Greetings friends and compatriots!
I'm posting this blog today from the Appalacian foothills of southeastern Kentucky, not far from the sites of the Battle of Middle Creek, Battle of Ivy Mountain, and the Battle of Pound Gap. I'm vacationing at my property that has been in the family for over 140 years, obtained originally around 1870-71 by my 3rd-great-grandfather, John Bumgardner, who served the Confederate cause in the 6th North Carolina Cavalry (65th State Troops). As I sit here in quiet reflection, I've been pondering on the special summer that I've had. Aside from visiting my Confederate ancestors' respective graves like I have for the past several years, I've also visited some really major sites in Confederate history in Richmond, VA & Lexington, VA, plus I made my first trip to Johnson's Island Confederate Stockade Cemetery back in May.
As I think about these things, I also think about how much more special these places are to me as someone who did not grow up around such history like so many of my fellow compatriots in the South do. I wouldn't dare say that visiting such places is like "old hat" to them, but how much more of a treat must these places be to visit by someone who can't just hop in the car and drive there & back home in a single afternoon?
Also, unlike so many of my SCV brothers and sisters, I did not grow up with stories of my ancestors' respective service in the war. It was not something I grew up in the shadow of like those who live in the south. Still, something deep within me led me to chase these people and their stories down, study them, absorb them, and fight for their deserved honor.
This is the case for many of us in SCV camps located up in the north. Field trips to places of southern inspiration are not usually feasable to take. We, more than most, must push ourselves to recommittment to keep the charge and stick with The Cause. Many of our efforts will often seem fruitless, but I can assure you they are not. For our brothers in the South who are dealing with these heritage violations directly, it strengthens them and encourages them to know that we are here in the far reaches of Yankee territory doing all we can to fight these cultural battles and to keep the charge. It also must be dishartening for those who seek to bulldoze our monuments and indoctrinate our future genereations with lies about this honorable heritage to see support for the Confederacy so far north of the Mason-Dixon.
No matter where we were born or where we live, we have a responsibility as living heirs of the Confederate soldiers to stand firm, push back, and assist our brothers in the Southern states however we can.
DEO VINDICE!
- Jonathan McCleese
2nd Lieutenant Commander
Admiral Raphael Semmes Camp #1321
Army of Tennessee, Sons of Confederate Veterans
Showing posts with label Opinion. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Opinion. Show all posts
Saturday, August 20, 2016
Thursday, August 11, 2016
I Hate to Say 'I Told Ya So,' but...
Hello friends & Compatriots!
By now you've almost certainly heard about the latest flag controversy, this time over the Gadsden flag. If you're unfamiliar with the term, it's a flag that originated during the 1st War of American Independence. It's a yellow flag with a depiction of a coiled rattlesnake and the words "DON'T TREAD ON ME" written underneath.
Apparently, somebody filed a complaint in 2014 with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) about a co-worker wearing a hat with a depiction of the Gadsden flag, saying that it was racially offensive. The EEOC recently said in a statement that "whatever the historic origins and meaning of the symbol, it also has since been sometimes interpreted to convey racially-tinged messages in some contexts,” and that "in light of the ambiguity in the current meaning of this symbol, we find that Complainant’s claim must be investigated to determine the specific context in which [the coworker] displayed the symbol in the workplace."
When this blog first started one year ago we were just entering the new era of Confederaphobia. At that time so many of us warned that the war on Confederate flags & symbols would only be a first step in this war on American culture, and that it would not stop there.
In one of the earliest blogs posted on this page, I wrote that "[t]he movement now underway to remove [the Confederate] flag, dishonor the brave soldiers that served under it, and disrespect the 70-million descendants of Confederate veterans is rooted in the same demonic cesspool as the movements in this nation to slander historical figures & traditional symbols of America..."
Using the allegations of racism, and in our current culture of political correctness, it seems that anything could be construed as racist. Instead of laughing at the ridiculousness of the claim and throwing it out, as should have been done, this federal commission is giving legitimacy to the most ludicrous of claimed offenses, and thus setting a precedent for even more of this nonsense to follow.
Many folks, including some good and well intentioned people, were suckered into joining the chorus of voices calling for the public banishment of Confederate flags and symbols in the last year. Some of those people would have encouraged us to replace our "rebel flags" with those of "the original American rebellion against tyranny." Now they are finding out that we what we were saying all along is true.
I call on all Americans who love freedom and the historical symbols under which it has been defended to stand with the Sons of Confederate Veterans in the defense of Confederate flags & symbols! If the politically correct myth makers fail at changing perceptions of our symbol they'll have less of an incentive to go after yours!
A QUICK REMINDER: SCV Membership dues were up on August 1st. If you haven't paid your HQ and camp dues yet, you only have so much time before the grace period ends, so please renew your membership as soon as you can.
Also, a meeting for Admiral Raphael Semmes Camp #1321 has been scheduled for October 8th! Camp members, please save the date and watch for emails for further information about the meeting.
Before I close, I apologize for the lack of updates recently, but they'll pick up again soon. To help keep up with updates as I post them, I've added a subscription bar, which you can find over on the right side of the page. Just type in your email, submit it, and then follow the instructions to confirm your subscription.
DEO VINDICE!
- Jonathan McCleese
2nd Lieutenant Commander
Admiral Raphael Semmes Camp #1321 (Dearborn, MI)
Army of Tennessee, Sons of Confederate Veterans
By now you've almost certainly heard about the latest flag controversy, this time over the Gadsden flag. If you're unfamiliar with the term, it's a flag that originated during the 1st War of American Independence. It's a yellow flag with a depiction of a coiled rattlesnake and the words "DON'T TREAD ON ME" written underneath.
Apparently, somebody filed a complaint in 2014 with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) about a co-worker wearing a hat with a depiction of the Gadsden flag, saying that it was racially offensive. The EEOC recently said in a statement that "whatever the historic origins and meaning of the symbol, it also has since been sometimes interpreted to convey racially-tinged messages in some contexts,” and that "in light of the ambiguity in the current meaning of this symbol, we find that Complainant’s claim must be investigated to determine the specific context in which [the coworker] displayed the symbol in the workplace."
When this blog first started one year ago we were just entering the new era of Confederaphobia. At that time so many of us warned that the war on Confederate flags & symbols would only be a first step in this war on American culture, and that it would not stop there.
In one of the earliest blogs posted on this page, I wrote that "[t]he movement now underway to remove [the Confederate] flag, dishonor the brave soldiers that served under it, and disrespect the 70-million descendants of Confederate veterans is rooted in the same demonic cesspool as the movements in this nation to slander historical figures & traditional symbols of America..."
Using the allegations of racism, and in our current culture of political correctness, it seems that anything could be construed as racist. Instead of laughing at the ridiculousness of the claim and throwing it out, as should have been done, this federal commission is giving legitimacy to the most ludicrous of claimed offenses, and thus setting a precedent for even more of this nonsense to follow.
Many folks, including some good and well intentioned people, were suckered into joining the chorus of voices calling for the public banishment of Confederate flags and symbols in the last year. Some of those people would have encouraged us to replace our "rebel flags" with those of "the original American rebellion against tyranny." Now they are finding out that we what we were saying all along is true.
I call on all Americans who love freedom and the historical symbols under which it has been defended to stand with the Sons of Confederate Veterans in the defense of Confederate flags & symbols! If the politically correct myth makers fail at changing perceptions of our symbol they'll have less of an incentive to go after yours!
A QUICK REMINDER: SCV Membership dues were up on August 1st. If you haven't paid your HQ and camp dues yet, you only have so much time before the grace period ends, so please renew your membership as soon as you can.
Also, a meeting for Admiral Raphael Semmes Camp #1321 has been scheduled for October 8th! Camp members, please save the date and watch for emails for further information about the meeting.
Before I close, I apologize for the lack of updates recently, but they'll pick up again soon. To help keep up with updates as I post them, I've added a subscription bar, which you can find over on the right side of the page. Just type in your email, submit it, and then follow the instructions to confirm your subscription.
DEO VINDICE!
- Jonathan McCleese
2nd Lieutenant Commander
Admiral Raphael Semmes Camp #1321 (Dearborn, MI)
Army of Tennessee, Sons of Confederate Veterans
Monday, July 11, 2016
Imagine...
John Lennon had a popular hit song that shares a title with this blog entry. His song asked folks to envision his idea of global utopia that is impossible to achieve (and not entirely desirable).
