SCV Poll

[7th Texas Mounted Rifles]

I'd be interested to hear what 'both sides' of CWT have to say about this.

Please bear with me, member since 2015 - but this is my first poll.

Did I represent the full range of poll answers?

 

[52ndFandS]

I'd say you covered it well.

I'm a walk to the mailbox from the SCV. I have a lot of relatives (ancestors...) who fought. I don't see it as promoting an ideology. Just like I don't see the Sons of Union Veterans having one either. They're not gonna march through Georgia, and I'm certainly not going to set up a battery and start firing on Fort Sumter.

Granted, I can see the spill over from the GAR and UCV. That of course was more than a century ago. It certainly shows the rancor between the two. That was a war of words, and I'm sure sting as bad as now.

One thing that brought me to the SCV was CivilWarTalk. I was gling to join in my 20s. I didn't and i think that was goid.

I've talked to man who's ancestors served with one of mine. And another who, with one other former soldier, was detailed after that war to retrieve the body of one of my ancestors and repatriate him to his state.

I've also talked to several people who's ancestors were right across from mine. They were shooting at eachother yet we can talk with no anger or hatred. We get a laugh in there two.

I'm from Florida, but I live in Pennsylvania now. My father is from New Jersey, my mother Tennessee. I married a woman from Massachusetts. Her home town possibly made the shoes Harry Heath's men we so eager to get at Gettysburg. But I'm an American, first and foremost just like my relatives who fought in WW1, WW2 and Korea. This country means a lot to me, as does the history.

And as a wiser man, and better writer once put on paper, "We are one,and undevided."

(Sorry about the big rant.)

 

[MWood1841]

@7th Texas Mounted Rifles

"I am not a member, but am interested or learning more about joining" may have been worth adding.

I feel like alot of folks who have known confederate ancestors are not fully aware of what benevolent efforts and activities camps do. Benefits from joining? Some camps are alot more active than others. Some with fairly large rolls and others with only a small handful of members. At least this has been my own observation and from chatting with members from other camps. I'm also aware that there is more of a stigma now (right, wrong, indifferent) due to current day political, cultural and social issues.

 

[Biscoitos]

I am a member but also "I feel that joining the SCV has a negative connotation in this day and age."
Does everything I do have to meet the standards of political correctness?

 

[51st Georgia]

It is possible for several answers to be applicable

 

[MWood1841]

I know several folks who have expressed interest in joining, with ACW interests and learning more about unit history, heritage of their ancestors and sharing camaraderie with other like minded folks. But wont commit due to fear of being ostracized for doing so. Some with understandable reasons, unfortunately with current day societal norms. A few years ago the SCV email database was hacked and members personal information widely distributed. It made national news. Of course then the ruckus began with cancel culture and movements to have known members fired from their jobs, etc It goes way beyond that nowadays with many other organizational affiliations

 

[Library Lady]

As I understand this poll, you either are a member (choice 1) or you aren't a member and you choose from the remaining choices the main reason why you aren't. This is where I agree with @MWood1841 that a choice indicating "I might be interested but I need to know more about the rules for joining and the activities of the association" could be helpful. This has a potentially more positive aspect. Choice 2 is fairly neutral: "I'd be OK with it, but it has nothing to do with me." The rest are varying degrees of negative. It's kind of like the emoji pain scale for children.

 

[19thGeorgia]

"I have confederate ancestors, but choose not to affiliate myself for _____ reasons."

Have too many other things to do.

 

[scooter748driver]

I was a member, but to be honest, for me at least, the tone of their advertising, articles, etc. were a huge turn off. I understand being proud of our Confederate heritage and history and wanting to preserve the memory of those who fought. However, most of the articles in their magazine, newsletters, emails, etc. came across as still fighting the war.

The tone of most seemed to be one of urgent deperation (we've got to do something now or our Southern heratige will be destroyed!!), one of anger, or both. One particulr thing that was a HUGE turnoff to me was the advertisement for their motorcycle groups. "Iron Cavalry" I believe they call it, calling on members to "be a man among men." . It comes across to me as posing and trying to blanket themselves with the valor of the Confederate cavalry. If you want to be a "man among men," joining a motorcycle group isn't going to make you one IMHO. Maybe I'm too sensative about it. Maybe they really do mean well. But the letters from the President, other officers, etc. all had that desperate, angry, and chip on their shoulder tone to me.

I think I may have been biased from the word go as, when I applied, they would not accept my g-g-grandfather as my proof of membership because they said he "signed loyalty to the Union" late in the war after being released as a POW (I had to use a g-g-uncle instead who "died for the cause" instead). Hey, if that's their rules fine, but again the war ended almost 160 years ago. There is only THE United States now. Loyalty to the Union? Yes, we should all have it.

