Action Taken
From: cliftonpalmermclendon@yahoo.comThe American Legion
Box 1055
Indianapolis, Indiana 46206-1055
In re: Membership No. 203639713
Dear American Legion:
Knoxville American Legion Post No. 2 of Knoxville, Tennessee very rudely denied the local camps of the Sons of Confederate Veterans permission to march with their Battle Flags in the 2008 Knoxville Veterans Day Parade.
The Legionnaires, of course, felt free to carry their thirteen-stripe flags, about which far more logical objections can be raised than can be raised about any of the Flags of the Confederate States of America.
Until Knoxville Post No. 2 has been severely reprimanded, and I have received a copy of the reprimand, I shan’t renew my Legion membership.
Sincerely,
Clifton Palmer McLENDON
Membership No. 203639713My reply
From: GMForsythe@Verizon.Net
Here is my e-mail to SC Senator Ford in response to this article: http://apnews.myway.com/article/20090204/D964E6FO0.html
Dear Sen. Ford:
You are a great American! I thank you for your support of Confederate Memorial Day. Too many people in this country do not understand the history of this country, including two very important ones:
1) The so-called Emancipation Proclamation freed absolutely no person, since it purported to free slaves in areas where it had no authority to do so, while leaving enslaved persons in areas where the US did have the power to enforce its will. The intent of the Emancipation Proclamation was to encourage slaves in the uncontrolled territories to rise up and assert their freedom, thereby compelling soldiers in the Confederate military to return home to defend their families. However, Lincoln did not understand that most slaves were treated as members (albeit of a lower degree) of Southern families (else why would the men leave their wives and children in their care?), and these slaves valued this status and did NOT revolt as Lincoln had hoped.
2) The main reason that this country has had such a difficult time with race relations is that the federal treatment of the Southern states was as a conquered territory deserving of punishment. This was the case to a much greater extent than Germany and Japan after WWII which we built up to a position of pre-eminence in the world. In contrast, the US government felt it appropriate to punish the Confederate states by humiliating them through installing the former slaves in positions of authority. This country was the only one wherein such vindictiveness resulted from the emancipation of slaves.
Christian fellowship existed between the races before the racist Yankees destroyed it. We suffer to this day because of the hatred directed at Southerners, both black and white, by hateful people. We should pray for deliverance from this un-Christian treatment of the Southern people. I ask God’s blessing upon people such as you who seek the reconciliation of all God’s people!
May God Bless You!
George