Sons of Confederate Veterans split over leadership

[unionblue]

Wareagle,

Have you viewed the League of the South home page and read their views on secession and race? If you know it, would you be kind enough to post it so we could all view it?

Sincerely,
Unionblue

[thea_447]

Ricky,
I too have seen but a tidbit of the information on "The Blackwell Crowd" and would be much interested if you have more information than what I have received from Tyrone Crowley, or Bill Beckham, or was it Olaf Childress?

I agree with your *****sment about the SCV. I don't see any alignment with the League of the South or any other organization forthcoming and I don't believe there's anything to worry about in that regard. I only know what I read about and that is mostly the stuff that is going on in Alabama, but I truly believe that in our "neck of the woods" our camps are interested in this strictly from a historical point of view.

I don't understand this rush to judgment that the SCV and the League of the South might combine. I don't believe they have the same goals although, as you have said, we have some very nice League of the South guys in my husband's unit, which also happens to be yours, Ricky. (Small world, huh!)

I also agree wholeheartedly that anyone with the intention of trying to turn the SCV into anything remotely resembling the KKK is quickly informed that they have no place in the SCV. Frankly, I see more about the KKK on these boards than I EVER have while living in the South.

Neil,
I went to the League of the South homepage and found this rather interesting letter from the Kennedy brothers that gave me a little more insight into what was going on with the attempt to usurp Sweeney. With your permission, I reprint it here:

AN OPEN LETTER
TO: Lt. Commander-In-Chief Anthony Hodges & Co.
FROM: James R. Kennedy and Walter D. Kennedy
March 5, 2005 Sir,

If this organization is to be spared a fratricidal civil war, the time is fast approaching for you to either resign or repudiate the recent usurpation of the will of the members of the SCV. As you should know by now, over twenty-one SCV Divisions have publicly repudiated the action taken by you and your co-conspirators. At present only one SCV Division, Oklahoma, has voiced support for your action. Oklahoma, with less than 300 members, supports your action. Sir, we have more members of the SCV in the Northeast Louisiana Brigade alone than all of Oklahoma. Perhaps one or two other SCV Divisions are leaning toward supporting your action but as of now, they have not found the courage to make a stand. The other divisions seem rather divided on this issue, giving your OPPONENTS a super-majority.

Sir, if as you and your co-conspirators have suggested, i.e., your action was prompted by some hidden conspiracy by the KKK, the League of the South, the Council of Conservative Citizens or any other such organization, Ron and I think it is time for y'all to "put up or shut up!" The 33,000 plus members of the SCV deserve to know why you have led this take-over of the SCV. We call upon you to give us evidence now of this so called "conspiracy to take over the SCV." Evidence, sir, is what we demand! Not hearsay, rumors, or ill-conceived assumptions.

The one great question that begs to be answered is, "Who is the SCV?" Is it the dues paying members and their duly elected officials or is it the half-dozen past commanders-in-chiefs who are answerable to no one? Moreover, 70% of the present members of the SCV NEVER voted for or against these past commanders-in-chief. Most present members of the SCV were not even members when these men held office and furthermore, most present members would not recognize these old men if they met them. Why do you think these members should or would passively sit on the sidelines and silently watch you and such men "kick out" the duly elected (by the membership) officials of the SCV? It is not in our blood to do so. Not since Reconstruction have Southerners been faced with such a usurpation of our Rights! And to think, fellow Southerners are doing this to the SCV. During Reconstruction Southerners had a good name for men who would trample upon the Rights of their fellow Southerners for personal gain--SCALAWAGS!

It is time for action from you. Either resign or repudiate the usurpation of the SCV by you and your co-conspirators. If indeed, you have good reasons to fear a "takeover" of the SCV by unsavory elements, share that evidence with your fellow members of the SCV. Bring that evidence to the next SCV Convention and, by the rule of law and decorum, constitutionally bring charges against those individuals involved and have the SCV Convention remove and replace such members. AS you see, there is a correct way to handle this problem--if indeed such a problem exists.

