October p1

HERITAGE OR HATE?

Every day we hear of the words confederate being removed from buildings due to the perceived incorrect misconceptions of what the Confederacy stood for. Is it not time that we stand up for our ancestors, reclaim the south and return honor to our flags?

By David C. Daniels, Editor

Vanderbilt's Peabody dorm is "gone with the wind"
Concluding a three-year debate, administrators finalize plans to rename Confederate Memorial Hall.

According to Michael Schoenfeld, vice chancellor of public affairs, plans should be finalized this week to make Confederate Memorial Hall simply Memorial Hall. The United Daughters of the Confederacy donated money to build Confederate Hall in an attempt to improve economic and educational problems in the South.
Many students, however, fail to see the problem with the name. "I understand the reluctance to keep the name 'Confederate' because of its racist connotations, but... the Confederacy will always be a part of the south's history," said a Vanderbilt sophomore.
In the December 2000 edition of the Highlander Dispatch we reported that the Anti-Defamation League promotes the Confederate Flag as a "HATE SYMBOL" stating "although the flag is seen by some Southerners simply as a symbol of Southern pride, it is often used by racists to represent white domination of African-Americans".
In the December 2000 we contacted the ADL and in
February 2001 reported with their response.
In the March 2001 edition of the Highlander Dispatch we reported that if you type in "Hate symbol" under an internet search engine you will find websites picturing the Confederate Flag.
Be also advised that when the words "Confederate

Flag" is used as a search you will get cartoons and
images portraying the Confederate Flag, in a less than favorable manner.

In the August 2002 edition of the Highlander Dispatch we reported that at the recent National Reunion held in Memphis the SCV membership voted on and passed a resolution condemning the misuse of the Confederate flag by racist groups and to take "legal action to prevent such".

The resolution is quite plain and should speak for itself as to the intent of the SCV membership. The membership has spoken and stated unanimously and in unison, "We want our heritage back!"

Who are the guardians of our heritage? Do we sit idly by and continue to see our symbols vanish and our flags continually misrepresented?

What options do we have? We must reply on, yes must reply on the better judgement of the SCV International and the General Executive Council as to how this matter is to be resolved. We must depend on the SCV International to take a stand and move to the forefront of this fight.

We must and will continue to move forward in our efforts to respect everyone's heritage, values, and beliefs regardless of their race, ethnic background or whatever area of our nation they come from and we should demand no less for the Confederacy.

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"If men are to be precluded from offering their sentiments on the matter which may involve the most serious and alarming consequences that can invite the consideration of mankind, reason is of no use to us; the freedom of speech may be taken away, and dumb and silent we may be led like sheep to the slaughter." ~

George Washington - (March 15, 1783)
Address to officers in the Army
(The Seal of the Confederacy pictures the equestrian statue of George Washington.)