Hate Crimes in Auburn

[Saniflush]

http://www.wrbl.com/rbl/news/local/article/confederate_flag_controversy_at_an_auburn_cemetery/69824/

An acquaintance of mine sent out an email concerning the situation and I could say it no better.  If you are proud of your Southern heritage, please take a moment to read this.

Gentlemen,

I am sure many of you are aware of the situation in Auburn, AL. For those who might not have heard, City Councilman Authur Dowdell, a self proclaimed civil rights activist, went to Auburn's Pine Hill cemetery and removed Confederate Battle flags placed their by the local UDC in honor of Confederate Memorial Day. Not only did he remove the flags, but he broke several and threw them in his car.

This is an outrage to say the least, and in my opinion a hate crime. There has been media coverage across the nation. The desecration of graves should never be overlooked and swept under the carpet. That is why I am requesting that each of you write a letter to the Mayor, City Council members, and the District Attorney's office. I am attaching the email and snail mail addresses for each of those people. Please remember to make your letter professional with no expletives. One suggestion is that you demand the resignation of Authur Dowdell for his hate crime against a soldier who fought on American soil for freedom.

If we allow this to go unchallenged, we are opening the doors to endless possibilities of atrocities that the politically correct crowd will do - like spray paint our monuments. Please join me in speaking out against such hateful conduct for an elected representative.

Mayor Bill Ham, Jr.
1846 Hayden Avenue
Auburn, AL 36830
334.501.7259
bham@auburnalabama.org

The City Council's email is: coagbemail@auburnalabama.org (Will go to all council members with the one email)
Here are the Auburn, Alabama city council members:
Mayor - Mr. Bill Ham, Jr.
Ward 1 - Mr. Arthur L. Dowdell
Ward 2 - Ms. Sheila Eckman
Ward 3 - Mr. Tom Worden
Ward 4 - Mr. Brent Beard
Ward 5 - Mr. Robin Kelley
Ward 6 - Mr. Dick Phelan
Ward 7 - Mr. Gene Dulaney
Ward 8 - Mr. Bob Norman

Ward 1
Arthur L. Dowdell
909 Pleasant Avenue
Auburn, AL 36832
334.524.2074
bishopdowdellministries@yahoo.com


District Attorney's Office
37th Judicial Circuit of Alabama
Nick Abbett
2311 Gateway Drive, Suite 111
Opelika, Alabama 36801-6889
334-737-3446

[Tarheel]

I have had the honor and privilege of participating in several Confederate Memorial Services this month (April is Confederate Heritage Month in Georgia) with the Sons of Confederate Veterans most of which take place in cemeteries where Confederate Veteran's are buried.

This is offensive beyond the pale; Confederate Veterans are part of American History too; they deserve to be respected and honored.  I can't honor my own ancestor who lies in a mass grave somewhere in a damn yankee prison camp in Maryland but I honor him by honoring those who did make it back home.

Some of you locals in the Auburn area ought to write to these officials and demand some kind of action be taken to at least censure this city councilman.  I intend to write but someone out of state will not carry as much weight with these folk as a local area person will.

SOUTHERN HISTORY IS SOUTHERN HERITAGE, NOT HATE.

Sic Semper Tyrannis.

[AWK]

My opinion on this matter, is the exact opposite of you guys.  I feel that running around, hanging Confederate Flags, is a sign of ignorance and fulfills every stereotype that people try to push on the south.  Also, the Civil War was almost 150 years ago, its over, the North won...  To me, hanging a Confederate Flag is similar to Germans trying to hang the Nazi flag on local graves/monuments and explaining that its "National Socialist Party heritage month."  The German's lost, many of their friends and families died, but they realize it is not ok to bring back up a War that was wrong in the first place.  To say, "But, no, no AWK, we did not commit genocide and try to eliminate an entire race."  Um...Slavery?


