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Archiver > TNDICKSO > 2000-05 > 0957214013


From: Jim Davis <>
Subject: Re: [TNDICKSO] The South
Date: Mon, 01 May 2000 15:46:53 -0500


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Dear Jason,
Sir the pleasure is mine. As I said, I don't want to change your mind, and
you have well stated your point, and you made a few with me along the way. Thank
you, sir, for taking the time to reply, your points ring true. I hope some day
all people can live togather in haromny and peace, and we can. I just know it.
Again Sir Jason, the pleasure has been mine.

Best Wishes To You and Yours,
Jim Davis;

"Jason M. Canon" wrote:

> Dear Jim,
>
> How honored I feel to be corresponding with a person like yourself
> whom I consider to be the finest of gentlemen. I can agree that most
> of your excellent points are absolutely correct. People usually go to
> war over economics (money), politics (as you so correctly
> pointed to Lincoln's reelection goals), and I believe that even
> the ancient Jewish bible was used in justifying slavery in America
> because it does say that if you are a slave be true to your master.
> Although this text was related to the time when Jews were slaves to the
> Egyptians, the bible was also believed by southerns to justify the owning
> of slaves. Then there was the other great divide going on. The north
> was moving rapidly toward industrialization, factories, and automation,
> (the industrial revolution) while the south was stuck in the era of
> raising food via cheap labor. The south was content with a 2 class
> society while the north was creating a middle class. For what it
> is worth my family inherited a number of slaves via marriage that were
> sold before the war so my family indeed profited from slavery.
>
> All of the above finer points of discussion and your eloquent illustrations
> are important to us because we were not the slaves that were sent out
> into the cotton fields to work. We did not have our family member sold
> off like cattle. We did not feel the pain of blood flowing down our backs
> from flogging. You and I can point to many causes for the Civil War and
> most likely economics played the largest role in the creation of the war.
> I live 30 miles from Washington, DC and 30 miles from Richmond,
> Virginia-the capital of the confederacy and there is devastation and
> defiance reminders all over these areas; just as there are massive
> national cemeteries. The land for Arlington cemetery, for example,
> was taken from General Robert E. Lee. Lee was very torn by having
> to fight in a war that he knew the south had no chance of winning but
> he felt duty and honor bound to defend his fellow southerners.
>
> You are correct that history classes point out all of the contributing
> factors to the war but for those poor uneducated enslaved people
> there was really only 1 factor that was important to them; namely
> let me be free. For them and their descendants, just as it was true
> for the Jewish people, slavery and freedom were the only issues
> that really mattered.
>
> No one will ever be able to rewrite history as there are too many
> graves marked with CSA and Union emblems and no county
> in the world will allow us to forget the terrible destruction that
> happened in our own country such as the burning of Atlanta.
>
> Today, America must move forward so that even those who
> did not benefit from a university education can live here and
> feel welcomed without having the defiant rebel flag flying in
> their face.
>
> Funny side story--My wife and I live in an English Tudor style house
> and we visited Quebec (in French Canada) and found their flag
> so beautiful we decided (just for the beautiful colors) to hang
> it over our garage as a decoration to our house. Believe it or
> not several English speaking Canadian also live in our area and
> one night they ripped the flag down by breaking the pole off
> at the base. Gee, we were not on either side of the "Canadian
> Civil War," which again is about economics and racial/language
> differences yet we now understand the hatred level of what is
> going on up there. As we found out the hard way, flags can raise
> very negative emotions even though that was clearly not our
> intent. So, I do believe that we must recognize that rebel flags
> have had their time in history, that time has passed, and a brighter
> future awaits us all.
>
> The pleasure in speaking with you, Sir Jim Davis, is indeed all mine.
>
> Respectfully,
> Jason Canon
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Jim Davis" <>
> To: <>
> Sent: Monday, May 01, 2000 12:19 AM
> Subject: Re: [TNDICKSO] The South
>