This is not about that. Instead, I'd like you to imagine the following two scenarios. One is a fact based story, and the other is quickly becoming one. First...
Imagine that you're a 30 year-old poor white farmer living in the south during 1860-1861. You have a large number of family & friends who live around you, and everyone works together to farm the land and eek out an existence. You're too poor to own slaves, and, unlike the slaves, you have no one else to keep a roof over your head, food on your table, or to care for you in any other way except yourself, your 2-months-pregnant wife, and 4 kids (ranging from ages 12 to 1.5).
One day you hear of a commotion in the town, and go out to learn that the President of the United States is raising up an Army to invade the recently seceded Southern states, one of which you live within! In order to protect your family & what very little property you own, you're being asked to sign up to fight in the military defense of your state.
Then, try to conceive of what it would have been like to have been on battlefield after battlefield, see your friends bleed to death, watch people get cut in half by the shot of a cannon, and all of the gruesome & gory aspects of war in the 1860s.
After a few years of this, you receive a letter from your little wife at home... she says that they're getting by, but it's been hard since the Union troops took over town three months ago. They come and go through the homes of private citizens as they please, taking for themselves most of the good food anybody might have stored up. The baby girl born after going off to war is now a little more than two years old, but is sick, and the Union troops "requisitioned" what little medicine they found in the house; without it, all she's got is a prayer. Your other daughter, now almost 15, was out picking berries when the Union army rolled into town, and being the first pretty girl some had seen recently, was lured by a group of the men into a sexual assault. When she came home, your wife says she knew instantly what had happened, but dared not say a word about it for fear of their home being burned down as had happened to some of their neighbors. The 4 boys were doing well, but hard to keep in line at times, and she fears one will say the wrong thing to some Union soldier and face who knows what repercussions. Despite all of this, she begs you to fight on, not to desert, and not to get killed, and do all in your power to help Gen. Lee win this terrible war.
Finally, imagine journeying back home a few days after learning that General Lee had surrendered you. Defeated in war, and broken in heart, mind, body, & soul, you drag yourself back to the town you left to protect and hope to go back to some resemblance of normal life. As you travel you see nothing but war-torn land, and war-weary people. Finally you approach your home, and see three rock tombstones in the yard where none had been before, the names of your two daughters and oldest son hand-carved into the stones. You pass out from the combination of exhaustion & shock, and awake to learn that the baby had died shortly after you got your last letter, your oldest daughter killed herself over the shame of being raped by Union soldiers, and your oldest boy, aged 15, had been shot just days ago after stabbing one of the men who claimed to have violated his dead older sister.
This is what you went to war to stop... your dead children and traumatized wife & sons are the ones you went to war to protect... and this is the result of the Northern Army's invasion into the South in their conquest to keep the tariffs (taxes) on Southern businesses and ports pouring money into the U.S. treasury.
These are the men and the families for whom old veterans of the gray & their wives, widows, sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, grandchildren, nieces & nephews, etc. raised up flags and monuments to honor. Selfishly too many have made these things about themselves or their post-war agendas, both the racists and the pseudo civil-rights groups alike, but these things have nothing to do with racism, slavery, Jim Crow, etc. These monuments stand and flags fly in honor of honorable soldiers & their families. Only the hateful, the ignorant, and/or the intolerant people of the modern day think otherwise.
After thinking about that for a moment, then imagine the following scenario.
In 2016, a monument is erected on the courthouse lawn of Anytown, USA to honor the heroes of our nation who served in the first Gulf War.
Now imagine that 150 years later Anytown has become a predominantly Muslim community, and for 15 decades more & more people start believing that the Gulf War and Middle-East wars that followed in the early 2000s were about subjecting the Arab/Muslim world under the thumb of the U.S. simply for control of that region's oil.
How does the idea sit with you that monuments built to honor the sacrifices of men & women we currently know, love, and consider heroes for their military service might be vandalized, knocked down, or moved out of public sight because the people in Anytown, USA might consider our heroes to be evil & offensive in the year 2166?
That is exactly what is happening across the south with Confederate flags and monuments in the public square, which are essentially no different than tombstones. They were erected by people who lost loved ones... fathers, sons, husbands, uncles, nephews & cousins... many of them never making it back home.
They were paid for by donations from surviving veterans, survivors of the fallen, & friends, with some contributions being large, but most probably being very small; sometimes all folks could give were pennies at a time, and they did so while struggling to put food upon their tables.
They were erected in the most public of places to be sure that their brave loved-ones would never be forgotten.
This monument, and others like it, are incredible symbols of love, not hate.
Those who engage in, support, or contribute to the removal of such monuments are the one's filled with hate, and no better than those who would desecrate a gravesite. There is no good in such people.
These are just some thoughts I leave here for you to ponder as the media fills your mind with half-truths & total lies.
DEO VINDICE!
-Jonathan McCleese
Sergeant-at-Arms
Admiral Raphael Semmes Camp #1321 (Dearborn, MI)
Army of Tennessee, Sons of Confederate Veterans
This is not about that. Instead, I'd like you to imagine the following two scenarios. One is a fact based story, and the other is quickly becoming one. First...
Imagine that you're a 30 year-old poor white farmer living in the south during 1860-1861. You have a large number of family & friends who live around you, and everyone works together to farm the land and eek out an existence. You're too poor to own slaves, and, unlike the slaves, you have no one else to keep a roof over your head, food on your table, or to care for you in any other way except yourself, your 2-months-pregnant wife, and 4 kids (ranging from ages 12 to 1.5).
One day you hear of a commotion in the town, and go out to learn that the President of the United States is raising up an Army to invade the recently seceded Southern states, one of which you live within! In order to protect your family & what very little property you own, you're being asked to sign up to fight in the military defense of your state.
Then, try to conceive of what it would have been like to have been on battlefield after battlefield, see your friends bleed to death, watch people get cut in half by the shot of a cannon, and all of the gruesome & gory aspects of war in the 1860s.
After a few years of this, you receive a letter from your little wife at home... she says that they're getting by, but it's been hard since the Union troops took over town three months ago. They come and go through the homes of private citizens as they please, taking for themselves most of the good food anybody might have stored up. The baby girl born after going off to war is now a little more than two years old, but is sick, and the Union troops "requisitioned" what little medicine they found in the house; without it, all she's got is a prayer. Your other daughter, now almost 15, was out picking berries when the Union army rolled into town, and being the first pretty girl some had seen recently, was lured by a group of the men into a sexual assault. When she came home, your wife says she knew instantly what had happened, but dared not say a word about it for fear of their home being burned down as had happened to some of their neighbors. The 4 boys were doing well, but hard to keep in line at times, and she fears one will say the wrong thing to some Union soldier and face who knows what repercussions. Despite all of this, she begs you to fight on, not to desert, and not to get killed, and do all in your power to help Gen. Lee win this terrible war.
Finally, imagine journeying back home a few days after learning that General Lee had surrendered you. Defeated in war, and broken in heart, mind, body, & soul, you drag yourself back to the town you left to protect and hope to go back to some resemblance of normal life. As you travel you see nothing but war-torn land, and war-weary people. Finally you approach your home, and see three rock tombstones in the yard where none had been before, the names of your two daughters and oldest son hand-carved into the stones. You pass out from the combination of exhaustion & shock, and awake to learn that the baby had died shortly after you got your last letter, your oldest daughter killed herself over the shame of being raped by Union soldiers, and your oldest boy, aged 15, had been shot just days ago after stabbing one of the men who claimed to have violated his dead older sister.
This is what you went to war to stop... your dead children and traumatized wife & sons are the ones you went to war to protect... and this is the result of the Northern Army's invasion into the South in their conquest to keep the tariffs (taxes) on Southern businesses and ports pouring money into the U.S. treasury.
These are the men and the families for whom old veterans of the gray & their wives, widows, sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, grandchildren, nieces & nephews, etc. raised up flags and monuments to honor. Selfishly too many have made these things about themselves or their post-war agendas, both the racists and the pseudo civil-rights groups alike, but these things have nothing to do with racism, slavery, Jim Crow, etc. These monuments stand and flags fly in honor of honorable soldiers & their families. Only the hateful, the ignorant, and/or the intolerant people of the modern day think otherwise.
After thinking about that for a moment, then imagine the following scenario.
