Confederate Monuments

In the ongoing Kulturkampf against all things Confederate, more and more statues of the South's heroes are being removed from view. Though I don't know why I bother to debate these things on Facebook -- a hopelessly puerile forum -- I got into it with an acquaintance whose ancestors immigrated to America well after the War for Southern Independence, and who thinks that removing these monuments to the "losers" is just dandy. I posted the following response to her diatribe, which I'm sure will get me unfriended fast:

Even President Eisenhower explained that it is fitting to honor the heroism of Robert E. Lee and others who fought for the sincere -- and at the time, prevailing -- belief in the voluntary nature of the Union and the right to depart from it. To assert that Southerners have no right to publicly honor the sacrifices of their ancestors is radical and repressive. And if you look at the balance sheet, the South had far greater right to defend itself from invasion than the North had to conduct it, especially considering the barbaric campaign of rape, pillage, and plunder waged against men, women, and children throughout the South. It's eminently understandable why large numbers of people choose to honor the "losers" in that scenario. Then again, we come at this from different perspectives: my ancestors participated in the founding of the Union and the struggle over whether it would be maintained, so it is personal to me and many others with similar roots. We will not dig them up and burn them for anyone, nor should we be expected to.

It looks like everyone must choose sides now. If it means that my "friends" dwindle to zero, then I suppose my life will become more cleansed and purposeful.