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March Across Dixie Re-Union March / An Open Report
Tuesday morning, November 13, 2007, I would arrive at the Courthouse in
Talluah, Louisiana, park my car across from the Confederate Monument, march
five miles down highway 80 east, and later retrace my steps back some 5
miles to the Courthouse. I would be stopped by a mighty nice Black female
Police Officer from the City of Talluah as I marched back west down highway
80. I expalined to her the reason for my journey . She wished me well, and
related that she would keep a look out for my safety. After some two hours
of posing for pictures for the likes of Felix , a Black man who had come
from a business on highway 80 for not only pictures , but an explanation to
the reason that a Black man would be strolling down the highway carrying a
quiet large Confederate Flag and adorned in the uniform of a Confederate
soldier, I would arrive once again at the Courthouse. I would bring myself
to attention in front of the Confederate monument for approximately 30
minutes, and soon after would find myself in conversation and taking
pictures for the many citizens of Talluah who would stop . After completing
an interview with Ms. Robin Myers of the Madison Journal, the local
newspaper, I would furl my flag in content that it had been a great day in
Dixie.Little that I know that as I left the Popeye Restaurant , and headed towards
the town of Delhi, where my next days march was to start; my day in Dixie
had not come to an end. I would be stopped by a young Black Police officer
who would indicate that I had turned down a one way street in the wrong
direction. I pleaded for a warning ticket to no avail. I could hear on his
car intercom something about the Confederate Flag. I asked him if my
carrying the Flag had something to do with this ticket, and that I had not
seen a one way
sign.I would later embrace the love and respect that I would find for Col.Willie
J.Turner, III, the Assistant Chief of Police of Talluah. I would return to
Talluah a day later and present to not only the Chief an HK Edgerton shirt
in gratitude for his and his staff’s kindness , but also I would have to
pose with the eight young men on the Sheriff’s work detail who turn in their
workers orange for one of my shirts and several copies of the now infamous
Un-Civil War collectors edition by Mike Scruggs. This picture is worth a
thousand words. In Talluah, Louisana, I had truly sat at the table of
Brotherhood. Even the REV.Charlie Trimble Jr., a Black Pastoral Assistant of
Mt.Olive Baptist Church would enquire if I would be willing to speak at an
upcoming community event. I look forward to his call.Friday morning, November 16, 2007 finding that most of the population and
business had moved from the city of Dunn, I decided to contact Lt.
Copmmander Thomas Taylor, of the Sons of Confederate Veterans of my intent
to conserve my now fastly depleteing funds by moving my agenda up. After
spending some three hours over the overpass bridge of highway 20 West in
Richland Parish where I would be visited by several of the Sheriff’s
Deputies; one of whom told me that I was breaking no laws, but that someone
called and said that he better go out and check up on me before somebody
shot me. We both laughed about it, I would pose for some pictures, and as
they left, a trucker from Statesville, North Carolina would come up, the
driver would take some pictures , and develope one for me from his truck,
two young ladies from Tennessee would come after going some two exists down
and returing for a picture, because in their own words : seeing me over that
bridge was too cool not to record , and show their friends back home.
Commander Taylor would eventually show up and I would have to leave the
arena where so many people had shown a display of love for myself and the
Flag that I carried as stood over Highway 20, East & West in Richland Parish
in the Great State of Louisiana.