However, let me make this clear.  I don't give a fuck what people want to do on their own time.  If people want to hang confederate flags all over their cars and what not, go ahead.  As long as no one personally screws with my property, I have no problems.  Public Property, well, that is another story...

[AUChizad]

One suggestion is that you demand the resignation of Authur Dowdell for his hate crime against a soldier who fought against America on American soil for the exact opposite of freedom (slavery).

FTFY

[Tarheel]

My opinion on this matter, is the exact opposite of you guys.  I feel that running around, hanging Confederate Flags, is a sign of ignorance and fulfills every stereotype that people try to push on the south.  Also, the Civil War was almost 150 years ago, its over, the North won...  To me, hanging a Confederate Flag is similar to Germans trying to hang the Nazi flag on local graves/monuments and explaining that its "National Socialist Party heritage month."  The German's lost, many of their friends and families died, but they realize it is not ok to bring back up a War that was wrong in the first place.  To say, "But, no, no AWK, we did not commit genocide and try to eliminate an entire race."  Um...Slavery?


However, let me make this clear.  I don't give a fuck what people want to do on their own time.  If people want to hang confederate flags all over their cars and what not, go ahead.  As long as no one personally screws with my property, I have no problems.  Public Property, well, that is another story...

Obviously a graduate of the public indoctrination centers. 

It's ALL about slavery.

That's the true sign of ignorance.

[AUChizad]

Obviously a graduate of the public indoctrination centers. 

It's ALL about slavery.

That's the true sign of ignorance.

True, it was about more than just slavery, but to pretend it wasn't a HUGE part of it, is either ignorance or dishonesty.

Either way, it was a now defunct organization that declared war AGAINST the United States and lost.

[Saniflush]

True, it was about more than just slavery, but to pretend it wasn't a HUGE part of it, is either ignorance or dishonesty.

Either way, it was a now defunct organization that declared war AGAINST the United States and lost.

So you would not honor the men who died then?


The South did not declare war against the Federalists because there was no need to.  States HAD the unalienable right to succeed from a a Union that they themselves created so there was no need to declare war.  Much like now some just want to be left the fuck alone. 

[AWK]

Obviously a graduate of the public indoctrination centers. 

It's ALL about slavery.

That's the true sign of ignorance.

Dude, whatever.  To say it was only about state's rights is 1/516 of the truth.  They were angry, because the North was trying to take away their primary method of physical labor, slavery. 

The true sign of ignorance is the person that calls someone ignorant just because they do not agree with them. 

[Tarheel]

True, it was about more than just slavery, but to pretend it wasn't a HUGE part of it, is either ignorance or dishonesty.

Either way, it was a now defunct organization that declared war AGAINST the United States and lost.

I did not claim that slavery was NOT a part of that war, AUChizad.  But that was NOT the ONLY reason for the conflict either and it certainly wasn't the main reason.  But, you are right in that looking at the reasons blindly either way is ignorant and/or dishonest.

And, by the way, some Confederates, like my Thrice-Great Grandfather for example, never took the Oath of Allegiance to the United States.  That being the case it is entirely appropriate to use the Confederate Flag for such occasions for such veterans.

Further, the Confederate States of America had every constitutional right to succeed from the union.  The real tyrant in that war was Lincoln.  To deny that is to be ignorant.

Dude, whatever.  To say it was only about state's rights is 1/516 of the truth.  They were angry, because the North was trying to take away their primary method of physical labor, slavery. 

The true sign of ignorance is the person that calls someone ignorant just because they do not agree with them. 

They were angry because the Federal Government was over-stepping it's constitutionally defined authority.

And I wrote ignorant; not stupid; there's a difference.  I didn't mean it to read like I was 'calling you a name'.  If you want to learn more please do read a book called "The Real Lincoln" by Thomas DiLorenzo; no offense but you might learn something that they didn't teach you in school about what was really going on that bought about the American Civil War.

See above for the rest.

[Tarheel]

So you would not honor the men who died then?