In 2016, a monument is erected on the courthouse lawn of Anytown, USA to honor the heroes of our nation who served in the first Gulf War.
Now imagine that 150 years later Anytown has become a predominantly Muslim community, and for 15 decades more & more people start believing that the Gulf War and Middle-East wars that followed in the early 2000s were about subjecting the Arab/Muslim world under the thumb of the U.S. simply for control of that region's oil.
How does the idea sit with you that monuments built to honor the sacrifices of men & women we currently know, love, and consider heroes for their military service might be vandalized, knocked down, or moved out of public sight because the people in Anytown, USA might consider our heroes to be evil & offensive in the year 2166?
That is exactly what is happening across the south with Confederate flags and monuments in the public square, which are essentially no different than tombstones. They were erected by people who lost loved ones... fathers, sons, husbands, uncles, nephews & cousins... many of them never making it back home.
They were paid for by donations from surviving veterans, survivors of the fallen, & friends, with some contributions being large, but most probably being very small; sometimes all folks could give were pennies at a time, and they did so while struggling to put food upon their tables.
They were erected in the most public of places to be sure that their brave loved-ones would never be forgotten.
This monument, and others like it, are incredible symbols of love, not hate.
Those who engage in, support, or contribute to the removal of such monuments are the one's filled with hate, and no better than those who would desecrate a gravesite. There is no good in such people.
These are just some thoughts I leave here for you to ponder as the media fills your mind with half-truths & total lies.
DEO VINDICE!
-Jonathan McCleese
Sergeant-at-Arms
Admiral Raphael Semmes Camp #1321 (Dearborn, MI)
Army of Tennessee, Sons of Confederate Veterans
Friday, June 24, 2016
Faith & The Flag: An Open Letter to My Christian Family
This blog post will be a little different today. I operate this blog on behalf of both Michigan SCV Camps at the request of both Camp Commanders (Cmdr. White of Camp #1321 and Cmdr. Perkins of Camp #2257), and being that this blog represents the camps, I do my very best to keep the postings on message and not to talk much about myself. Unfortunately, recent events with a large Christian denomination in our nation have compelled me to share my story of how I came to join the SCV. The SCV is not a religion or religious organization, but the SCV does recognize the Judaeo-Christian foundations of our nation and of the nation our Southern ancestors sought to build. The following is not an endorsement, from either Michigan camp or the SCV organization, of any religion or faith teaching. It is simply my story... a testimony of sorts.
When I was boy, growing up in the southeastern suburbs of Detroit, there were certain symbols that fascinated me, whether they were those of iconic fictional characters (like the Batman logo), sports teams (the 1980s Detroit Tigers emblem), or religion (like the Celtic cross). One such symbol that always seemed to captivate me was that one red flag with a big blue 'X' containing 13 white stars.
As a kid I saw it, probably for the first time on 'The Dukes of Hazzard,' and I just thought it looked awesome! I've found that most children feel the same way until they've been conditioned to think otherwise. I'm not sure at what point in life it was, but somewhere along the way I learned that it had something to do with the southern United States. I'm certain that it was in school that I learned it was a flag related to the "rebel" Confederate States of America during the War Between The States, but by the time of my childhood in the mid-1980s it had taken on the meaning of "southern pride." Living in the suburbs of Detroit, there were a lot of people with southern roots. In the glory days of "the big three" automobile manufacturers, many folks migrated from the poverty stricken, rural areas of Appalachia to the Metro-Detroit area in search of a good paying job. Despite the change in scenery, most of those folks held tight to their southern roots, and took pride in where they came from. One way they could publicly express this sentiment was by displaying their "rebel flag."
Sometime after I'd gotten into high-school, we once again had lessons about the War Between The States. It was at this time that I started wondering if I had ancestors that served in that war. My family was from the south (both of my parents were born & raised in KY) and I assumed that I probably had at least one that did. To find out about this I had to start doing my family tree, and eventually I learned that I had an ancestor who served in the 6th North Carolina Cavalry regiment... for the Confederacy! I was so excited! I now had a personal connection to that really awesome flag that I'd grown up loving to see!
It was not until my sophomore or junior year of high school (around the year 2000) when I first heard of any supposed connection between the Confederate flag & racism. I was on the yearbook committee, and I was publicly shamed by a teacher for suggesting a yearbook cover design that featured the American flag & the CSA Battle Flag. She feigned appall that I would suggest such a cover design! Of course I knew that it has been used at times by the Klan and other racial hate groups, but so were/are the Cross and the U.S. Flag, and I know that they aren't really racist symbols either.
While being a Southron by blood, I'm chiefly a born-again follower of Jesus. I gave my heart to Christ and started serving Him around the age of 5, and what bothered me more than being publicly shamed over the flag was the thought that I might be dishonoring God by my display of it. I decided then that I needed to further look into the history of the Confederate States of America, the Confederate soldiers, and the use of that flag after the War Between The States. What I learned in the intense study that followed (which continues to this day) has shaped my understanding of that flag. Over the last 16 years, I've prayed countless times over the matter, and asked God to show me if I was wrong to display it. I never once felt as though God was saying to stop.
About four years ago I began looking into joining the Sons of Confederate Veterans. I spent that time investigating the organization to make sure that being a part of it would not be a conflict of interest in my service to Christ. I spoke with others, followers of Christ, who didn't care one way or another about that flag, whether they thought it was a bad idea and asked them to also pray that God would guide me. I never received any counsel or inclination through it all suggesting that I should not do it. So with assurance in my heart, mind, and soul that it was not improper for me to do so, I joined the SCV last May, and got my membership certificate one week before last June's tragedy in Charleston.
I believe that God was aware that the sad incident in Charleston last summer was going to happen all those years ago when I started praying about joining the SCV, and I believe that He also knew this flag issue was going to blow up on the scale that it has. Why did He not warn me, or give me any inclination if the Confederate flag was something I shouldn't be for? Why did He not, in the last four years, steer me away from joining the SCV if joining an organization that promotes the display of that flag would be in conflict with honoring Him?
I have said all of this to hopefully show that my position regarding the CSA Battle Flag is not one that was taken without years & years of study & prayer. You might have read all of that and come to a conclusion that I ignored or overlooked God's guidance at some point in time. You'll then have to decide whether it is really your place to make such a judgement regarding me & my relationship with Christ.
The movement now underway to remove that flag (and other symbols of the Confederacy) dishonors the brave soldiers that served under it (many of them being our Christian brothers), and disrespects the 70-million living descendants of Confederate veterans (many of whom hold that flag dear). This anti-Confederate movement is rooted in the same demonic cesspool as the movements in this nation to slander historical figures & traditional symbols of America, and also those of Christianity.
It would be impossible for me to type out with words how passionately I detest racism, discrimination, oppression, and bigotry & any group or organization that would seek to promote such things. My display of Confederate symbols is not intended to promote any of that or offend anyone; I only seek to properly & passionately honor my veteran ancestors.
I believe that the well intentioned Christians standing with those calling for this destruction of Southern heritage are only helping those currently involved in creating even more racial, social, and political division in a nation that is currently on the path to prove that "divided we fall." Some fellow believers have used a particular verse of Scripture (Romans 14:13) as their justification for denouncing the flag & symbols of the Confederacy, but the real "stumbling block" that has been set out ahead of us is the hateful lie that the Confederate flag is a symbol of racism which is to be reviled. Sadly, this is the myth that is now being perpetuated by so many who claim to follow Christ.
I do not believe that Christ has called us at any point to compromise truth for lies, or love for hate. To do so for any reason would dishonor God. Hate & lies do nothing to further His cause (which is the cause I am chiefly devoted to) and are in direct opposition to the Gospel.
There is no stopping anyone that wants to hijack a symbol for hateful use, but it is another problem when we give in to the hate & lies, either by becoming hateful or letting them set the narrative. I refuse to let the hate & lies win on either front. I believe that it is my duty to not let groups like the KKK, NAACP, or even the Southern Baptist Convention redefine Confederate symbols for their own hateful and/or political purposes.
So in the interest of honoring Christ, by standing up for truth & standing against hate, I will keep flying the Confederate Battle Flag and encourage others to do so. Maybe you're a fellow believer, yet you disagree with me about the flag. If so, I will pray for you, and I ask that you will also pray for me. Not one of us is perfect or has perfect understanding, but I have faith that God's grace is sufficient for us, and that He will lead us through the Holy Spirit if we are willing to be obedient.
