Henry’s Daily Detritus

2017 Aug 18^th,-20^th

Buchanan’s column yesterday claims that if we erase our history who are we. Some of this history is is not history at all; it is myth created by the losers. Keep in mind that the revered Robert E. Lee was  a traitor to his country. When he was at West Point he swore an oath of allegiance, an oath he violated when Virginia removed itself from the union. Lee could have resigned from West Point and remained neutral, but he did not. He chose instead to commit himself to the destruction of his country and the glorification of his state. Now we have the myth of Lee as hero to a lost cause. Lee is not alone, many other southern officers attended West Point, swore an oath of loyalty to their country and then became traitors, among them are JEB Stuart, James Longstreet, “Stonewall” Jackson. We also include among these former United States officers, Jefferson Davis.

What happened? How did these traitors, these promoters of slavery, become heroes? The answer is, “Slowly but steadily.” There was the steady erosion of black civil rights epitomized in  “The Birth of a Nation,” and a KKK now mainstreamed and marching hooded and unembarrassed down the streets of mid-western cities. There is President Wilson who kept us out of war and allowed the country to slip into the grossest bigotry. Finally there is “Gone With the Wind” which reminded us yet again how noble was the cause of the gallant south fighting against terrible odds to preserve a life where people of color were considered property like horses or cattle.

Six hundred thousand lives were lost by both sides in the Civil War; that is two percent of the country’s population at that time. The equivalent loss given today’s population would be about six million dead. What would be the effect on this country today if a civil war cost us six million dead? Would we tolerate monuments constructed to the heroes of the losing side? ( Are there monuments to Adolph Hitler, Heinrich Himmler and many other prominent members of the losing side in WW 2? Perhaps Germany prefers not to be reminded of that chapter in their history.)

Finally, Buchanan tells us that, “All men are created equal,” is an  ideological statement. Buchanan wants evidence for its scientific proof. There is none of course because taken literally the statement is false on its face. “All men are created equal” was never meant to be taken literally; it means that thjey are equal under the law…even that was a lie at the time it was written.

(It might take me some time to get back in the grove but I’m working on it.)