Sunday, July 19, 2015

Excerpts from emails with a friend.

Via WRSA

 http://fineartphotographysite.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/vietnam-war-photography.jpg

The correspondence below was a private email exchange between myself and another veteran. Names or other identifying data have been pulled to respect his privacy. His words are in italics, and mine in normal font. He is old enough to be my grandfather, and I'm not exactly a spring chicken myself in military terms.

Any spelling errors are there because they were there when we hit "send" to push that email through cyberspace. I hadn't planned on sharing any of this, but if it can help someone you know, please share.

*****************

HIS email.

I've become so cynical, that all I see is another marketeer pushing his product . . . be nice if it were true, but they ARE actors, after all.  Pretense is their stock in trade. 

As it was over there, Believe Nothing!  Nothing is Real. The weight of this rifle, the load on my back and the stink of the unburied dead.  That's real.

The Confederate Battle Flag: The Struggle for Historical Truth

Mike Scruggs

 http://photos1.blogger.com/img/200/3608/640/BRK8.jpg

“The widow’s moan, the orphan’s wail,
Come round thee; but in Truth be strong!
Eternal Right though all else fail,
Can never be made wrong.”
—from a poem, “Southern Iliad” by British writer P.S. Worley, presented to Robert E. Lee, 1867
My Great Aunt Dixie included this on her painting dedicated to General Lee which hangs on my wall at Dixieland.  I received it from my mother because one day she facetiously asked me as a child what I wanted for my wedding present and I immediately said her painting :)

Anyone with a high regard for truth and the study of history has to be thoroughly discouraged, when truth is shouted down by ignorance. The discouragement is especially painful, when much of the ignorance is driven by malicious and self-serving distortions of history. Historical distortions, political lies, and bullying are the daily bread of cultural Marxism, and it is deeply grieving to see them advance to the point of destroying a people and all that is true and honorable in their government and traditions.

 The South Carolina Legislature’s acquiescence to removing the Confederate Battle Flag from its position honoring Confederate dead was not a triumph of social or racial healing; it was a triumph of historical ignorance, spineless political correctness, big corporate political donations, and broken promises to the people of South Carolina. Who outside of a madhouse could believe that injuring the honor of Confederate dead, the courageous and beloved forbearers of many thousands of South Carolinians, would cause anything but moral dismay, just resentment, and strife?

 It is particularly dismaying to see that Governor Nikki Haley’s argument that taking down the flag would bring racial healing has actually resulted in countless vengeance-driven political proposals to erase every trace of the Confederacy all over the South, including blasting the images of Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson, and Jefferson Davis off Stone Mountain in Georgia, disinterring the bodies of Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest and his wife from their Memphis graves, removing or tearing down scores of Confederate monuments and memorials, and renaming scores of buildings and schools, and perhaps hundreds of  streets. Whatever this reflects; it is not healing. It seems rather the arrogant and vengeful spirit of Lamech, descendent of Cain, whose boast is recorded in Genesis 4: 23-24. Such a spirit does not honor the prayers of a grieving church or the prayers of a nation for a government of truth, justice, and wisdom.

 Perhaps Republican National Chairman Reince Priebus , Governor Haley, and scores of Republican legislators expected to receive high praise by their vote. They are getting much of that in the mainstream press, but there are loud whispers that quite a number of South Carolina Republican legislators who voted to bring the flag down are “catching hell” from angry constituents. Perhaps the RNC and the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce will be able buy enough votes to re-elect them all, but combining the South Carolina flag betrayal with Republican betrayals of grassroots conservatives on amnesty, the Iran Nuclear Treaty, Obamacare, and failures to address judicial threats to religious liberties in Congress may yield unsettling results for South Carolina Republcans.

 An exaggerated and maliciously distorted narrative of the role and nature of the slavery issue as a cause of the Civil War has been the stock propaganda weapon of those who for political or economic gain still strive to obscure and misrepresent the economic, constitutional, and political tyrannies that provoked Southern secessions. These issues still live and are vital to the survival of decentralized Constitutional government and both Southern and American heritage. They have recently been revived by the Tea Parties. Hence the enemies of truth and just Constitutional government are straining every nerve to silence any dissent from their false narrative by means of cultural Marxism, ranging from political correctness to direct and indirect economic suppression and character assassination. They have especially used the slavery issue as a pious excuse for tyranny and justification for total war against both Confederate forces and Southern civilians. At least 50, 000 Southern civilians died because of Union total war policies, probably more blacks than whites.