Yours in the Bonds of the Old South & Christian Fellowship,
- Jonathan McCleese
Sergeant-at-Arms
Admiral Raphael Semmes Camp #1321
Army of Tennessee, Sons of Confederate Veterans
When I was boy, growing up in the southeastern suburbs of Detroit, there were certain symbols that fascinated me, whether they were those of iconic fictional characters (like the Batman logo), sports teams (the 1980s Detroit Tigers emblem), or religion (like the Celtic cross). One such symbol that always seemed to captivate me was that one red flag with a big blue 'X' containing 13 white stars.
As a kid I saw it, probably for the first time on 'The Dukes of Hazzard,' and I just thought it looked awesome! I've found that most children feel the same way until they've been conditioned to think otherwise. I'm not sure at what point in life it was, but somewhere along the way I learned that it had something to do with the southern United States. I'm certain that it was in school that I learned it was a flag related to the "rebel" Confederate States of America during the War Between The States, but by the time of my childhood in the mid-1980s it had taken on the meaning of "southern pride." Living in the suburbs of Detroit, there were a lot of people with southern roots. In the glory days of "the big three" automobile manufacturers, many folks migrated from the poverty stricken, rural areas of Appalachia to the Metro-Detroit area in search of a good paying job. Despite the change in scenery, most of those folks held tight to their southern roots, and took pride in where they came from. One way they could publicly express this sentiment was by displaying their "rebel flag."
Sometime after I'd gotten into high-school, we once again had lessons about the War Between The States. It was at this time that I started wondering if I had ancestors that served in that war. My family was from the south (both of my parents were born & raised in KY) and I assumed that I probably had at least one that did. To find out about this I had to start doing my family tree, and eventually I learned that I had an ancestor who served in the 6th North Carolina Cavalry regiment... for the Confederacy! I was so excited! I now had a personal connection to that really awesome flag that I'd grown up loving to see!
It was not until my sophomore or junior year of high school (around the year 2000) when I first heard of any supposed connection between the Confederate flag & racism. I was on the yearbook committee, and I was publicly shamed by a teacher for suggesting a yearbook cover design that featured the American flag & the CSA Battle Flag. She feigned appall that I would suggest such a cover design! Of course I knew that it has been used at times by the Klan and other racial hate groups, but so were/are the Cross and the U.S. Flag, and I know that they aren't really racist symbols either.
While being a Southron by blood, I'm chiefly a born-again follower of Jesus. I gave my heart to Christ and started serving Him around the age of 5, and what bothered me more than being publicly shamed over the flag was the thought that I might be dishonoring God by my display of it. I decided then that I needed to further look into the history of the Confederate States of America, the Confederate soldiers, and the use of that flag after the War Between The States. What I learned in the intense study that followed (which continues to this day) has shaped my understanding of that flag. Over the last 16 years, I've prayed countless times over the matter, and asked God to show me if I was wrong to display it. I never once felt as though God was saying to stop.
About four years ago I began looking into joining the Sons of Confederate Veterans. I spent that time investigating the organization to make sure that being a part of it would not be a conflict of interest in my service to Christ. I spoke with others, followers of Christ, who didn't care one way or another about that flag, whether they thought it was a bad idea and asked them to also pray that God would guide me. I never received any counsel or inclination through it all suggesting that I should not do it. So with assurance in my heart, mind, and soul that it was not improper for me to do so, I joined the SCV last May, and got my membership certificate one week before last June's tragedy in Charleston.
I believe that God was aware that the sad incident in Charleston last summer was going to happen all those years ago when I started praying about joining the SCV, and I believe that He also knew this flag issue was going to blow up on the scale that it has. Why did He not warn me, or give me any inclination if the Confederate flag was something I shouldn't be for? Why did He not, in the last four years, steer me away from joining the SCV if joining an organization that promotes the display of that flag would be in conflict with honoring Him?
I have said all of this to hopefully show that my position regarding the CSA Battle Flag is not one that was taken without years & years of study & prayer. You might have read all of that and come to a conclusion that I ignored or overlooked God's guidance at some point in time. You'll then have to decide whether it is really your place to make such a judgement regarding me & my relationship with Christ.
The movement now underway to remove that flag (and other symbols of the Confederacy) dishonors the brave soldiers that served under it (many of them being our Christian brothers), and disrespects the 70-million living descendants of Confederate veterans (many of whom hold that flag dear). This anti-Confederate movement is rooted in the same demonic cesspool as the movements in this nation to slander historical figures & traditional symbols of America, and also those of Christianity.
It would be impossible for me to type out with words how passionately I detest racism, discrimination, oppression, and bigotry & any group or organization that would seek to promote such things. My display of Confederate symbols is not intended to promote any of that or offend anyone; I only seek to properly & passionately honor my veteran ancestors.
I believe that the well intentioned Christians standing with those calling for this destruction of Southern heritage are only helping those currently involved in creating even more racial, social, and political division in a nation that is currently on the path to prove that "divided we fall." Some fellow believers have used a particular verse of Scripture (Romans 14:13) as their justification for denouncing the flag & symbols of the Confederacy, but the real "stumbling block" that has been set out ahead of us is the hateful lie that the Confederate flag is a symbol of racism which is to be reviled. Sadly, this is the myth that is now being perpetuated by so many who claim to follow Christ.
I do not believe that Christ has called us at any point to compromise truth for lies, or love for hate. To do so for any reason would dishonor God. Hate & lies do nothing to further His cause (which is the cause I am chiefly devoted to) and are in direct opposition to the Gospel.
There is no stopping anyone that wants to hijack a symbol for hateful use, but it is another problem when we give in to the hate & lies, either by becoming hateful or letting them set the narrative. I refuse to let the hate & lies win on either front. I believe that it is my duty to not let groups like the KKK, NAACP, or even the Southern Baptist Convention redefine Confederate symbols for their own hateful and/or political purposes.
So in the interest of honoring Christ, by standing up for truth & standing against hate, I will keep flying the Confederate Battle Flag and encourage others to do so. Maybe you're a fellow believer, yet you disagree with me about the flag. If so, I will pray for you, and I ask that you will also pray for me. Not one of us is perfect or has perfect understanding, but I have faith that God's grace is sufficient for us, and that He will lead us through the Holy Spirit if we are willing to be obedient.
Yours in the Bonds of the Old South & Christian Fellowship,
- Jonathan McCleese
Sergeant-at-Arms
Admiral Raphael Semmes Camp #1321
Army of Tennessee, Sons of Confederate Veterans
Wednesday, June 1, 2016
Not a Martyr, But a Monster... Their Monster!
On Monday, the Admiral Raphael Semmes Camp #1321 held a Memorial Day service at the Confederate Stockade Cemetery on Johnson's Island, near Sandusky, OH. It was this author's first trip to the island cemetery, and it was also my privilege to give the keynote address for the service. The past few days were, in many ways, a welcome reprieve from what has become a regular drumbeat of anti-Confederate sentiment in the media. Instead, my newsfeed the past few days has been filled with story after story of people coming together to honor our brave boys in gray for what is our most hallowed of non-religious national holidays. More will be written, hopefully later this week about our camp's most recent journey to Johnson's Island, but today I want to discuss an article that caught my eye & raised my ire...
Julianne Malveaux, a columnist for the NNPA (National Newspaper Publishers Association) News Wire, recently wrote the 1,723,584th published article that attempts to tie the horrific murder of nine Charleston, SC church goers last summer to the Confederacy. Obviously I'm being a bit facetious with that number, but the fact is that an untold number of published media has wrongly asserted that connection over the last 12 months.
In her article, Malveaux talks about how the madman who committed the Charleston mass shooting should not be given the death penalty, and one of her reasons is that she thinks "[the madman] can turn into a Confederate martyr if he is killed."
A Confederate martyr?! How much more ridiculous could she get? That psychopathic, pimply-faced murderer has absolutely no more connection to the Confederacy by holding a replica of it's battle flag in a picture than I would to the company that makes my blue jeans! How hard is it to understand that there is no stopping anyone that wants to hijack or misappropriate any symbol (national, historic, religious, etc.) for hateful use! A Confederate martyr? Absolutely not; More like a monster of the media's own creation.