The South did not declare war against the Federalists because there was no need to.  States HAD the unalienable right to succeed from a a Union that they themselves created so there was no need to declare war.  Much like now some just want to be left the fuck alone. 

Sani, the more I ruminate on that ideal as I get older the more I am moving towards becoming a political atheist.

[wesfau2]

Arguing over remembrance of the Civil War (almost always by Southerners, natch) makes me think of this joke:

Q: Knock knock.

A: Who's there?

Q: 9/11.

A: 9/11 who?

Q: Aw, man, you said you'd never forget.

[Saniflush]

  If you want to learn more please do read a book called "The Real Lincoln" by Thomas DiLorenzo; no offense but you might learn something that they didn't teach you in school about what was really going on that bought about the American Civil War.

here is another good one.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0874850851/theamericanre-20

[AWK]

I'm not arguing over it, I just think that it is history.  That is the past, and it should be left there.  Read about it, learn from it, and move on. 

[Tarheel]

here is another good one.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0874850851/theamericanre-20

As my ex-pat, Russian banker (now an American) has sternly told me before: 'If you are ignorant about something you must educate yourself!'

Another great book recommendation, Sani.

[Saniflush]

I'm not arguing over it, I just think that it is history.  That is the past, and it should be left there.  Read about it, learn from it, and move on. 

If it is left there then how is one to learn from it?

[AUTiger1]

Sorry, but Mr. Dowdell's action were irresponsible for a councilman.  He showed his ass plain and simple and should suffer any and all consequences of his actions. 

<Side note>Lincoln was a racist, hypocrite, and tyrant.....just my honest observation after much reading and studying. 

[tiger88]

I thought some bammers got rolled when I read the headline.

[AWK]

If it is left there then how is one to learn from it?

Books, there are quite a few.  "Left there" was a phrase meaniing not to dwell on this shit like it happened 10 years ago, to our generation...

[Tarheel]

Books, there are quite a few.  "Left there" was a phrase meaniing not to dwell on this shit like it happened 10 years ago, to our generation...

To those of us who memorialize the 700,000 men who fought and died in that war on BOTH sides it is not 'shit'.  That is the whole point of putting flags on their graves and tending to cemeteries so they don't fall into disrepair and get forgotten.  I even do that for my Grandfathers and Uncles who fought for the U. S. in WWII and Vietnam (U. S. flags obviously).  I suppose that is shit too!  If the younger generation doesn't do these things who will?  Obviously not the self-centered current crop of yutes who care more about what's on their fucking iPod or who is picked on signing day.  No personal offense intended.

I was very happy last weekend to see some young folk at the Confederate Memorial Service that I helped with show some interest in history and ask questions of me and others.  That's how you learn (in addition to reading) rather than wallow in ignorance.  Again, no personal offense.

[Tarheel]

To those of us who memorialize the 700,000 men who fought and died in that war on BOTH sides it is not 'shit'.  That is the whole point of putting flags on their graves and tending to cemeteries so they don't fall into disrepair and get forgotten.  I even do that for my Grandfathers and Uncles who fought for the U. S. in WWII and Vietnam (U. S. flags obviously).  I suppose that is shit too!  If the younger generation doesn't do these things who will?  Obviously not the self-centered current crop of yutes who care more about what's on their fucking iPod or who is picked on signing day.  No personal offense intended.

I was very happy last weekend to see some young folk at the Confederate Memorial Service that I helped with show some interest in history and ask questions of me and others.  That's how you learn (in addition to reading) rather than wallow in ignorance.  Again, no personal offense.

And don't answer that question with 'FedGov'; they've done such a fine job taking care of The Wilderness Battlefield that three different areas of it have been sold off and leveled to build Wal-Mart stores!  The Civil War Preservation Trust is doing they're best to protect these sites (with the help of members like me) but they can only do so much; that's where volunteer groups like the SCV step in to help.

Anyway, just another old rant for the day from an old fart.