honorable symbols
or depictions there of, the Virginia Senate would not allow Confederate History
Month, the Boy Scout Council of Richmond had removed the name of General Lee;
in my estimation, the most honorable and courageous man who had walk earth other
than Christ himself, and surely there was no better man that epitomized the
very principles of their organization, the outrageous decision of the Episcopal
Church, the church of Marse Lee denying a Memorial Service for two Confederate
Soldiers buried on their grounds, the denying of the name of Dixie Days at a
historical living history re-enactment, and the very town of Amherst, dishonorable
removable of the Southern Cross from its historic seal, without the proper approval
of the people. I would ask for their support. God bless the men of Garland &
Rhodes, the Children of the Confederacy who would send their President to march
with us on Saturday morning, the two Greg’s of the 28th Virginia who would travel
over one hundred miles the day before, and David Pontoon, However, as we sat
some 107 miles from the nations Capitol, with virtually no support, either fiscally
or humane from the organizations and people we have come to rely on for these
kinds of marches; we have retreated to Asheville, not only for a doctors appointment
for Terry Lee on Tuesday, but an over all evaluation for the continuance of
this journey; I am afraid that unless we receive some kind of miracle; the March
Across Virginia has come to a tragic end.

HK