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> >
> > Dear Jason,
> >
> > How right it is to express your opinion. I do not see the flag like
> you do
> > but the blood of my family ran rich on battle fields to give you the
> freedom to
> > express yourself. I personally feel that the cotton plant that the slaves
> had to
> > work is a lot more offensive that that "flag" but to each his own. Also I
> think
> > you missed something in history class, but re reading would help on that
> one. It
> > was more that slavery that we rebelled over, and no one goes into war
> lightly.
> > Anyone who has been there knows that. I do agree that slavery has no place
> in
> > the world, and as far as I know none in our family ever owned a slave.
> Still we
> > fought the war. If it were only over slavery, why did so many none slave
> owners
> > fight? Slavery became an issue when Honorable President Lincon needed
> > reelection. I hold no grudge against any man because of his race,
> birthplace,
> > religion, ect. and do not ridicule anyone for events beyond his control. I
> stand
> > squarely against discrimination in any shape or form. It is at great
> personal
> > risk, in America today, when anyone defends the rights of southern people.
> > George Wallace and the Great State of Mississippi leap to the minds of
> everyone.
> > Still, southerners have a right to the same protections enjoyed by the
> rest of
> > america. No more and no less. All the folks I know , as far as I can
> determine
> > feel the same way, and the flag issue is personal to each in their own
> way. You
> > are a great example to that. I do respect you, and your opinion. I do not
> want
> > to change your mind but I do hope that you can find it in your heart to
> "live
> > and let live." Please don't belittle the people that hold their "rebel"
> flag so
> > high. We are a nation of rebels, in as much as we rebelled against
> England.
> > Still there is no bad feelings about their flag. Some of us even seem to
> embrace
> > it. After all, its our heritage. Gosh, is there some correlation? That
> "stars
> > and bars" confederate flag is my heritage also isn't it.
> >
> > With Respect and Admiration
> > Jim Davis;
> > "Jason M. Canon" wrote:
> >
> > > Some of my ancestors died with the rebel flag in their hands also
> > > but quite honestly I believe it has served it's purpose and the time
> > > has come to move forward. The Civil War was a war about the
> > > right within the United States to own/or not own slaves. The south
> > > lost the war but has continued to fly flags from that bygone era.
> > > It would make little sense, comparatively speaking, for the United
> > > States to continue flying the British Flags as they lost the
> revolutionary
> > > war and we devised a new flag.
> > >
> > > The whole concepts conveyed by the founding fathers was of a
> > > county that would change over time so that the needs of all of it's
> > > people were met. In the coming new century the British/European
> > > orientation of this country will change a great deal as the US becomes
> > > much more like the Great Britian of today whereby hundreds of cultures
> > > have learned to co-exist in peace.
> > >
> > > Actually, I should think that rather than a symbol of defiance the rebel
> > > flag flying represents a public admission that the people who fought
> > > under the flag died fighting what has become a wonderful county
> > > without slavery. Flying the flag is like flying an admission that the
> > > south lost a war 136 years ago. I should think a new and more forward
> > > looking flag would be welcomed by all at this point. Changing the flag
> > > won't change history but there is no need to be reminded daily of how
> > > sadly so many southern people had to be killed before the south
> > > surrendered.
> > >
> > > Cheers
> > >
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: <>
> > > To: <>
> > > Sent: Sunday, April 30, 2000 12:14 AM
> > > Subject: [TNDICKSO] The South
> > >
> > > > Jean how right you are. Right now in Midland (30 miles from my home)
> is a
> > > > school that has been the home of the Midland Rebels for as long as I
> can
> > > > remember. And that is a looooong time. Well, seem that now they have
> to
> > > > stop using the Rebel Flag as part of their school because it offends
> some
> > > > people. Now how a Flag can offend is beyond me but they are saying
> the
> > > flag
> > > > stands for slavery. NOT it's a symbol of the South but most folks
> don't
> > > see
> > > > it as that. My niece was a member of the flag squad at Midland Lee
> and
> > > > carried the Rebel Flag with pride. Not anymore. That's really
> sad...bj
> > > >
> > > >
> >
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