Bryce Archambo Rally
Jan 26,th 2007, Farmington, Missouri
In January 1864, General Patrick Cleburne wrote a letter to the Commanding General of the Army of Tennessee. In it, he warned what would happen if the South lost the war, in which it was fighting for its Liberty and Independence. Cleburne stated:
“It means the history of this heroic struggle will be written by the enemy; that our youth will be trained by Northern schoolteachers; will learn from Northern school books their version of the war; will be impressed by the influences of history and education to regard our gallant dead as traitors, and our maimed veterans as fit objects for derision”
General Cleburne’s words proved to not only be wise but prophetic as well, for today there is no greater proof that General Cleburne was right than what has happened to Bryce Archambo, and the students who have supported him.
It is no coincidence that I use Cleburne’s words, for in 1861, General Cleburne was stationed South of Farmington, in nearby Greenville, Missouri. In fact, the Confederacy’s line of Defense was at Greenville, and General Hardee made his headquarters at the jail there.
Why is it that in today’s public schools, which are supposed to be institutions of learning, there is no room for history? There are many good public educators, but the sad fact of the matter is that there are just as many if not more, bad ones and that many schools have turned into public indoctrination centers, concerned more with left-wing political agendas than teaching students the basic needs of education.
People, I have come here tonight to not only support Bryce and his family, but to tell you a dirty little secret: Reconstruction never ended.
The South seceded because they viewed their membership in the Union as voluntary and that the states had the right to voluntarily leave it, just as they had joined it.
The Federal government, specifically under Abraham Lincoln wished to hold the South together by force. The Radical Republicans did not feel that membership in the Union was voluntary. They subscribed in the belief that “we are all one”. Thus there was no room for Southern culture. The “we are all one” theory originated with the New England Puritan Yankee.
In his review of the book, “The South Under Siege: 1830-2000”, William Scott sums up the 19th century Puritan Yankee attitude as, “We believe in the brotherhood of mankind—and if you don’t agree, we will kill you.” With a little alteration one could easily say that the mantra of many public schools has become, “We believe in the brotherhood of mankind-and if you don’t agree we will suspend you”.
During Reconstruction, former Confederate soldiers were forced to cut the buttons off of their coats because they were symbols of the Confederacy.
Today students are not allowed to wear clothing that bear the symbols of the Confederacy.
During Reconstruction former Confederate soldiers, former Southern sympathizers and those accused of harboring or helping Confederate soldiers were not allowed to hold public office.
Today students who honor their Confederate ancestors and those who support them are denied an education.
Many times schools hide behind vague guidelines in their student handbooks which state that a school has the right to ban any clothing that might cause a disturbance. I hope all of you realize that this gives the schools a license to ban clothing of any kind.
The most common reason that public schools attempt to ban clothing with Confederate emblems is because of the supposed racial overtones that the symbols send. Images of “The Klan” are often conjured up. The words “Slavery” and “Oppression” are often intermixed with other words such as “Hurtful” and “Divisive” and the latest trend is the attempted word association of the Nazi “Swastika” with the “Confederate Battle Flag”.
“Slavery” and “Oppression” existed in America for years before the formation of the Confederate States of America.
Ladies and Gentleman, we are honored to have with us Mr. Dewey Barber, who is the founder of the Dixie Outfitters clothing company, and will be speaking later tonight. Mr. Barber has created a line of T-shirts to address the myth that the Confederate Flag is “Racist” or “Oppressive”.
In fact some of you may be familiar with his line of “School Protest Shirts”. By looking through one of his catalogs, or visiting his website, a wealth of information can be found under the “School Protest Shirts” category. One shirt makes the statement that “America Legalized Slavery 207 Years Before the Confederate States of America Existed”. Another shirt which features the United States flag states, “Flew Over Legalized Slavery for 90 Years!”
People these are true statements.
What about the association with groups such as the Ku Klux Klan? You might ask. It is true that the Ku Klux Klan sometimes uses the Confederate Battle Flag. It is also true that the Ku Klux Klan uses the United States flag as well. In fact go to an internet search engine, such as “Google” and type in “The Real Flag of the KKK” and you will find that the Ku Klux Klan not only uses the United States Flag, it is their preferred flag of choice!
“O.K.”, you might ask, “What about the association of the Confederate Flag with the Nazi Swastika?” To which I reply, “What association?”