The problem is when we give in to the hate & lies, either by becoming hateful or by letting the hateful liars set the narrative. Malveaux exposes herself as having done both, since she has let those who misappropriate Confederate symbols for hateful purposes & those who perpetuate the myth that the Confederacy existed for the preservation of slavery. By doing so, she has let them set the narrative of the Confederacy for her, and in turn has manufactured her hate for all of us who identify with our Confederate heritage by presuming that we would look to a murderous basket-case as some sort of martyr to idolize or emulate. It is people like her, who write such articles, that create the breeding ground for more hate, filling the heads of other racist jerks that it is they who best represent the Confederacy and it's symbols. This is simply the circular nature of how hate & lies breed lies & hate.
This demonization of Confederate heritage and symbols is the kind of giving into hatred which will lead to people getting hurt or killed. If we feed this notion that symbols of the Confederacy are racist in nature, then it will not only embolden those who wish to terrorize or do harm to others under such symbolism, but it will also create a false sense of justification for others to terrorize and do harm to those who display it with no negative intentions. It's already happened several times since last summer. A black man, Anthony Hervey, was murdered just last year for his support of the Confederate Flag, being run off of the road after a Confederate Flag Rally by other blacks who'd had their heads filled with such negativity and hate. A woman in Ohio had her house broken into and she was assaulted simply because she had a Confederate flag in her window. A man in Minnesota was beaten because he stepped in to protect his niece, who was being threatened for wearing a hat w/ the Confederate flag on it.
It is just that type of giving in to hatred, lies and negativity that will forever divide this nation unless we resolve to stop it. It's causing people to vilify great men in our nation's history like George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Andrew Jackson, and yes, Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee, Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson... If we don't correct course now, and start acknowledging & celebrating the positives rather than focusing on the negatives, then the turmoil will never stop.
What if we do get rid of all public displays honoring the Confederacy and the brave folks who served in it's armed forces? What will be next? The cross of Christ? It's already under attack. The American Flag? It, too, receives fire from those who choose to focus on negativity and hate by calling it a racist flag. The Democratic Party is phasing out "Jefferson-Jackson" dinners because Thomas Jefferson & Andrew Jackson both carry "historical baggage." Eventually, it WILL creep to such figures as George Washington... and yes, once the Confederate flags and monuments are all gone, then old Abe Lincoln will become a focus of the negativity and hatred, and they'll be crushing the monuments built to honor his mythologized legacy too. We'll have to totally raze Washington D.C.'s historic buildings, as many of them either were built by slaves or honor one-time slave owners, and then we can bulldoze Wall Street, since it made tons of money through the institution of slavery.
History is muddy & dirty, and no individual (w/ the exception of Jesus; I know not everyone believes in Him, but I do) or organization throughout the whole expanse of it is entirely perfect or without fault. The perpetuation of lies & hatred by the media and academia has to stop, or there will be no factual account of history. All that will remain are nice little myths created to coddle those who can't cope with historic reality, and there will be a number of completely unnecessary acts of violence committed around the country that can be traced right back to those who continue to perpetuate such falsehoods & negativity.
STOP THE HATE.
STOP THE LIES.
RETURN TO TRUTH & LOVE.
RESTORE THE HONOR!
DEO VINDICE!
- Jonathan McCleese
Sergeant-at-Arms
Admiral Raphael Semmes Camp #1321 (Dearborn, MI)
Army of Tennessee, Sons of Confederate Veterans
Julianne Malveaux, a columnist for the NNPA (National Newspaper Publishers Association) News Wire, recently wrote the 1,723,584th published article that attempts to tie the horrific murder of nine Charleston, SC church goers last summer to the Confederacy. Obviously I'm being a bit facetious with that number, but the fact is that an untold number of published media has wrongly asserted that connection over the last 12 months.
In her article, Malveaux talks about how the madman who committed the Charleston mass shooting should not be given the death penalty, and one of her reasons is that she thinks "[the madman] can turn into a Confederate martyr if he is killed."
A Confederate martyr?! How much more ridiculous could she get? That psychopathic, pimply-faced murderer has absolutely no more connection to the Confederacy by holding a replica of it's battle flag in a picture than I would to the company that makes my blue jeans! How hard is it to understand that there is no stopping anyone that wants to hijack or misappropriate any symbol (national, historic, religious, etc.) for hateful use! A Confederate martyr? Absolutely not; More like a monster of the media's own creation.
The problem is when we give in to the hate & lies, either by becoming hateful or by letting the hateful liars set the narrative. Malveaux exposes herself as having done both, since she has let those who misappropriate Confederate symbols for hateful purposes & those who perpetuate the myth that the Confederacy existed for the preservation of slavery. By doing so, she has let them set the narrative of the Confederacy for her, and in turn has manufactured her hate for all of us who identify with our Confederate heritage by presuming that we would look to a murderous basket-case as some sort of martyr to idolize or emulate. It is people like her, who write such articles, that create the breeding ground for more hate, filling the heads of other racist jerks that it is they who best represent the Confederacy and it's symbols. This is simply the circular nature of how hate & lies breed lies & hate.
This demonization of Confederate heritage and symbols is the kind of giving into hatred which will lead to people getting hurt or killed. If we feed this notion that symbols of the Confederacy are racist in nature, then it will not only embolden those who wish to terrorize or do harm to others under such symbolism, but it will also create a false sense of justification for others to terrorize and do harm to those who display it with no negative intentions. It's already happened several times since last summer. A black man, Anthony Hervey, was murdered just last year for his support of the Confederate Flag, being run off of the road after a Confederate Flag Rally by other blacks who'd had their heads filled with such negativity and hate. A woman in Ohio had her house broken into and she was assaulted simply because she had a Confederate flag in her window. A man in Minnesota was beaten because he stepped in to protect his niece, who was being threatened for wearing a hat w/ the Confederate flag on it.
It is just that type of giving in to hatred, lies and negativity that will forever divide this nation unless we resolve to stop it. It's causing people to vilify great men in our nation's history like George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Andrew Jackson, and yes, Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee, Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson... If we don't correct course now, and start acknowledging & celebrating the positives rather than focusing on the negatives, then the turmoil will never stop.
What if we do get rid of all public displays honoring the Confederacy and the brave folks who served in it's armed forces? What will be next? The cross of Christ? It's already under attack. The American Flag? It, too, receives fire from those who choose to focus on negativity and hate by calling it a racist flag. The Democratic Party is phasing out "Jefferson-Jackson" dinners because Thomas Jefferson & Andrew Jackson both carry "historical baggage." Eventually, it WILL creep to such figures as George Washington... and yes, once the Confederate flags and monuments are all gone, then old Abe Lincoln will become a focus of the negativity and hatred, and they'll be crushing the monuments built to honor his mythologized legacy too. We'll have to totally raze Washington D.C.'s historic buildings, as many of them either were built by slaves or honor one-time slave owners, and then we can bulldoze Wall Street, since it made tons of money through the institution of slavery.
History is muddy & dirty, and no individual (w/ the exception of Jesus; I know not everyone believes in Him, but I do) or organization throughout the whole expanse of it is entirely perfect or without fault. The perpetuation of lies & hatred by the media and academia has to stop, or there will be no factual account of history. All that will remain are nice little myths created to coddle those who can't cope with historic reality, and there will be a number of completely unnecessary acts of violence committed around the country that can be traced right back to those who continue to perpetuate such falsehoods & negativity.
STOP THE HATE.
STOP THE LIES.
RETURN TO TRUTH & LOVE.
RESTORE THE HONOR!
DEO VINDICE!
- Jonathan McCleese
Sergeant-at-Arms
Admiral Raphael Semmes Camp #1321 (Dearborn, MI)
Army of Tennessee, Sons of Confederate Veterans
Sunday, March 20, 2016
They Will Never Stop: A Call For Resolve
At this point I have lost count on all of the attacks upon Confederate symbols across this country in the span of the last nine months. Flags and statues in the public square have been targeted by the hate-agitators, and their sights are unlikely to be diverted anytime soon. As warm weather returns over the next few weeks, I suspect that we'll see the purveyors of ignorance & social unrest emerge from their winter hibernation with new plans to remove, destroy, and erase more of the symbols of Confederate heritage which dot the landscapes of towns and cities all over the American southeast. I have been asked, repeatedly, since last June, "When will this madness end?"; We must, however, acknowledge the uncomfortable truth that stares us right in our eyes - THEY WILL NEVER STOP.
