Oxford's Pro-Confederate Rally is War of Words

Bailey Martin reporting on two groups, pro-Confederate and counter-protestors, gathered on the Square in Oxford, Mississippi on Feb. 23.

[SouthernGentleman]

“African Americans deserve the right to vote.” - Confederate Colonel Ford

[SouthernGentleman]

Why don’t people know the Confederacy was very diverse? Native Americans, African Americans, Hispanics, Latinos, Irish, Scottish, Jews, French Algerians, and Cubans fought for the Confederacy.

Like Stand Watie, Loretta Velasquez, Santos Benavides, Moses Ezekiel, Marlboro Jones, and W.S Lewis

[arnieus]

Well over half a million men died during the civil war and apparently no one here knows why. Many people who settled in the South after the revolution were of Scottish and Irish heritage. The centuries of struggle to free themselves from powerful wealthy classes of England were fresh in their minds. Scots who lost family in the battle of Colladon fought the English again 30 years later in the American Revolution. Finally free they were not about to allow a Federal Government to replace the tyranny they experienced by England. A mere 50 years after the Southern states voluntarily joined the United States, the "limited" federal government had become intolerably powerful and exploitive.

By 1860 the US government was dominated by industrial northern states and Constitutional protections were an illusion. Washington imposed tariffs that greatly favored northern industry, while allowing foreign agricultural imports into the US which competed with southern agricultural goods. The North got cheap raw materials from the South. The South either paid high prices for manufactured goods from the North or paid large tariffs on imports. The South by some estimates contributed as much as 75% of the Federal funding for which they received no benefit. Money was taken from the South and spent on infrastructure in the North paid to northern companies.

This exploitation seemed a little too familiar to people in the southern states. They were in effect paying tribute to a new tyranny in Washington. Believing membership the Union of States to be voluntary the Confederate states simply decided they were better off seceding and demanding the removal of federal armies. They were immediately branded as "rebels" just like in wars of Scottish independance. Lincoln discarded the Constitution like a king and rallied the North to "save the Union". It was really about not letting a cash cow to get away. Ending slavery in the South was just propaganda to inspire "christian soldiers" to justify conquering free southern states. Only 4% of southerners owned slaves. The South was not fighting for slavery.

To supporters of the confederate flag the civil war was the same as the American Revolution. Southern men fought to preserve the right to self determination. The flag honors the memory of men who died in that war. They lost and the concept of voluntary unity died with them. It is the propaganda of the victors that turned the whole thing into a slavery issue. The spirit of resistance is embodied in the symbols of the old South. That is the reason they are being destroyed and the reason they should be preserved.

[SouthernGentleman]

“Slavery is a political evil in every country.” - Robert E Lee

[davidtolman]

There were black Confederate soldiers that fought and died for the flag. There are black Confederate supporters. Yes is hard to find some sound the Southern states but there are black Confederate flag supporters

[stepside]

So i just found out my family is from dudley alabama and my great great grandfather and his 7 brothers fought for 55th infrantry volunteer alabama

[jasonwood]

Saw a pickup truck the other day with side by side bumper stickers. One a Confederate flag, the other an American flag saying "love it or leave it." WTF?!?! Am I missing something lol

[MT-tuqd]

I just wanted to see Bailey. Who cares who was marching.