It dawned on me recently that Americans outside the South might not love their nation as much as Southerners do. Maybe I’m right; maybe I’m wrong, but in America, there is something special about the South.
Do Midwesterners love the Midwest? Do Californians love the West Coast? Do people in Utah love Utahans as much as Southerners love each other? Maybe they do.
Reuters recently ran a story, “Trump says Confederate flag proud symbol of U.S. South.”
The Republican president was asked on “Fox News Sunday” if the flag, a symbol of U.S. slavery and white supremacy for many Americans, was offensive.
“It depends on who you’re talking about, when you’re talking about,” Trump responded. ‘When people proudly had their Confederate flags they’re not talking about racism. They love their flag, it represents the South. They like the South … I say it’s freedom of many things, but it’s freedom of speech.”
President Trump is correct. For 99% of Southerners, the Confederate Flag represents the South and pride in Southern heritage. It represents a love of our people, our ways, our customs. It represents a love of our slang and Southern drawl. A good looking woman with a Southern drawl is one of God’s gifts to mankind.
In the quote above, President Trump also said the Confederate Flag represents “freedom of many things, but it’s freedom of speech.”
He’s right about that, too. Flying the Rebel Flag is a way to say “We don’t care what you think.” The Flag is an affront to political correctness. It’s a symbol that says we’ll think how we want and live how we want. We Southerners are different and we know it.
The Confederate Flag is also a reminder that Southerners have stood up to the Federal government. It’s a reminder that the South has been here as long as the North, and that the South is a distinct place. It’s a reminder that more than 150 years ago, Men of the South took up arms against Federal tyranny and fought the deadliest war in American history. The South surrendered in the end, but the South did fight, and we all remember.
The commies and the totalitarians remember, too.
There is a remnant of Americans and there is a remnant of Southerners. There’s a remnant of rebels all across the West. Men and women across the globe are filled with the Spirit of the South. Don’t be ashamed of your heritage. Hoist your flag and be proud you’re a rebel.
As a southerner living in the midwest I can say no one loves the midwest per se. They may have some affinity for their state, perhaps more for their college football team and a true affection for their local area/community, but the midwest is just generally a nice place to live without anything near the pride and heritage of the south. Mostly midwesterners are just yankees you can get along with.
Thanks for the comment. I was hoping folks from other regions would chime in.
As a midwesterner living in the same 30 mile radius I was born and raised in, I’d say you hit the nail on the head. I most definitely have more pride in my college football team, hell even my high school football team, than I do in being from the midwest. I know people who have their area codes tattooed on them. I’d say that coincides with a true affection for their local area. Is that something that happens in other regions?
The town I grew up in has had at least 4 different area codes in my lifetime. That could make for some odd inking.
I am up to two, part of me hopes it changes again just to see how they respond.
I’m not aware of any Southerners I know getting an area code tat. They’re more likely to get their state flag or the Rebel Flag.
FYI, Fort Fisher in North Carolina has a really cool garrison flag. It has a reverse color battle flag on a white field. I’ve uploaded a pic. Click below.
https://www.menofthewest.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/fort-fisher-garrison-flag-on-the-hill.jpg
More info on Fort Fisher here: https://historicsites.nc.gov/all-sites/fort-fisher
I grew up in Cali, lived in North Carolina while in the Marines, Texas while working on an oil rig, and spent enough time in Jersey, PA, Ohio, Utah and now Colorado to get a feel of local pride for all those places. Texas takes the cake in my book, and the women are gifts from God indeed! As far as anyone standing up to commies, the feds, or even your local grocery store clerk, it ain’t happening in Colorado. I hope the South is different, but the maskers are at about 90% compliance out here. Not much better in Utah, and just as bad in Cali. My guess is the Spirit of the South is scattered very thin across the country (not much of a nation) at this point. Am I wrong here, or do y’all know about people telling maskers to get effed?
In the rural South, most folks are over masks. In the Democrat cities, the amjority of people are … Democrats.
As a born and bred Midwesterner, I can say that I’m proud to have spent half a century living Various places here. The black dirt and unending horizon gets in your bones. I’ve lived back east and in Europe and was glad to get back. Still, the culture in the South is something rare and marvelous. Let’s hope that it never fades.
Amen.