For many of us, this struggle to vindicate the good name of the Confederate soldier has gone on much longer than eight or nine months. We are well aware that this is simply the most recent wave of attacks in a war of ideas that has gone on for more than fifteen decades. Others reading this may be new to this ideological battlefield, and we are certainly grateful to have you rise up beside us. Pledge within yourself to stand firm, resolute in the fight to preserve the monuments of honor that your ancestors-in-gray so valiantly earned on the fields of battle. They had it much harder than we did, as we're not constantly looking down the barrel of cannon and no one has a bayonet pressed to our chest. Instead, this is a thinking-man's war, and we must arm ourselves with facts and truth in order to achieve our victories.
Regardless of how long you've been in this thing... whether you've been fighting this good fight for decades or a few months... it could be easy to get discouraged as we see the hateful hoards amass and mount for another summer of assault on our heritage. Let me give you a word of encouragement in the vein of our beloved "Stonewall" Jackson, who would tell us to look to the Bible as a guide and source of strength.
"Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up."
- Paul, the Apostle (Galatians 6:9)
For many of us, this struggle to vindicate the good name of the Confederate soldier has gone on much longer than eight or nine months. We are well aware that this is simply the most recent wave of attacks in a war of ideas that has gone on for more than fifteen decades. Others reading this may be new to this ideological battlefield, and we are certainly grateful to have you rise up beside us. Pledge within yourself to stand firm, resolute in the fight to preserve the monuments of honor that your ancestors-in-gray so valiantly earned on the fields of battle. They had it much harder than we did, as we're not constantly looking down the barrel of cannon and no one has a bayonet pressed to our chest. Instead, this is a thinking-man's war, and we must arm ourselves with facts and truth in order to achieve our victories.
Regardless of how long you've been in this thing... whether you've been fighting this good fight for decades or a few months... it could be easy to get discouraged as we see the hateful hoards amass and mount for another summer of assault on our heritage. Let me give you a word of encouragement in the vein of our beloved "Stonewall" Jackson, who would tell us to look to the Bible as a guide and source of strength.
"Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up."
- Paul, the Apostle (Galatians 6:9)
DEO VINDICE!
- Jonathan McCleese
Sergeant-at-Arms, SCV Camp #1321
Tuesday, February 16, 2016
Why So Many Reject Black Confederates
In our continuing celebration of black Confederate patriots during Black History Month, I thought that the following article might be of interest. All credit for what follows belongs to Dr. Vernon R. Padgett of the SCV's California Division.
==================================================================
Twelve Reasons We Don't Believe in Black Confederates
By Vernon R. Padgett, Ph.D.
Many people reject the evidence that thousands of the South's 3,880,000 blacks, both free men and slaves, labored and fought, willingly, for the Southern Confederacy.
Why do they not believe, given the many accounts in the Official Records, contemporary newspaper reports, photographs, pension application records, and recollections of black Southerners? Here are 11 explanations.
1. It may force us to change what we believe.
2. It is not what most others believe.
3. It might contradict a prejudice.
4. It complicates our simple stereotype of blacks vs. whites as separate groups.
5. How do we now teach Civil War history in 10 minutes?
6. It complicates the simple portrayal of the North as Good driving out the “Wicked Southern Slave master.”
7. It weakens support for the claim that the War was About Slavery
8. Many whites disbelieve that there were black Confederates because of "White Guilt."
9. It is inconsistent with the culture of Victimhood.
10. It brings up the annoying question: Why did blacks fight?
11. It brings up another annoying question: Why did anyone fight for the North?
12. We want to believe The War was about slavery (because we need a reason that can justify & balance out the deaths of 600,000 Americans in The War.)
==================================================================
You can learn more by clicking the following link to read detailed analysis for each of the points Dr. Padgett presents: [TWELVE REASONS WE DON'T BELIEVE IN BLACK CONFEDERATES]
DEO VINDICE!
- Jonathan McCleese
Sergeant-at-Arms, SCV Camp #1321
==================================================================
Twelve Reasons We Don't Believe in Black Confederates
By Vernon R. Padgett, Ph.D.
Many people reject the evidence that thousands of the South's 3,880,000 blacks, both free men and slaves, labored and fought, willingly, for the Southern Confederacy.
Why do they not believe, given the many accounts in the Official Records, contemporary newspaper reports, photographs, pension application records, and recollections of black Southerners? Here are 11 explanations.
1. It may force us to change what we believe.
2. It is not what most others believe.
3. It might contradict a prejudice.
4. It complicates our simple stereotype of blacks vs. whites as separate groups.
5. How do we now teach Civil War history in 10 minutes?
6. It complicates the simple portrayal of the North as Good driving out the “Wicked Southern Slave master.”
7. It weakens support for the claim that the War was About Slavery
8. Many whites disbelieve that there were black Confederates because of "White Guilt."
9. It is inconsistent with the culture of Victimhood.
10. It brings up the annoying question: Why did blacks fight?
11. It brings up another annoying question: Why did anyone fight for the North?
12. We want to believe The War was about slavery (because we need a reason that can justify & balance out the deaths of 600,000 Americans in The War.)
==================================================================
You can learn more by clicking the following link to read detailed analysis for each of the points Dr. Padgett presents: [TWELVE REASONS WE DON'T BELIEVE IN BLACK CONFEDERATES]
DEO VINDICE!
- Jonathan McCleese
Sergeant-at-Arms, SCV Camp #1321
Thursday, January 21, 2016
Random Thoughts This Lee-Jackson Week
Let me kick this one off by saying THANK YOU to all who keep up with this site. We just hit our 1000th view in the last few days, and I can only hope that I'll remain creative enough to keep someone interested in reading as the weeks and months roll on.
This week we are seeing people all over the country rise up in the midst of cold temperatures and even colder opposition to honor two of the greatest Americans ever in the season of their respective births - Gen. Robert Edward Lee (January 19th) & Gen. Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson (January 21st). These two men are worthy of the respect of the entire freedom loving world. It would be nigh to impossible to find two other figures in the history of this nation since the end of the first Revolutionary War who exemplified virtue, courage, honor, sacrifice, humility, Christian faith, traditional values, and love of country more than these two men! The outpouring of love and respect in demonstrations all over the south has been encouraging to see, and we commend all who are participating in these public displays of Confederate heritage pride.
Still I read these stories in the so-called news, the blogosphere, and social media where the hateful kooks are still singing that same old dishonest song about Lee & Jackson being traitors or warriors in the defense of slavery... if these people actually gave a half rip about history and facts, they'd be singing a different tune! I read about how the Governor of Arkansas wants to separate Lee from MLK Day in their state... excuse me, Governor, but Lee was here first, and what you're calling for is a form of segregation! And then there's this absolutely disgusting video of protesters at the Lee-Jackson monument in Maryland hassling and bullying two middle-aged adults who simply stopped by to pay their respects to the two generals! The one, a lady, brought a wreath to place at the monument and the protesters kept grabbing it and throwing it to the ground! Then these thugs, who are of multiple racial backgrounds by the way, set up a toilet at the base of the monument and proceeded to burn images of Confederate heroes within. It even looked like the toilet had been used... How despicable those are who oppose honoring virtuous men! It is truly beyond the understanding of rational people how such nonsense could be viewed as good or praise worthy.
Here in the state of Michigan, the sons and daughters of the south are stirring in support of our honorable heritage! Both the Adm. Raphael Semmes Camp #1321 (Dearborn) and the Gen. Patrick R. Cleburne Camp #2257 (Grand Rapids) have seen growth over the last 7 months. I am encouraged all the time to learn of new members rising up.
In the coming days the Semmes Camp will be hosting the annual Lee-Jackson Dinner, and based on the RSVP responses, we are expecting a very nice turn out! Once the event takes place, we'll post photos here on the page.
Special days like birthdays and event anniversaries are wonderful times to stop and reflect on our ancestors and the great men under who's leadership they served. We must use times like these to educate others on why we celebrate this shared heritage and why it is worthy of such respectful remembrance.
As for our beloved heroes, Gen. Lee & Gen. Jackson, we give thanks to God above that men such as these once lived, and for the legacy of virtue that they passed down to us through the example they set while upon this planet. We can only pray that God will raise up another generation of men such as these to lead the march back to a more virtuous era.
DEO VINDICE!
