The Beam In Our Own Eye

It's time to Break It Down!

I have been asked a number of times whether I will write about the recent turmoil in Egypt?

The short answer is I don’t know. The clash between the people of Egypt and the, by all accounts, ruthlessly oppressive 30-year Regime of President Hosni Mubarak, which ended February 11th, after 18 days of sometimes violent protests, was headline news here in America and around the world. Moreover, the Egyptian military’s decision to invoke martial law until elections are held in September ensures that Egypt will be an important story for the foreseeable future. With that said, “It could happen; but not today!”

The story that piqued my interest involves the Mississippi Division of Sons of Confederate Veterans and its efforts to persuade the Mississippi state legislature to enact a proposal to issue a license plate honoring Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest. The General, infamous in some circles, was also alleged to be a founder and first Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan. Known as a brilliant military strategist, Forrest is also cited as having led, or at least with condoning the Massacre at Fort Pillow, April 12 and 13, 1864. Most accounts submit that after an intense battle, the Union army surrendered, which left Rebel soldiers in complete and unchallenged control of the Fort. It is at that point the cold reality of war escalated from merely brutal to savage.

Fort Pillow was located on the Mississippi River, about 40 miles from Memphis, Tennessee. The Union soldiers manning the Fort consisted of 295 white troops, and 262 “Colored” troops. General Forrest attacked the Fort with a cavalry division of about 2,500 men. While the particulars are still subject to debate, the version most authorities support is that General Forrest and his Rebel troops slaughtered the remaining Union soldiers once they surrendered, dropped their weapons, and could no longer offer armed resistance. Nearly half of Union forces were blacks who were deemed runaway slaves, but there was no apparent bonus for being a white Union soldier. As one surviving Union army soldier, already badly wounded, reported, he asked a Rebel soldier who was firing at him to spare his life.

“No: damn you! You fight with niggers!”

The Rebel commenced to shoot him two more times.

General Forrest, a native Tennessean, built quite a legacy. It is understandable why some Americans would want to honor him. His litany of accolades includes:

• Confederate General

• Brilliant military strategist and tactician

• Founder and Original Grand Wizard, Ku Klux Klan

• Slave trader and owner

• Real Estate investor

• Wealthy planter (no doubt built upon the highly profitable fruits of his very low cost/therefore immensely lucrative Slaving business)

• Self-educated

• One of the few men in either of the Civil War armies to enlist as a private and be promoted to General

Mississippi gave us Trent Lott, who not too many years ago, lamented our nation’s failure to heed the segregationist message of Strom Thurmond. It is also the state where Haley Barbour, Mississippi’s 63rd Governor, noted, within the last 6 months, race relations in the South was not such a big deal when he was growing up. So, is it any surprise really, that in its efforts to commemorate the 150th Anniversary of the Civil War, which it refers to as “The War Between The States,” the Mississippi Division of the Sons of Confederate Veterans has chosen a man who merits cult status by white separatists, white nationalists, and segregationists everywhere?

I know a few Mississippians, some of whom would flatly reject this proposal; and who would say so. I do not know Governor Barbour, but apparently, he does not fall into that category. He has found it inconsistent with his way of doing things to repudiate this initiative. The Governor is listed by numerous observers as a prospective candidate for the 2012 GOP Nomination for President. Already it seems he is devising a uniquely telling line of campaign strategy. No doubt his would-be supporters are taking note. Are you?

Although he would not denounce the initiative to promote a license plate for General Forrest, he did predict the measure would never pass the Mississippi legislature. Whether that is his earnest opinion, or simply a coded rallying cry for those who support the idea is anyone’s guess.

Since I am not from Mississippi, and do not expect to live there in the future, I do not anticipate dwelling on this matter. However, as long as we are content to invest our collective righteous indignation in concern, dismay and disgust about the events that unfold in other nations around the globe…and I do that as much as the next person, it is fair to say I believe, lest we aim to be hypocrites, we should endeavor to focus on removing "The Beam From Our Own Eye” before we fixate on the mote in someone else’s.  This initiative is the sort of thing that makes it completely understandable if those who study our culture wonder, "Is this yet another shining manifestation of that halcyon, but elusive concept, American Exceptionalism?  Hope not; I’m just say’n!

I’m done; y’all holla back now!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com. A new post is published each Wednesday. For more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post, consult the links below:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hosni_Mubarak

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathan_Bedford_Forrest

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haley_Barbour

http://www.scv.org/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/burns-strider/license-plates-heritage-a_b_823825.html

http://www.gazettenet.com/2011/02/11/trouble-stirs-miss-effort-honor-kkk-leader

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2011/02/will-haley-barbour-condemn-effort-to-honor-kkk-founder/71235/

http://michaelbenjamin2012.wordpress.com/2011/02/16/state-of-mississippi-to-honor-confederate-general-and-kkk-founder/

http://jonathanturley.org/2011/02/13/mississippi-sons-of-confederate-veterans-propose-license-plate-to-honor-civil-war-general-who-was-once-a-member-of-the-ku-klux-klan/

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110210/ap_on_re_us/us_confederate_license_plates

http://www.twincities.com/ci_17395242?nclick_check=1

http://www.myfoxatlanta.com/dpp/news/miss-gov-wont-denounce-confederate-license-plate-021511

http://www2.wnct.com/news/2011/feb/15/us-gov-wont-denounce-confederate-license-plate-ar-786509/

http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/2011/02/15/1461517/barbour-wont-denounce-confederate.html

http://www.coax.net/people/lwf/CW_FP.HTM

http://www.civilwarhome.com/ftpillow.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trent_Lott

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strom_Thurmond