Turncoats ....

So, the Confederate battle flag is coming down in South Carolina. It can no longer even fly over the cemeteries where Confederate dead are buried or over the battlefields where they fought and died. Even the United States Congress has gotten involved, cravenly kowtowing to the politically correct mob mentality that is forcing white guilt upon our society with threats of mob violence. We are told that we must be ashamed of our ancestors.

I do have a civil war veteran ancestor that I am ashamed of. He was a Yankee. I wouldn't be ashamed of him if he, a southerner by birth, had fought for the north for reasons of conscience. But he didn't. I have verified this family story from more than one source now and every time I hear it I am sickened.

It would seem that this shameful ancestor of mine realized that he was going to have to declare a side in the war. He sat down and talked it over with his wife. They concluded that the north was going to win, that things would go bad for southerners when they lost and that financial gain would be realized by those who had chosen the winning side.

So, my detested ancestor left his home and traveled to northern occupied territory where he enlisted in the Union army.  He was not a front line soldier like my Confederate ancestors. He was assigned to a military government unit that policed captured southern cities. He literally forced Yankee rule upon his own people at the point of a gun. 

I could never understand why this branch of my family was proud of this man or why they would repeat the story of his self serving decision. He was always presented by that branch of the family as a smart businessman who knew how to pick a winner.

There is no shame attached to fighting for a losing cause if you fought with honor.  Most Confederate soldiers owned no slaves nor wanted any.  They fought because their homeland had been invaded.  They fought to protect their homes and families.  They fought out of a sense of community and brotherhood. They fought valiantly and died bravely.  There is no reason to be ashamed of these men.

But, there is a reason to be ashamed of people like my detested ancestor and those like him today who are ready to throw heritage and honor under the bus to momentarily appease a screaming mob intent upon destroying the entire American culture.  I have nothing but disgust for these people.