Q. WHY DOES IT MATTER WHAT THE CAUSE AND MEANING OF THE WAR BETWEEN THE STATES ARE? A. MY FIRST REACTION WAS THAT THE CAUSE OF THE WAR DID NOT MATTER BUT THEN I REALIZED THAT YOU COULD NOT KNOW THE MEANING OF THE WAR WITHOUT KNOWING THE CAUSE. MOST PEOPLE IN THE U.S. TODAY KNOW ARE CARE LITTLE ABOUT HISTORY. THEY ARE LIVING FOR THIS MOMENT AND THIS DAY WITHOUT THINKING OF THEIR FOREFATHERS AND OR WHAT THEY SACRIFICED TO KEEP US A FREE AND JUST NATION. THOSE OF US THAT CARE MUST TRY TO IMPRESS ON THEM THE GREAT SACRAFICES THAT HAVE BEEN MADE IN ALL OUR WARS SO THAT THEY COULD STAY FREE. PEOPLE MUST REALIZE THAT THE TRUE CAUSE AND MEANING OF THE WAR COULD NOT HAVE BEEN SLAVERY. I WILL NEVER BE CONVINCED THAT 300,000 SOUTHERNERS WOULD DIE TO SAVE SLAVERY. IT MUST BE TOLD HOW THESE MEN WENT BARE FOOT INTO BATTLE WITH CUT AND BLEEDING FEET. IT MUST BE TOLD HOW THEY SOMETIMES WENT FOR DAYS WITHOUT EATING. IT MUST BE TOLD HOW THEY WENT INTO BATTLE KNOWING THAT MORE OFTEN THAN NOT A FULL ONE THIRD OF THEM WOULD BE KILLED. IT MUST BE TOLD HOW OFTEN TWO OR THREE FLAG BEARERS WOULD BE KILLED TRYING TO ADVANCE THE COLORS OF THE SOUTH AND HOW THERE WAS ALWAYS ANOTHER WILLING TO TAKE THEIR PLACE. IT MUST BE TOLD HOW OFTEN WHEN THE OFFICERS WANTED TO RETREAT THE MEN IN THE RANKS BEGGED TO REGROUP AND ATTACK AGAIN. IT MUST BE TOLD HOW MOST SOUTHERNERS FOUGHT FOR FOUR FULL YEARS WHILE THEIR ENLISTMENTS WERE FOR A MUCH SHORTER TIME. IT MUST BE TOLD HOW AT ANY GIVEN TIME AS MANY OF HALF OF THESE MEN WERE SICK WITH SOME ILLNESS OR THE OTHER. THESE MEN, THESE BRAVE MEN, MANY WHO COULD NOT READ OR WRIGHT, MANY WHO WERE SIMPLE FARMERS COULD NOT HAVE BEEN FIGHTING FOR SLAVERY THERE HAD TO BE SOMETHING MORE WORTH FIGHTING FOR. THEIR FREEDOM THEY KNEW THAT IF THEY WERE WOUNDED MOST WOULD NOT DIE IMMEDIATELY BUT WOULD SUFFER A LONG AND PAINFUL DEATH. NO MAN WOULD FIGHT UNDER THESE CONDITIONS UNLESS HE BELIEVED HIS CAUSE WAS RIGHT. BOTH CAUSES, THE FIGHT FOR SOUTHERN FREEDOM AND THE DESIRE TO KEEP A NATION TOGETHER ARE NOBLE IDEALS AND WERE FOUGHT FOR BY WHITES AND BLACKS ON BOTH SIDES. WE MUST TRY TO REMIND PEOPLE OF THESE CAUSES AND MEENINGS SO THAT THEY CAN STAY IN TOUCH WITH THEIR HERITAGE. NO MATTER IF YOUR ANCESTORS WERE FROM THE SOUTH, THE NORTH OR IF THEY WERE SLAVES THESE BRAVE MEN THAT FOUGHT ARE A PART OF YOUR HISTORY AND YOUR HERITAGE AND MUST BE REMEMBERED AND REVERED. Q. DOES YOUR IDENITY HAVE ANY RELATION TO THE 19TH. CENTURY SECESSIONEST? A. MY IDENITY NOT ONLY HAS A RELATION TO THE SOUTH BUT TO MY REVOLUTIONARY WAR ANCESTORS AND TO THE FRENCH HUGINOTS THAT CAME OVER IN 1712. THEIR BELIEFS WERE FOR FREEDOM AND MY BELIEFS NOW ARE FOR FREEDOM. ALL WERE TRUE TO THEIR CAUSE AS I AM TRUE TO THE AMERICAN CAUSE. PART OF THIS CAUSE IS A SEARCH FOR RIGHT AND WRONG. WE MUST BE ABLE AND WILLING TO QUESTION ALL IN OUR QUEST FOR THE TRUTH. I AM A CONSERVATIVE AND I BELIEVE IN PERSONAL FREEDOM WITHOUT INTERFERANCE FROM ANY GOVERNMENT. IF THIS MAKES ME A REBEL THEN THAT IS WHAT I AM, AND I AM DAMN PROUD OF IT. Q. DO YOU SEE A WAR OVER THE MEANING OF HISTORY AND IF SO, WHY IS THAT SO IMPORTANT. A. THERE IS A CONFLICT GOING ON OVER MUCH OF OUR HISTORY AND THE CAUSE IS NOT CLEAR TO ME. OUR HERITAGE HAS CREATED THE GREATEST PEOPLE AND SOCIETY EVER ON THIS PLANET. WHY MUST WE QUESTION IT, UNLESS IT IS TO FURTHER SOME CAUSE THAT LACKS THE MERIT TO STAND ON IT' S OWN. I BELIEVE THAT SCHOOLS AND TEACHERS CAN STOP THIS CONFLICT AND FOREWARD THE CAUSE OF RIGHT BY TEACHING KIDS TO THINK FOR THEMSELVES, NOT BY TEACHING SOME STRICT AND FAST RULES OF HISTORY, JUST BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT THE CURRENT VIEW IS. OUR LEADERS OF THE FUTURE MUST KNOW ALL OF HISTORY NOT JUST A SELECT PART. I HAVE RAMBELED ON A LOT AND I AM NOT SURE IF I HAVE HELPED YOU. I AM NOT EVEN SURE IF I HAVE ANSWERED YOUR QUESTIONS, BUT YOU MUST KNOW THAT I HAVE BEEN HONEST WITH MY FEELINGS AND BELIEFS. YOUR HUMBLE SERENT NOLAN CHASTEEN |
DIXIE LAND LIVES FOREVER, THE DOGGONE WAY I AM !!!!!!!!!!!! |