More recently, the Left has insisted that slavery was the only real issue in the war in order to advance the Left-Liberal political grievance agenda and bully state legislators and local governments into accepting outrageous lies and distortions misrepresenting and demeaning Southern history and cultural heritage. Unfortunately, many decades of Left-Liberal dominance of academic, media, and cultural institutions have left the public and our government assemblies largely ignorant of anything but the (deliberately) shallowest understanding of American and Southern history,   
To Southern solders and their families, the Confederate Battle Flag symbolized their Christian heritage and resistance to tyranny.  They were fighting for the right of Southern States and their people to determine their own political destiny, just as their Revolutionary War forefathers had fought the British. They were fighting against the evil of unjust taxation and many other abuses of power perpetrated by Northern political factions. They were fighting to free themselves of a Northern political dominance that had enriched the Northern states and oppressed Southern states.  After many years of hardship and blood spent on the battlefield, the Southern Cross came to symbolize the courage and blood sacrifice of the Confederate soldier and Southern people.  They believed in the justice and righteousness of their cause, and when the surrender at Appomattox came, they gave up their regimental banners with tears and weeping.

 We need to honor the memory of our fallen heroes and all that served in that great struggle beneath our Southern Cross. The words of South Carolina journalist and poet Henry Timrod (1829-1867) in his Ode at Magnolia Cemetery should move our hearts to resolve:

“Sleep sweetly in your humble graves, sleep martyrs of a fallen cause,
Though yet no marble column craves the pilgrim here to pause.
In seeds of laurel in the earth, the blossom of your fame is blown,
And somewhere, waiting for its birth, the shaft is in the stone.
Meanwhile, behalf the tardy years, which keep in trust your storied tombs.
 Behold!  Your sisters bring their tears, and these memorial blooms.
Small tributes!  But your shades will smile, more proudly on these wreaths today,
han when some cannon-moulded pile shall overlook this bay.
Stoop, angels, thither from the skies!  There is no holier ground
Than where defeated valor lies, by mourning beauty crowned.”

But now there are many who for political or economic gain would rather see every memory and symbol of that noble army destroyed and desecrated.  There are still others who though being descendents of those noble soldiers by their indifference and moral cowardice would acquiesce to that destruction.  In dishonoring the Southern Cross and suppressing a noble Christian heritage they heap dishonor upon themselves.

 Yet I cannot believe that Providence will suffer the memory and sacred honor of valiant men and righteous principles to be blotted out.  I cannot believe their heroic banner will be suffered to be discarded and forgotten. I cannot believe that the blood of valorous heroes, still coursing in the veins of their descendent sons and daughters and their future generations, will not continue to inspire and encourage the friends of liberty everywhere. Whatever storms may come, we will not surrender the honor or our gallant flag.

 Leonard M. (Mike) Scruggs is the author of The Un-Civil War: Shattering the Historical Myths, UniversalMedia, Asheville, 2011.

Alabama arming its National Guard

Via Billy
Homecoming 441st Ordnance Battalion

Gov. Robert Bentley is moving ahead with plans to arm Alabama's National Guard.

The governor's office announced yesterday National Guard officials in the state were reviewing policies and procedures related to putting weapons in the hands of service personnel. Governors of six states – Florida, Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, Indiana and Oklahoma – have already announced plans to arm their guards following last week's slaying of five service members in Chattanooga.

More @ AL

VIDEO: Watch CSS Georgia recovery efforts in Savannah River

Via Billy


The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released footage of the efforts being taken to recover the Civil War ironclad CSS Georgia, currently at the bottom of the Savannah River directly in front of Fort Jackson.  

The video is courtesy of Michael Jordan of Cosmos Mariner Productions. Jordan is currently filming a documentary of the recovery efforts. 