Again, we call upon you to act according to the SCV Constitution and do so now.

Deo Vindice,

Walter D. Kennedy
James R. Kennedy
Co-Authors: 'The South Was Right,' et al.
Past Louisiana Div. Cmd.
Life Members Sons of Confederate Veterans



It will be interesting to follow this scenario if it progresses or if it dies a slow death.

By the way I will go on record as saying that I have always felt that the first Nathan Bedford Forrest got a bum rap about the KKK. When he joined it was one thing, but he quickly realized that this was a hate group and resigned and had nothing more to do with them. It has been noted throughout history that he tried in many many ways to help black people. One cannot condemn him simply because a later ancestor who bore his name rose in the ranks of the scurrilous KKK.

[8thvacav]

http://www.tennessean.com/local/arch...nt_ID=66734743

I just read this.

[unionblue]

Thea,

What organizations do the Kennedy brothers belong to? Besides the SCV?

Unionblue

[unionblue]

Walter Kennedy of the Kennedy brothers is a founding member of the League of the South back in 1994 and resigned from the SCV chapter he was a member of when it decided not to push modern-day secession.

Does the League of the South push anything besides secession and a possible racist agenda? Or am I reading the site wrong?

Are we sure there are no outsiders trying to change the course of the SCV, that the traditional path of preserving confederate heritage into a more confrontational, racist agenda?

Unionblue

[thea_447]

I see nothing to indicate that the SCV is being influenced by the League of the South into following a more radical path towards secession. For that matter I only know on sight a couple of members of the League of the South, as they also belong to the SCV and come to some of our events, just as we attend a huge BBQ that they hold in Wetumpka, Alabama yearly for Confederate Memorial Day. (And by the way, I've attended several of these, listened to speeches, etc. and had a wonderful time..and not once have I heard one WORD about seceding from the states.) The emphasis at these barbeques has all been on the history of the Confederacy, our ancestors and honoring them in the future. The problems about defacement of monuments, honoring the Confederate dead with Confederate flags one day a year: all these topics, rather bland, have been discussed. Bluegrass music and good food, and folks in period dress are the order of the day.

Frankly, I live down here and don't see all these plottings nor do I sense the undercurrents that I hear about on this board. Obviously you all are taking the over-zealous remarks from news reporters too seriously. If anyone has an agenda down here, it is they. Even something as simple as a scuffle between boys at a basketball game immediately gets nationwide coverage to further emphasize racial unrest in the South. It's over-played and it's quite obvious. The same type things happen all over the country but they don't gain first edition coverage in the papers or on television. Now why is that? It is to perpetuate the myth that there is always trouble brewing in the South and that racial problems are rampant. I assert here and now that whatever minor problems we have in the South are absolutely no bigger than any other section of the country. Yet, we still get tagged with the monikers so that people can continue to believe we have a lot of racial tension here. And of course it helps to perpetuate the "Bubba syndrome".

Neil, I can honestly say that I have never heard any of this stuff you are talking about concerning the League of the South: secession, and radical leanings. And I believe I would have heard some of it since I live here. Perhaps someone from that organization would enlighten us to either confirm or deny what Neil seems to think their site indicates. We would all appreciate that very much.

[thea_447]

Neil,
I did manage to find this which I believe is considered to be the manifesto of the League of the South.

http://www.dixienet.org/dn-gazette/newdixiemanifesto.html

But if anyone can find anything more conclusive I wish they would step forward because I'm just searching like everyone else.

[WarEagleRebel]

Yes, sir. I have read the LoS's views and I see nothing racist. The link Thea posted is a good document to read to understand more about the League. Their website is www.dixienet.org. The site is full League information. The LoS wants to pass on our history and heritage in a way the SCV will not be able to. Personally, I believe if we had a government and society that was educated enough to uphold true history and uphold the US Constitution, as our forefathers wrote it, there would be no League of the South.

