Happy Lee-Jackson Day

Flying my flag today in honor of two great Virginians. Happy Lee-Jackson Day everyone!

Indeed and Amen.

Stonewall Jackson; VMI Professor

In 1851, Jackson accepted the appointment to teach at the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Virginia and resigned from the army.
He taught natural and experimental philosophy (related to modern day physics and including physics, astronomy, acoustics, optics, and other scientific courses).

In November of 1859, Jackson was one of the VMI officers who went with VMI cadets to Harper's Ferry, where they stood guard at the execution of abolitionist John Brown.

On April 21, 1861, the VMI Corps of Cadets was ordered to Richmond to serve as drillmasters for new army recruits.
Jackson was in command of the cadets.

The rest is history... he earned his nickname at the Battle of First Manassas, when his troops said "Look at Jackson, Standing there like a Stone Wall!"

He was struck by "Friendly Fire" on May 2nd, 1863. The 18th North Carolina Infantry Regiment was responsible. Jackson was struck by three .57 caliber bullets. He was taken to a field hospital near the battlefield, where his left arm was amputated.

Jackson died at 3:15 p.m, 10 May, 1863 from infection.

Stonewall Jackson is one of my heroes. Another is J.E.B Stewart. The elementary school I attended in Norfolk in the early 70's was named after him. It is now in the middle of one of Norfolk's worst neighborhoods.

msc

So I just heard from a neighbor today that the word on the street is that my family hates black people (I guess that's what the black family on the street told everyone when they saw my flag on Lee-Jackson day). Why are people so ignorant?

hunter45 said:

So I just heard from a neighbor today that the word on the street is that my family hates black people (I guess that's what the black family on the street told everyone when they saw my flag on Lee-Jackson day). Why are people so ignorant?

Click to expand...

The ignorant on both sides are always the loudest Hunter.
Most Southerners and especially Virginians are not racists. For the most part, few Virginians owned slaves. That was for rich people and it was also wrong.

The War of Northern Aggression was fought over States Rights and slavery just seemed to be a good battle cry in later years.

The hate groups like the KKK and the Farrakhan's are just fueling a fire that never really burned.

Jackson was a Slave Owner but I honestly think the Indians have a bigger gripe than Blacks. They lost more than anyone.

You can educate ignorant but not hate.

peter nap said:

The ignorant on both sides are always the loudest Hunter.
Most Southerners and especially Virginians are not racists. For the most part, few Virginians owned slaves. That was for rich people and it was also wrong.

The War of Northern Aggression was fought over States Rights and slavery just seemed to be a good battle cry in later years.

The hate groups like the KKK and the Farrakhan's are just fueling a fire that never really burned.

Jackson was a Slave Owner but I honestly think the Indians have a bigger gripe than Blacks. They lost more than anyone.

You can educate ignorant but not hate.

Click to expand...

I must admit it took me reading this thread to learn that LeeJackson referred to two people. As a southerner from New Mexico, I must admit that NM never knew it was at war in the east...

However, I was well aware that slavery only became an 'issue' of the war when it was determined that England and France would potentially be signing a treaty and aiding the southern states. France was already against slavery and could not align with the south for that reason.

nuc65 said:

I must admit it took me reading this thread to learn that LeeJackson referred to two people. As a southerner from New Mexico, I must admit that NM never knew it was at war in the east...

However, I was well aware that slavery only became an 'issue' of the war when it was determined that England and France would potentially be signing a treaty and aiding the southern states. France was already against slavery and could not align with the south for that reason.

Click to expand...

Southern life, especially as it relates to Black/White relationships is a very complex subject.
Even now, if you go to a small Virginia town, you'll find that white men open the doors for Black ladies and talk crops with Black men. Blacks are just as much Southerners as Whites and there has always been respect between the two races.

There were wrongs comitted against blacks. Segregation was as much a social line as anything but somehow got out of hand. The KKK should have been throttled long before they were but again...that was a very small segment of Southern people.
I grew up in the Mountains and foothills of Virginia and didn't know there was a race issue until I was an adult, even then I didn't see it until I moved East of the Blue Ridge.

To make Virginia history even more complicated, the Native Americans in Va and NC tried to embrace modern life. They became Plantation and Farm owners and many were very prosperous. Some also owned slaves.

The Government didn't care for that and took the farms from them and shipped them off to reservations.
That was another dark chapter of the South and again, it was a small segment of the people responsible and in ths case, involved the Federal Government as well.

So much for the so called "Savage" in the South.

Now that I've said that, I'm leaving to go to "The Peoples House" where the Capital Police and I will eye each other with a "Let's Fight" look, and I'll spend the day talking to legislators, most of whom I consider morons and most consider me an arrogant pest.

If they go the way I ask, it's only because if they don't, I'll make their life as miserable as possible much like the Chinese Water Torture.

Ain't Politics Grand!

peter nap said:

The ignorant on both sides are always the loudest Hunter.
Most Southerners and especially Virginians are not racists. For the most part, few Virginians owned slaves. That was for rich people and it was also wrong.

The War of Northern Aggression was fought over States Rights and slavery just seemed to be a good battle cry in later years.

The hate groups like the KKK and the Farrakhan's are just fueling a fire that never really burned.

Jackson was a Slave Owner but I honestly think the Indians have a bigger gripe than Blacks. They lost more than anyone.

You can educate ignorant but not hate.

Click to expand...

Yes, Jackson was a slave owner. And so were some union generals...so I guess the USA flag is racist as well? Lee was very much against slavery. If I'm not mistaken, I believe he never owned a slave a day in his life, and when he inherited his father-in-law's slaves, he immediately set them free.

"So far from engaging in a war to perpetuate slavery, I am rejoiced that Slavery is abolished. I believe it will be greatly for the interest of the South. So fully am I satisfied of this that I would have cheerfully lost all that I have lost by the war, and have suffered all that I have suffered to have this object attained."
-Robert E Lee

"There are few, I believe, in this enlightened age, who will not acknowledge that slavery as an institution is a moral and political evil."
-Robert E Lee