More @ Savannah Now

Dr. Pepper

Via Carl


Dirt biker's collision with black bear captured on GoPro video

Via Skynet

LANGUAGE!


As Chris Deweerdt roared down a rural road near Baldwin last month on his dirt bike, a black bear was moving equally quick through the woods - setting the pair up for a collision that would be hard to believe if it hadn't been captured on video.

The incredible images show the running bear, which appears to be young based on its size, emerging from the woods, leaving Deweerdt no opportunity to avoid a crash that forced the 20-year-old from Lowell to fall off his bike and and sent the bear tumbling.

More @ MLIVE

Successful CSA Flag Rally & Ride Leesburg Albany Georgia

Via Billy

Slideshow

Compatriots,

 The Confederate Flag Rally & Ride yesterday Saturday July 18 at Leesburg and Albany Georgia far far far exceeded any of my expectations. About 400 participants. This event was planned and organized by an amazing 16 year old young lady (Elizabeth Conley) using Facebook. She accepted my offer to assist. I addressed the crowd standing in the back of a pickup truck and introduced her and gave her full credit and then asked the crowd to give her a standing ovation which they did.

 I gave a very short speech telling everyone what the principles and values are that the CSA flag represents: Limited Constitutional federal Government, States Rights, Resistance to Tyranny, and Christian Values---the same principles and values represented by the original U.S. Betsy Ross flag.

 I gave out over 100 small antenna flags and copies of the Weaver CD "The Truth Concerning The Confederate Flag" courtesy of the Albany SCV Camp.

We then left on the ride from Leesburg to Albany. The Lee County sheriff's deputys gave us a police escort but the bureaucrats in Albany could not because we did not know a permit was required.
 The procession was about 3 miles long with pickup trucks, motorcycles, and cars all flying Confederate flags. Even a huge motor home with flags attatched to the sides. Some trucks has 4 flags flying 3'x5' size.  We drove Hwy. 19 from Leesburg to Albany then left on Hwy. 82 thru Albany to the East Albany Walmart parking lot. Regrouped there about 30 minutes then drove the Albany bypass Hwy. 82-520 back to Hwy.19 and ended at the Harvey's Grocery store & plaza.

 All along the route people were waving, taking pictures and cheering beside the road, on bridge over passes etc. Both Albany TV stations interviewed Elizabeth and I.

 I was overwhelmed with joy at this magnificent performance by these young Southerners. They really care. What did dismay me was the absence of SCV support--only 3 to my knowledge 1 Albany camp member, Sylvester camp commander Mark Thornhill, and I.  Miss Conley had welcomed SCV support and I had sent e-mail notices and invitations this past Thursday to all SCV members in the 9th Brigade from Americus down to Bainbridge and part of the 8th Brigade.

 SCV should not let this golden opportunity to reach out to the young people of the South. Some are planning to attend Albany's monthly SCV meeting Monday PM and some want to join SCV. We must educate and train young Southerners or else SCV will eventually die out. We can use the Marxist attacks that are occurring against everything Confederate on the national, state, and local levels to rally young Southerners and use their energy to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. To do so we must be bold and not timid. We talk the talk about the SCV Charge constantly. Talk is cheap. Now is the time to Walk the Walk and not just Talk the Talk.

I believe in being bold in this culture war to save our heritage, history, and culture. We need to operate like Stonewall Jackson and Forrest. The young people of the South have shown their willingness to fight and win. Will we in SCV ?

The talk about doubling SCV membership in 2016. The young people are the key to doing so even if we have to pay their dues and help them document their CSA ancestor. They want action---not just meet, eat, retreat meetings.

 To let this opportunity with the young people pass by is comparable to not capturing Washington after 1st Manassas, not taking the high ground the 1st day at Gettysburg, or failing to smash Sherman as he was crossing the Chattahoochee river advancing toward Atlanta.

Are our SCV leaders and SCV camps up to the task? I hope so.

James W. King
SCV Camp 141 Commander
Albany Georgia

Camps!

Via comment by Shane Beanv on Obama Announces Large-Scale Gun Grab That Will Aff...


