Is Gettysburg Confederate Friendly?

[RobertP]

Over the last few days we've had a lively discussion over Confederates buried at Gettysburg with some background provided by Ranger and Historian John Rudy. While visiting Rudy's Twitter page I saw that in response to Kevin Levin's tweet that Gettysburg was too Confederate-friendly for his taste Rudy says that it was designed to be Confederate-friendly to enhance tourism. I have never visited Gettysburg so I have no idea if this is really true or only true in the eye of the beholder. Thoughts?

 

[hughes]

It wasn't in 1863.

 

[jgoodguy]

As long "Confederates" bring green they will be welcome.

 

[RobertP]

Levin says it is disturbing to him how Confederate friendly it is. Is it so CS friendly that it keeps Union aficionados away?

 

[Jimklag]

As long "Confederates" bring green they will be welcome.

The great universal lubricant.

 

[cash]

I feel left out that you didn't include my response to Kevin.

 

[RobertP]

I remember a thread that linked an article to a black guy in Gettysburg, a teacher at the college IIRC, who said he cowered inside his house every time he saw a re-enactor carrying a CBF down the street and wanted to ban them. Cash thought he had a good point. We have Ranger John Rudy deciding it's important to document the slave holding history of the fathers of 4 Confederates buried in the National Cemetery; as if that were ground breaking research. And of course the esteemed K. Levin in essence saying the place is a Confederama. The area sounds like a mess to me.

 

[kevikens]

All joking aside, the residents of the town are well aware that many of their visitors come from south of the Mason-Dixon Line which is only a few miles away. I have visited many, many times and the late unpleasantness is politely set aside. I don't know about nearby Chambersburg, though.

 

[RobertP]

I feel left out that you didn't include my response to Kevin.

View attachment 147986

Which one of you guys is FindaGrave friendly?

 

[kevikens]

I remember a thread that linked an article to a black guy in Gettysburg, a teacher at the college IIRC, who said he cowered inside his house every time he saw a re-enactor carrying a CBF down the street and wanted to ban them. Cash thought he had a good point. We have Ranger John Rudy deciding it's important to document the slave holding history of the fathers of 4 Confederates buried in the National Cemetery; as if that were ground breaking research. And of course the esteemed K. Levin in essence saying the place is a Confederama. The area sounds like a mess to me.

I beg to differ. I think the town has done a very good job of making all its visitors feel at home, including the descendants of some of those who never went back home. Beside that there may be some Union soldiers from border states whose fathers, or possibly they, themselves, who were slave holders.

 

[RobertP]

The way it should be.

 

[cash]

Which one of you guys is FindaGrave friendly?

I don't know what that is.

 

[redbob]

I measure a place's "Southern Friendliness" on whether or not they have the "Southern Table Wine"- sweet tea with lemon.

 

[cash]

I remember a thread that linked an article to a black guy in Gettysburg, a teacher at the college IIRC, who said he cowered inside his house every time he saw a re-enactor carrying a CBF down the street and wanted to ban them. Cash thought he had a good point.

You're not telling the truth, although he did want to ban them, though not forever. He said he watched reenactors parade with the flag from his porch and he was surprised that it made him feel uncomfortable. He also said, "Until reenactors at Gettysburg are willing to reenact the whole story of what the Confederate soldiers did during and after the battle so that tourists get a complete picture of what happened — including kidnapping African Americans — no Confederate battle flags should be flown as part of any commemoration here."

I said, "I do understand his position, though, and while I fully support the First Amendment right of any private citizen to fly any flag they choose, to an extent I sympathize with his position.

That's not saying it was a good point, just that I understood what he was saying, and I sympathize, to an extent, with his not liking the sight of the confederate flag outside his house. I think his point about reenacting the whole picture is a good point, though I never said, nor do I say now, that I think banning the flag is a good thing.

We have Ranger John Rudy deciding it's important to document the slave holding history of the fathers of 4 Confederates buried in the National Cemetery; as if that were ground breaking research.

So you think that history should have been suppressed--buried--erased--expunged--hidden--swept under the rug.

And of course the esteemed K. Levin in essence saying the place is a Confederama. The area sounds like a mess to me.

What is a "confederama?" I didn't see that in his tweet. Perhaps you can point me to where he said that.

 

[amweiner]

I am not even sure what "too Confederate friendly" even means. Does that suggest the town is a stronghold of Lost Cause myth? Is it deemed too friendly by virtue of the number of Confederate monuments there? Should General Pickett's Buffet be renamed?

There may be some who feel that any remembrance of Confederate soldiers will make the battlefield "too friendly"; after all, it could lead to display of the CBF or people honoring their Confederate ancestors (gasp!). In my opinion, I think it's good that there are so many people here who care about history and telling the countless stories that make up the reality that was the War...we remind others that it's possible to talk about USA and CSA calmly, even dispassionately. Mere remembrance of what they did isn't the same as uttering Voldemort's name, although many would like to make it such.

Sorry to ramble, just woke up.
Adam

 

[Bee]

I am not even sure what "too Confederate friendly" even means. Does that suggest the town is a stronghold of Lost Cause myth? Is it deemed too friendly by virtue of the number of Confederate monuments there? Should General Pickett's Buffet be renamed?

There may be some who feel that any remembrance of Confederate soldiers will make the battlefield "too friendly"; after all, it could lead to display of the CBF or people honoring their Confederate ancestors (gasp!). In my opinion, I think it's good that there are so many people here who care about history and telling the countless stories that make up the reality that was the War...we remind others that it's possible to talk about USA and CSA calmly, even dispassionately. Mere remembrance of what they did isn't the same as uttering Voldemort's name, although many would like to make it such.

Sorry to ramble, just woke up.
Adam

Morning, Adam! I think this is a sour grapes reaction to John Rudy's unpalatable research (to some), thus the resulting tempest in a teapot, and much ado about nothing. Enjoy you Sunday, my friend

 

[cash]

Morning, Adam! I think this is a sour grapes reaction to John Rudy's unpalatable research (to some), thus the resulting tempest in a teapot, and much ado about nothing. Enjoy you Sunday, my friend

Correct again.

 

[Nathanb1]

 

[Josh The Lighthouse Guy]

Kevin says the town is too Confederate friendly, but his tweet has a photo of a battlefield monument.

We need clarification of terms.

I visited Gettysburg in 2009, but I spent all 8 or so hours of my visit on the battlefield and never stopped in town.

 

[cash]

Kevin says the town is too Confederate friendly, but his tweet has a photo of a battlefield monument.

We need clarification of terms.

I visited Gettysburg in 2009, but I spent all 8 or so hours of my visit on the battlefield and never stopped in town.

Walk along Steinwehr Ave. and see what's being sold in the various shops along the way.