Thea made some great comments above. The South is getting bombarded by psychological Reconstruction, here, some 140 later. All we hear from the media is hype that happens all over the country but is always worse in the South. Why does our ancestor's flag get attacked when it was not on one ship that brought over one slave? Why does the Confederate Soldier get blasted every day for "defending slavery" when the majority did not own slaves and didn't care to own slaves? All the average Confederate Soldier knew was that his home state was being attacked and he had to defend it. After the war thousands of Southerners emigrated to Brazil to escape Reconstruction. Slavery was still legal at the time in Brazil (until 1888) but very few are recorded to have taken slaves with them or bought new slaves in Brazil. Those that took slaves with them freed them yet took them with them because the slaves were either scared of the Union army or couldn't make it on their own. I've read up on this, it was my senior thesis in college. There are many slave letters and other records to vouch. Also, there are many Confederate Soldier letters to home that I've read that talked about defending their state from invaders or upholding the Constitution, not upholding the institution of slavery.

Getting back to the topic, I'm not sure if that about the Kennedy brothers is a fact or not. I would like to see the link to what website you read that on. I would like to make myself clear, the League does not push a racist agenda. Secession does not mean that the LoS wants to kick everyone who is not white out of the South and hate everyone. The LoS is just pushing for secession to get the US back to the way it was intended by our forefathers. We have become a society that has forgotten the Revolution of 1776 and our Christian roots. The LoS wants us to remember where we come from and why we have become the most powerful country in the world.

There may be a group trying to infiltrate the SCV to promote an aganda or destroy the organization because it is gaining strength. It sure as heck aint who you would expect though. Everyone may be looking the wrong way on who is trying to change the organization. It aint racists because they can't take 35,000 members who aint racist. I think everyone needs to start looking left, toward the liberals who would like to see only Union history remain from the WBTS and nothing but negitivity toward Southern history.

Thea, I do have a book with a page or two on the Blackwell Crowd and there are a few who have ancestor's killed by them, who are researching also. I have seen a few reports and some contridict each other. I think what may have happened is that the two factions of the families have created a story passed down from generation to generation. Like I said, I'm going to have to take some time and carefully research the whole deal and post it. I heard that there was a man that researched it and had a quite accurate account of the whole mess but was pressured out of making it too public. I'm going to research it and spread it around whether it labels my ancestors deserters and Unionist sympathizers or not. The truth deserves to be known in the area.

[larry_cockerham]

I'm still not sure if I understand all I know about this controversy. The SCV is perhaps finally having growing pains. That may be good for the preservation of southern heritage, not to mention Union heritage, which is just as important. There is a serious attempt underway for the SCV to go into session where the current issues and structure of the organization can be reviewed and modified hopefully in a progressive and beneficial manner. All I know about the SCV, I've learned from my reading, from their publications, and from the many fine and considerate men and women I've encountered in my travels. As in the case with this group, folks dressed in blue and gray with pride in their roots. In my opinion not a rascist, bigot, or antagonist among them. Just folks interested in history for history's sake and concerned to varying degrees about keeping the freedom necessary to honor their ancestors and the memory of a valiant struggle by those in both blue and gray, with malice toward none.

[unionblue]

Another view of the League of the South:

http://www.rickross.com/reference/league/league2.html

Wareaglerebel, my info states the one Kennedy brother I have mentioned was a former commander of the Louisiana division of the SCV and resigned in 1996 when told by the then leadership of the SCV to stop advocating modern-day secession. My information is not solid but I would appreciate any more on the matter.

As to your comments concerning true history and upholding the Constitution, I would suggest you join us at our other threads, 'Slavery, THE Cause?' or the 'Second, Ninth and Tenth Amendment' thread, as the ideas you have brought forth would be better discussed there.

I am in complete disagreement with you concerning the true history of the Civil War and the issue of slavery and its relationship to the ordinary Confederate soldier, but Thea will be able to tell you, that should come as no surprise.

I would enjoy engaging you in debate, if you so desire.

Sincerely,
Unionblue