- Jonathan McCleese
Sergeant-at-Arms, SCV Camp #1321
This week we are seeing people all over the country rise up in the midst of cold temperatures and even colder opposition to honor two of the greatest Americans ever in the season of their respective births - Gen. Robert Edward Lee (January 19th) & Gen. Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson (January 21st). These two men are worthy of the respect of the entire freedom loving world. It would be nigh to impossible to find two other figures in the history of this nation since the end of the first Revolutionary War who exemplified virtue, courage, honor, sacrifice, humility, Christian faith, traditional values, and love of country more than these two men! The outpouring of love and respect in demonstrations all over the south has been encouraging to see, and we commend all who are participating in these public displays of Confederate heritage pride.
Still I read these stories in the so-called news, the blogosphere, and social media where the hateful kooks are still singing that same old dishonest song about Lee & Jackson being traitors or warriors in the defense of slavery... if these people actually gave a half rip about history and facts, they'd be singing a different tune! I read about how the Governor of Arkansas wants to separate Lee from MLK Day in their state... excuse me, Governor, but Lee was here first, and what you're calling for is a form of segregation! And then there's this absolutely disgusting video of protesters at the Lee-Jackson monument in Maryland hassling and bullying two middle-aged adults who simply stopped by to pay their respects to the two generals! The one, a lady, brought a wreath to place at the monument and the protesters kept grabbing it and throwing it to the ground! Then these thugs, who are of multiple racial backgrounds by the way, set up a toilet at the base of the monument and proceeded to burn images of Confederate heroes within. It even looked like the toilet had been used... How despicable those are who oppose honoring virtuous men! It is truly beyond the understanding of rational people how such nonsense could be viewed as good or praise worthy.
Here in the state of Michigan, the sons and daughters of the south are stirring in support of our honorable heritage! Both the Adm. Raphael Semmes Camp #1321 (Dearborn) and the Gen. Patrick R. Cleburne Camp #2257 (Grand Rapids) have seen growth over the last 7 months. I am encouraged all the time to learn of new members rising up.
In the coming days the Semmes Camp will be hosting the annual Lee-Jackson Dinner, and based on the RSVP responses, we are expecting a very nice turn out! Once the event takes place, we'll post photos here on the page.
Special days like birthdays and event anniversaries are wonderful times to stop and reflect on our ancestors and the great men under who's leadership they served. We must use times like these to educate others on why we celebrate this shared heritage and why it is worthy of such respectful remembrance.
As for our beloved heroes, Gen. Lee & Gen. Jackson, we give thanks to God above that men such as these once lived, and for the legacy of virtue that they passed down to us through the example they set while upon this planet. We can only pray that God will raise up another generation of men such as these to lead the march back to a more virtuous era.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY GEN. LEE!
MAY GOD FOREVER BLESS YOUR MEMORY!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY GEN. JACKSON!
MAY GOD FOREVER BLESS YOUR MEMORY!
DEO VINDICE!
- Jonathan McCleese
Sergeant-at-Arms, SCV Camp #1321
Saturday, January 16, 2016
Train Up A Child...
Some time later, probably upon the prodding of some elementary school assignment, I was tasked with inquiring of my parents about my heritage. I learned from my Dad that through his family I am part Irish. When I asked my mother about her family, I was initially horrified when she told me that I was part German. In my young mind, I instantly equated that to mean I had some evil Nazi ancestry. I was so relieved when Mom explained how all Germans were not Nazis and that our family left Germany long before the Nazis existed.
There is a strong movement today to instill in the hearts and minds of young people the idea that the Confederacy and southerners of the antebellum-era should be thought of the same way that I did about the Nazis at such an impressionable age.
I was in high-school when I first heard a teacher suggest that the Confederacy equaled treason and racism. I was blessed to have had it happen not in my formative years, but at a point in my life when I was bent toward finding things out for myself and mentally capable of doing so ... and that's exactly what I did. It was that moment that sparked my life-long study of the Confederacy, and as any honest, logical study of the topic will, it lead me to find that the Confederacy was not about treason & slavery, but that it was about the exact same thing the American Revolution was about - FREEDOM FROM TYRANNY!
If a child is taught the wrong way about anything from an early age onward, it will be much harder to instill in it's mind the truth later down the road. The opposite is also true, however, and that is why it is so important for parents and other adults in the home to be involved with teaching them the truth about many things from birth onward.
Teach your youth about their honorable Confederate heritage, heroes, and symbols! Do not let the liberals in the media & academia indoctrinate them with lies and untruths. If you do, they will gasp in horror when they learn of their Confederate bloodline, and they will despise that part of their history which is so worthy of pride!
NO DESCENDANT OF A CONFEDERATE VETERAN SHOULD EVER BE MADE TO FEEL ASHAMED OF SUCH A NOBLE AND HONORABLE BLOODLINE...
ESPECIALLY NOT A CHILD!
DEO VINDICE!
- Jonathan McCleese
Sergeant-at-Arms, SCV Camp #1321
Monday, January 4, 2016
A Despicable Start to 2016
Last night I returned home from an evening with friends to find an awful story waiting for me in my Confederate-newsfeed, and upon just reading the headline my blood began to boil...
Nine grave markers, most belonging to Confederate military officers, were vandalized at the Oakwood Cemetery in Raleigh, NC last week. The total cost of repairing the damages is being estimated around $20,000. As best as I can ascertain, the perpetrators are still at large. (LINK)
As a historian, a genealogist, a preservationist, and the descendant of American military veterans who have served in every armed conflict throughout the nation's history, THIS OUTRAGES ME!!! I don't care who's grave it is, civilized people don't do that! People in a civil society shouldn't act that way! We are talking about tombstones in a cemetery, and some thug(s) thought it appropriate to go in with a can of spray paint to deface them!
This was not the post I had planned as the first for the new year, but here we are.
I have a proposal for how to deal with anyone caught, charged, and prosecuted for vandalizing any monuments & graves, particularly those for Confederate veterans. They should be sentenced to probation with community service, which would include (but not be limited to):
- cleaning up the monument(s) that they vandalized
- maintaining the site for a period of no less than 4 years
- paying a fine of at least, but not limited to, the amount estimated for repair of said vandalized monuments
- attend history classes taught by a member of a Confederate Heritage organization, using the curriculum provided by the Sons of Confederate Veterans.
If they violate the probation through failure to comply with any of the above, then they should have to do some jail time along with paying the aforementioned fine.
If anyone reading this blog can provide any information that could help lead to the arrest of the vandal(s) in the story above, contact the Raleigh, NC Police Department using the information at the following link: Raleigh, NC Police Dept.
DEO VINDICE!
- Jonathan McCleese
Sergeant-at-Arms, SCV Camp #1321
Nine grave markers, most belonging to Confederate military officers, were vandalized at the Oakwood Cemetery in Raleigh, NC last week. The total cost of repairing the damages is being estimated around $20,000. As best as I can ascertain, the perpetrators are still at large. (LINK)
As a historian, a genealogist, a preservationist, and the descendant of American military veterans who have served in every armed conflict throughout the nation's history, THIS OUTRAGES ME!!! I don't care who's grave it is, civilized people don't do that! People in a civil society shouldn't act that way! We are talking about tombstones in a cemetery, and some thug(s) thought it appropriate to go in with a can of spray paint to deface them!
This was not the post I had planned as the first for the new year, but here we are.
I have a proposal for how to deal with anyone caught, charged, and prosecuted for vandalizing any monuments & graves, particularly those for Confederate veterans. They should be sentenced to probation with community service, which would include (but not be limited to):
- cleaning up the monument(s) that they vandalized
- maintaining the site for a period of no less than 4 years
- paying a fine of at least, but not limited to, the amount estimated for repair of said vandalized monuments
- attend history classes taught by a member of a Confederate Heritage organization, using the curriculum provided by the Sons of Confederate Veterans.
If they violate the probation through failure to comply with any of the above, then they should have to do some jail time along with paying the aforementioned fine.
If anyone reading this blog can provide any information that could help lead to the arrest of the vandal(s) in the story above, contact the Raleigh, NC Police Department using the information at the following link: Raleigh, NC Police Dept.
DEO VINDICE!
- Jonathan McCleese
Sergeant-at-Arms, SCV Camp #1321
Saturday, October 24, 2015
Honorable Ancestors & Dishonorable Descendants
I have spoken to numerous Vietnam Veterans in the last few years, many of them having seen serious action in that theater of war, who have told me that my Dad's service was just as important as that rendered by anyone else who served during that time. One combat veteran explained to me that every job done by soldiers in the military is necessary to completing the overall mission, and that the soldier who wields the hammer or the spatula is just as vital as the one who wields the gun. Another veteran from that time period explained to me that no matter what your job was or where you were stationed, you always knew that at any point your unit might be called up to go to the warzone. All of the veterans I have spoken to have told me that they respect and honor my father's military service.
