‘The Truth Concerning the Confederate Battle Flag’ by John Weaver
Author: Jeremy Sarber | Filed under: Political Opinion
There are many, MANY misconceptions concerning the Civil War and the Confederacy in popular understanding. It is an unfortunate truth that revisionists of history have twisted so many facts in order to condemn the Confederate states and praise the Union. Of course, it should be noted that once the war was over it was the Union who had control over the educational system. This villainized-South outcome could have been and was predicted.
The enmity against the very idea of the Confederacy has become so great that even a mere symbol of it, like the Confederate battle flag, has been disdained and consequently protested against. This, I believe, is a tragedy. This is a point where our ignorance and apathy has not served us nor our country well.
I have, on several occasions, defended the Confederate flag and what it stands for. While a flag may seem like a silly thing to fight for, it is not the honor of the flag that I defend. I defend the honor and reputation of worthy men who fought and died for principles I still believe in. I am not a racist and I strongly disapprove of slavery. But that is not what the Confederacy stood for. The Confederacy fought for liberty against an ever-growing and tyrannical government.
If you want to learn more, I encourage you to listen to this wonderful discourse by John Weaver titled, The Truth Concerning the Confederate Battle Flag. You can listen and/or download it. Also, you may want to visit this Wikipedia page to see the various flags he will talk about during the discourse.
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Download this discourse (right-click and choose “Save” option)
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I would note, that while the man is right, the flag doesn’t stand for slavery. You can’t remove it completely but keep it in context. The issue was states rights, but there are few reasons that would have compelled them to go to war. Defense of their economic system and way of life based upon slavery is the great motivator though.
That’s true. Slavery was a huge part of the Confederacy’s economy but the real conflict was states’ rights. Slavery, as wrong it was, just happened to be part of the infringement of their rights. What I try to remind people of is that slavery was generally accepted by the whole country since its founding. It just so happens citizens of the country found more use for them in the South. Also, I personally believe that slavery would have been abolished either way. A nation built on freedom cannot stand for long while many are still enslaved.
Hi Jeremy, glad to see your article and the Flag Flying.
Slavery was also a huge part of the Northern economy. That is why Lincoln was pushing the CORWIN AMENDMENT (google it) while he was a Senator and after he was President in spring 1861. The Corwin amendment would have made slavery forever. The South could have cared less they didn’t leave because of slavery, they left because of the industiral North power and money grab. They wanted the slaves to keep on slaving which they benefited from and bottle the slaves up in the South thus relagating the Southern States to their colony.
See the book “Complicity” – by NE CT Writers pub 2007 – their research knowcked their socks off and they name names.
That’s true, Jeremy. The C.S.A. would have eventually freed the slaves. As a matter of fact, the Confederate Constitution forbade the importation of slaves. The erroneous assumption that the War for Southern Independence was fought over slavery can simply be attributed to the adage, “history is written by the victors.”