I must admit that the memorial statue of Confederate Ltc Zachary used to annoy me. It stood in the center of the Town square, towering above us all. sigh. I loved the beauty of the square’s upkeep, however that statue… smh
So a few days ago, it was carefully removed from the center of the square. Tempers flared. This is Georgia. One of the pearls of the confederacy, in truth, they’ve held annual ceremonies to commemorate the cause, making April Confederate History Month.
Yes, it’s 2020, however, this is the south. Sure Blacks, er, African American have made great strides, heck Tyler Perry OWNS Fort McPherson, once a confederate army base, that was taken over by the Union during reconstruction. (Don’t quote me, do your research). Maj. Gen. James “Birdseye” McPherson was Union.
Anywho, I was filled with an odd glee at the thought of the removal and yet when I saw it dangling from the straps, having been lifted from its perch, an even odder sadness crept in, in a dull way. I felt for the ones who actually worshipped this monument and all that it represents.
For weeks I’d read posts from people who said that the war wasn’t about slavery, it was about land and pride in their way of life. There were even people of color fighting to keep it erected in its 100+-year-old space, (think on it, the ground under it hasn’t been touched by sunlight since 1911… I digress.)
I’m content with the removal. They were traitors who left the Union to fight for their way of life which included ownership of human beings.
It’s odd to me that we in many ways are praying the same prayers my grandparents prayed, fighting the same fight my mom fought. “We shall overcome one day”
You know it was fear that kept the feet of bystanders from rescuing Mr. Floyd. It was abject indifference that held him there pinned, shackled under the knee of a human who may have known who he was.
It was Power drunkenness that killed a man crawling on his hands and knees towards a group of policemen, this wasn’t even a man of color.
So what does all of the violence today have to do with the Confederacy? The Nazis, etc? It’s about hate and supremacy… it’s about those who think more highly of themselves than they ought… don’t get me wrong, I get it. It is what it is… The confederacy was about a way of life, that was so ingrained that they took body servants to war with them and even into the North after the war during reconstruction. Heck slavery in some form is alive and spreading its poison even today. What do you call it when Massa, er, CEOs make $11,000 an hour and the workers make at least $8 an hour? Then there’s sex trafficking… which is also slavery.
Have I said that I’m content with the removal of confederate monuments? It spoke volumes to me that there were men of color in the removal crew… yes the boss or crew leader wasn’t of color … blah blah blah… it spoke volumes that standing on the back of a flatbed truck a black man, in Georgia, freed the statue of its bonds. selah
It spoke volumes that the man stood taller than the statue. selah
I am content with the removals.
From the Desk of an Author 