All of this leads up to the following sad report...
This past week I have read a story reported by multiple news sources about the descendants of Pvt. Creed Holland of the 58th Virginia Infantry, CSA. Pvt. Holland was one of the many slaves who rendered service to the Southern Cause during the War Between The States, his primary task being that of a teamster, hauling supplies for the 58th VA Inf. Pvt. Holland's honorable Confederate service was recognized by his state in the form of receiving a Confederate pension during the later years of his life.
In 2002, several of Pvt. Holland's descendants joined the Sons of Confederate Veterans after learning about their great-grandfather's honorable Confederate service. The Holland family and the SCV worked together at that time to make sure Pvt. Holland got a government-issued Confederate headstone to properly honor his time as a Confederate soldier.
Now, thirteen years later, some members of the Holland family have been hoodwinked by the onslaught of anti-Confederate propaganda that runs wild in this country today, and shamed into dishonoring their great-grandfather. They have removed the Confederate headstone they once so lovingly dedicated to Pvt. Holland's memory, and are planning to place a new one that will be void of Confederate recognition. Only one member of the family, John Holland, is still honoring his ancestor's service as a member of the SCV.
Pvt. Holland is no less an honorable Confederate Veteran than my father is an honorable Vietnam Veteran of the U.S. Army! I cannot imagine anything that would lead me to dishonoring my father's service; no level of coercion or amount of wealth offered could cause me to commit such a dishonorable act against his memory or military service! How sad it is that some of Pvt. Holland's descendants have allowed lies and deception on the part of the media & academia to lead them into disgracing his legacy of honor!
Here within the Michigan Camps of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, we salute Pvt. Creed Holland of the 58th Virginia Infantry, Confederate States Army, and shall always be grateful for his honorable service towards the cause of Southern Independence! We also salute Compatriot John Holland for remaining a member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans despite the opposition he faces, and in so doing, properly honors the military service of his great-grandfather!
DEO VINDICE!
- Jonathan McCleese
Sergeant-at-Arms, SCV Camp #1321
[P.S. If you'd like to show some love to Pvt. Creed Holland, and in a small way show respect for his Confederate service, you can visit his memorial page on FindAGrave.com & leave a note or "virtual" flowers. The page can found at the following link: Pvt. Creed Holland @ FindAGrave.com]
Sunday, October 4, 2015
Solidarity & Commitment to the Cause
Being a member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans is a point of honor and pride for every man who has taken the oath, but it should mean more to us than just having a fancy certificate on our wall. As members who have taken the oath, we have pledged ourselves to "loyally support the activities of the camp and the Sons of Confederate Veterans."
This means that we have pledged to go beyond just putting a flag up or posting about our southern heritage on social media. We have pledged to actively participate in the life of the SCV, both at the local and international level.
In the past 4 months we have seen what was generally a cold culture war escalate into a non-stop firefight for the survival of our heritage! It is safe to say that the memory of our beloved Confederate ancestors & the true history of the Cause they fought for has never seen an assault like it has since the middle of June. Though the national media has largely moved on, those who are actively seeking to destroy everything remotely Confederate have not. They struck a mighty blow after the tragedy in Charleston, and they continue to be effective in using that tragedy for their evil purposes.
Here in Michigan, we are largely isolated and insulated from the implications of what the hatemongers are doing. We don't have any public lands with deep Confederate history, and aside from a handful of Confederate veterans' graves, we really don't have a great number of sacred sights. This, however, cannot be an excuse for complacency.
Our southern brothers need our help, and there are a number of ways we can provide it. If you're reading this then you most likely have an internet connection. That also means you have access to the many online petitions that are out there to encourage the powers-that-be in the Southern states not to give in to the pressure from the groups that seek to destroy and suppress our heritage. You also have the ability to send emails to those people in charge to let our collective voice be heard.
Of course there are ways that we can help financially, such as by donating to the SCV Heritage Defense Fund, but another way we can support the Cause is just by encouraging others to join the organization and by being faithful to attend the meetings of our local camps!
So I would like to encourage all of our SCV brethren to think of ways they can show their commitment to the organization, and join in solidarity to combat the forces who would like to see our Confederate heritage buried and hidden away forever.
Both of our Michigan SCV Camps have seen growth over the past few months, and for this we can all be thankful. Let us resolve to keep up the fight, and let our brothers down south know that we are most certainly with them in this fight!
DEO VINDICE!
- Jonathan McCleese
Sergeant-at-Arms, SCV Camp #1321
This means that we have pledged to go beyond just putting a flag up or posting about our southern heritage on social media. We have pledged to actively participate in the life of the SCV, both at the local and international level.
In the past 4 months we have seen what was generally a cold culture war escalate into a non-stop firefight for the survival of our heritage! It is safe to say that the memory of our beloved Confederate ancestors & the true history of the Cause they fought for has never seen an assault like it has since the middle of June. Though the national media has largely moved on, those who are actively seeking to destroy everything remotely Confederate have not. They struck a mighty blow after the tragedy in Charleston, and they continue to be effective in using that tragedy for their evil purposes.
Here in Michigan, we are largely isolated and insulated from the implications of what the hatemongers are doing. We don't have any public lands with deep Confederate history, and aside from a handful of Confederate veterans' graves, we really don't have a great number of sacred sights. This, however, cannot be an excuse for complacency.
Our southern brothers need our help, and there are a number of ways we can provide it. If you're reading this then you most likely have an internet connection. That also means you have access to the many online petitions that are out there to encourage the powers-that-be in the Southern states not to give in to the pressure from the groups that seek to destroy and suppress our heritage. You also have the ability to send emails to those people in charge to let our collective voice be heard.
Of course there are ways that we can help financially, such as by donating to the SCV Heritage Defense Fund, but another way we can support the Cause is just by encouraging others to join the organization and by being faithful to attend the meetings of our local camps!
So I would like to encourage all of our SCV brethren to think of ways they can show their commitment to the organization, and join in solidarity to combat the forces who would like to see our Confederate heritage buried and hidden away forever.
Both of our Michigan SCV Camps have seen growth over the past few months, and for this we can all be thankful. Let us resolve to keep up the fight, and let our brothers down south know that we are most certainly with them in this fight!
DEO VINDICE!
- Jonathan McCleese
Sergeant-at-Arms, SCV Camp #1321
Wednesday, September 23, 2015
A Christian Viewpoint on the Confederate Flag
(Image obtained from 'www.sewaneemuseum.org')
Some leaders of the Christian faith, including Rev. Franklin Graham (son of Rev. Billy Graham) and Dr. Russell Moore (President of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention) have called on Christians to give up the Confederate Battle Flag out of love for our brothers & sisters that are offended by it.
I do not believe that Christ has called us at any point to compromise truth for lies, or love for hate. To do so for any reason would dishonor God. Hate & lies do nothing to further His cause, which is the cause I am chiefly devoted to, and are in direct opposition to the Gospel.
I'm outside of the south, born & raised minutes from Detroit, MI, and it was not until I was almost graduated from high-school that I heard anything about this being a racist flag. Of course I knew that it has been used at times by the Klan and other racial hate groups, but so were/are the Cross and the U.S. Flag, and I know that they aren't really racist symbols either.
The movement now underway to remove that flag, dishonor the brave soldiers that served under it (many of them being our Christian brothers), and disrespect the 70-million descendants of Confederate veterans (many of which hold that flag dear) is rooted in the same demonic cesspool as the movements in this nation to slander historical figures & traditional symbols of America, and also those of Christianity.
There is no stopping anyone that wants to hijack a symbol for hateful use, but it is another problem when we give in to the hate & lies, either by becoming hateful or letting them set the narrative. I refuse to let the hate & lies win on either front.
I believe that the well intentioned Christians standing with those calling for this destruction of Southern heritage are only helping those currently involved in creating even more racial, social, and political division in a nation that is currently on the path to prove that "divided we fall."
So in the interest of honoring Christ, I will keep flying the Confederate Battle Flag and encourage others to do so.
- Jonathan McCleese
Sergeant-at-Arms, SCV Camp #1321
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