More @ WRSA

ISIS set up stronghold in the heart of Europe as terrorists secretly buy land near an isolated village

Via David "I am a Jew, married to a Muslim (yes, there ARE "moderate" Muslims). We have two beautiful kids, who we are raising as Jews with my wife's enthusiastic consent. We've officially converted them, and attend Shul (Synagogue) on Friday nights. Eventually, as the kids get older, I'm hoping to get them to Saturday morning services, but those can be long and I don't want to turn the kids off. (Smile: My daughter already talks about G-d, and how He is the "biggest thing there is".)

But not all Muslims are as easy-going as this. I see the guy in the Verizon store who, while friendly, bragged about learning Arabic so he could read the Koran in the original language, and who now sports a beard. Even my wife, one day at the apartment complex where we used to live, saw a woman in the full Niqba and, as we were out on a walk, clutched my arm and said "Oh no, they're here... I am afraid." Later, as she worked in a retail store, she would come home, tell me about the robed women that would come into her store, and wonder just what they might be hiding under the robes. So I wonder... what will it take for The West to wake up to this threat? Just how many have to die?

Or, as I sometimes fear, we will still have denial as our peoples in the West are mowed down in their malls and streets by people shouting "Allah Akhbar!" as our "moral and intellectual betters" assure us this has nothing to do with Islam. Just as I wonder, with "shockers" about this Iran deal, and the tactics Barackus is using to cement it at the UN before Congress even has a chance to review it, what it will take for my fellow American Jews to wake up to the fact that he is our enemy, and an enemy of Israel"

 An entrance to the Bosnian village of Gornja Maoca

Security services think the area in Bosnia is used for ISIS training camps and could be a base for devastating terror attacks on the West

Islamic State have established a stronghold in mainland Europe, a Sunday Mirror investigation reveals.

Terrorists are secretly buying land in an isolated village, surrounded by deep woodland.

Security services think the area in Bosnia is used for ISIS training camps and could be a base for devastating terror attacks on the West.

Crucially, the location gives IS a key strategic position due to its proximity to the Mediterranean which is used by extremists from Syria, Iraq and North Africa.

At least 12 ISIS fighters trained in the village of Osve have left for Syria in recent months and five are reported to be dead.

Terror expert Dzevad Galijasevic said: “From this village a large number of people went to Syria and are going constantly.

More with pictures and video @ Mirror

Mykah wearing his grandpa's hat in NC!

Via Rita

UN Aims to Trace the Transfer of All Guns and Ammo

Via comment by Anonymous on I Will Not Go Peacefully


 https://reclaimourrepublic.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/gun-confiscation.jpg?w=640

The United Nations is waging a multi-pronged attack on the right to keep and bear arms and the forces of disarmament are marching to America.

Recently, a board of “government experts” approved a report on the United Nations Office of Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) to implement the group’s “Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons in All its Aspects (PoA).”

They certainly weren’t exaggerating when they gave that title to the scheme. It certainly does cover “all aspects” of gun ownership.

John McCain Bashes Trump And “Extremists” In The Republican Party In The NEW YORKER

Via comment by Anonymous on Obama Released TOP IRANIAN SCIENTIST as Part of Nu...

 WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 26:  U.S. Sen. John McCain (C) (R-AZ) speaks during a press conference on the recent bombings by Saudi Arabia in Yemen March 26, 2015 in Washington, DC. During his remarks Graham said, "The Mideast is on fire, and it is every person for themselves." (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

As Trump rises in the polls by breaking the bipartisan taboo on telling it like it is on the border, losers like McCain (2008) and Romney (2012) with their well-paid minions bash Trump and his supporters.

This is the GOP insider gang, remember, that lost the last two presidential elections.  Why should anybody care what they have to say about politics?

John McCain, who lost in 2008 to Obama, was interviewed by the New Yorker’s Ryan Lizza, and had much to pontificate about, as reported in John McCain Has a Few Things to Say About Donald Trump.July 16, 2015.

It’s worth perusing only to show us how out-of-touch McCain and the GOP elite are.  Lizza writes.

More @ V DARE