The phrase “Confederate-Swastika” was conjured up by former NAACP Chairman Julian Bond. Bond gave a speech to Indiana lawmakers and business leaders in July of 2004, stating that Republicans idea of equal rights was, “the American flag and Confederate swastika flying side by side."
The Confederate flag was inspired by the Cross of St. Andrew, the patron Saint of Scotland, it is a Christian symbol. Julian Bond is an educated man. He knows the Confederate flag and not a swastika, so why would he make a remark like this?
The most likely answer to this question can be found in a May 31’st 2004 St. Petersburg Times news article entitled: “Is the NAACP Still Relevant as it Nears 100?” in the article you will find that the NAACP is an organization that is shrinking, “almost a victim of its own success” as described by the article. The article also states that in 1995 the NAACP had 650,000 members, in 2004 that number shrank to 500,000.
Some of the people interviewed in the article gave the following reasons for not renewing their membership dues as follows; “stopped going to meetings, saying the group seemed too concerned with social events to make a difference”, “sees no direct benefit from paying the $30 yearly dues” and, “There's no carrot dangling in front of me.”
The speech in which Julian Bond first used the term “Confederate-Swastika” was in July, 2004. The St. Petersburg Times article was published in May of 2004. Perhaps Julian Bond had a chance to read this information as well. If so, then it explains his remarks, Julian Bond had found his carrot.
If you want to meet a real Civil Rights leader, his name is Mr. H.K. Edgerton and we will have the privilege of listening to him tonight as well.
Having established that the term “Confederate-Swastika” is pure bunk, and having noted that the Confederate Flag is not the only flag used by hate groups, and that hate groups preferred flag is that of the United States, there is only one thing left to ask.
Why aren’t there calls to ban the United States flag from our public schools?
When presented with this question most people state that one can not hold the United States flag “hostage” because of what might have happened in the past.
To that I reply with equal enthusiasm to those that want to ban the Confederate Flag; You can not and you will not hold the honored blood-stained flag of our ancestors hostage!
Schools today like to talk about “Tolerance” and “Multiculturalism”. They proclaim that “Diversity is Strength”.
I’m here to tell you that Southerners are the most tolerant people on planet earth. We are law abiding, peace loving people. We do not wish to ban other peoples cultures, we are just trying to preserve ours.
The very people that proclaim to establish “Diversity” and “Tolerance” have stated very clearly through their actions that they do not wish to tolerate “us”.
The South was settled primarily by those of Scottish and Irish ancestry. One can make the argument that it is where we get our fighting spirit. During the War for Southern Independence it is this spirit that kept the Confederate States of America alive for 4 years against odds of 3 to 1 in the enemies favor. In Missouri most who joined the regular Confederate Army never came home. Out of 8000 men in the First Missouri Brigade who left the state, only 300 came home. Approximately 5000 Missourians elected to stay and defend their homes as partisan rangers, so fierce of fighters were they that Abraham Lincoln had to send 55,000 troops to Missouri to contain them.
William Wallace, a famous Scottish Freedom Fighter said in the year 1281 that: “Any society which suppresses the heritage of its conquered minorities, prevents their history, and denies them their symbols, has sewn the seed of its own destruction."
Robert E. Lee said shortly before his death in 1870 that, “If I had foreseen the use those people [Yankees] designed to make of their victory, there would have been no surrender at Appomattox Courthouse; no sir, not by me. Had I foreseen these results of subjugation, I would have preferred to die at Appomattox with my brave men, my sword in my right hand.”
Today we are at a crossroads. Many public schools have chosen to subjugate students who dare honor their Confederate heritage. You have seen the results. Take the hat off or they will knock it off! Turn the shirt inside out, or turn around and go home. Bryce Archambo and those who have supported him have chosen to fight. If he wins his lawsuit, it will herald a great victory for the rights of Confederate Southern Americans. If he loses the subjugation will only continue.
What an inspiration that Bryce and his friends are, in this day and age when many of our youth care about nothing, these young people have shown much bravery, heart and spirit that I know our Confederate ancestors are smiling down on them. You have made them proud, you have made us proud, I thank all of you from the bottom of my heart, and let us learn from the lesson that General Robert E. Lee, taught us in 1870, this time let there be no surrender!
Clint E. Lacy: [email protected]
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