17 October 2004 - Hatred of Southern Heritage

Dear Editor,

Another thread from the Confederate States battle flag has been
surreptitiously removed from its fabric.  The political panderers of
Mecklenburg County have drawn their "line in the sand" and refuse to
recognize Mecklenburg heritage.

Neighbors and descendants of the one-million brave soldiers who spilled
their blood for their country have once again been betrayed by the
politically correct revisionists of the great metropolis of Charlotte, a
blue-state community mind-set.  Their hatred of American history and
values is abundantly obvious.  While some espouse racial harmony, many
of their ilk despise traditional heritage.

While the Confederate flag equates with slavery in some small minds, the
fact is that a very small percentage of Confederate soldiers were slave
owners.  Those who fought in the war did so because of loyalty to their
community and their neighbors.  They were opposed to domination by a
far-away, uncaring federal government and they willingly shed their
blood in defense of their country and the Sixth Amendment.

Even today, a very small minority of elected officials have chosen to
over-ride the wishes of a vast majority.  The Sons of Confederate
Veterans, a historical preservation society, supports the memory of the
fallen men and the flag under which they fought.  The SCV opposes any
group using the Confederate flag for negative purpose.  We despise those
who have hijacked the Battle Flag for their own selfish and racial
motives.  We totally disavow klansmen, neo-nazis, skinheads and related
trash.

Our charter is to honor and respect the memory of the million men who
shed their blood for the Cause.  Our goals are no different from those
seeking to honor the Minute Men and the Over-the-Mountain Men of the
Revolutionary War.  We recognize those who fought in the War of 1812,
the heroes of the Mexican War, the Roughriders of the Spanish-American
War and the brave souls who fought in both World Wars, the Doughboys and
the GIs.  We honor the same heroic men who died in Korea, Vietnam,
Afghanistan and Iraq.  Why a small segment of our population chooses to
attack American soldiers, both Union and Confederate is beyond the pale
and is worth nothing but contempt..

I encourage all the folks who receive this message to take action.  The
bottom of this message contains the contact addresses of those who have
the power to either restore or remove the Confederate battle flag from
Elmwood Cemetery.  For many years, the flag has flown over the graves of
a hundred-some-odd Confederate soldiers.  We seek support from patriots,
regardless of stripe.  You don't have to belong to any organization or
society to cherish your heritage

The banner under which the Elmwood soldiers men died was the Confederate
battle flag.  Removing this flag from Elmwood is the same as spitting on
the graves of those who died for their beliefs.

Here's the bottom line:  Somebody stole the flag.  The Mecklenburg
County Commissioners ordered the ropes removed so the flag could not be
raised again.  If that isn't a cheap and unworthy response to the rights
of those whom we seek to honor, I don't know what is.

Derick S. Hartshorn
Webmaster-CatawSCV.org