Anyway, I answered the poll Am/Was a Member, but there's more behind the answer, and I hope others thinking of joining will consider my reasons and those of others who may have left the SCV before they join. It may be right for some, but the SCV wasn't right for me.

 

[13 IL Cav & 64 GA Inf]

I'd be interested to hear what 'both sides' of CWT have to say about this.

Please bear with me, member since 2015 - but this is my first poll.

Did I represent the full range of poll answers?

I am not opposed to joining SCV. One of my first cousins is a member, and a good friend of mine is also a member. Before retiring, I felt that I had not enough time for it, and since retiring I have just not been motivated to add another active interest. Even as a SAR member I became unmotivated to attend meetings as I aged and have pain issues, etc. I think that SCV is a worthwhile organization for anyone who has appropriate interest.

 

[13 IL Cav & 64 GA Inf]

I am a member but also "I feel that joining the SCV has a negative connotation in this day and age."
Does everything I do have to meet the standards of political correctness?

I detest the liberal proclamations of political correctness on anything they decide not to agree with, especially the appreciation of HISTORY and heritage, including that of the Civil War. They can Go Pound Sand. I will say no more in order to avoid an off-topic essay.

 

[13 IL Cav & 64 GA Inf]

It is possible for several answers to be applicable

Yes.

 

[13 IL Cav & 64 GA Inf]

I was a member, but to be honest, for me at least, the tone of their advertising, articles, etc. were a huge turn off. I understand being proud of our Confederate heritage and history and wanting to preserve the memory of those who fought. However, most of the articles in their magazine, newsletters, emails, etc. came across as still fighting the war.

The tone of most seemed to be one of urgent deparation (we've got to do something now or our Southern heratige will be destroyed!!), one of anger, or both. One particulr thing that was a HUGE turnoff to me was the advertisement for their motorcycle groups. "Iron Cavalry" I believe they call it, calling on members to "be a man among men." . It comes across to me as posing and trying to blanket themselves with the valor of the Confederate cavalry. If you want to be a "man among men," joining a motorcycle group isn't going to make you one IMHO. Maybe I'm too sensative about it. Maybe they really do mean well. But the letters from the President, other officers, etc. all had that desperate, angry, and chip on their shoulder tone to me.

I think I may have been biased from the word go as, when I applied, they would not accept my g-g-grandfather as my proof of membership because they said he "signed loyalty to the Union" late in the war after being released as a POW (I had to use a g-g-uncle instead who "died for the cause" instead). Hey, if that's their rules fine, but again the war ended almost 160 years ago. There is only THE United States now. Loyalty to the Union? Yes, we should all have it.

Anyway, I answered the poll Am/Was a Member, but there's more behind the answer, and I hope others thinking of joining will consider my reasons and those of others who may have left the SCV before they join. It may be right for some, but the SCV wasn't right for me.

Well said. I have noticed some of what you described in the SCV communications that my SCV cousin has forwarded to me.

 

[7th Texas Mounted Rifles]

Thank you, EVERYONE - for the lively discussion thus far.

I certainly was not aiming for/intending for a negative undertone to the survey answers - if I could edit/add the suggested additional answers, I would!

 

[7th Texas Mounted Rifles]

I was a member, but to be honest, for me at least, the tone of their advertising, articles, etc. were a huge turn off. I understand being proud of our Confederate heritage and history and wanting to preserve the memory of those who fought. However, most of the articles in their magazine, newsletters, emails, etc. came across as still fighting the war.

The tone of most seemed to be one of urgent deperation (we've got to do something now or our Southern heratige will be destroyed!!), one of anger, or both. One particulr thing that was a HUGE turnoff to me was the advertisement for their motorcycle groups. "Iron Cavalry" I believe they call it, calling on members to "be a man among men." . It comes across to me as posing and trying to blanket themselves with the valor of the Confederate cavalry. If you want to be a "man among men," joining a motorcycle group isn't going to make you one IMHO. Maybe I'm too sensative about it. Maybe they really do mean well. But the letters from the President, other officers, etc. all had that desperate, angry, and chip on their shoulder tone to me.

I think I may have been biased from the word go as, when I applied, they would not accept my g-g-grandfather as my proof of membership because they said he "signed loyalty to the Union" late in the war after being released as a POW (I had to use a g-g-uncle instead who "died for the cause" instead). Hey, if that's their rules fine, but again the war ended almost 160 years ago. There is only THE United States now. Loyalty to the Union? Yes, we should all have it.

Anyway, I answered the poll Am/Was a Member, but there's more behind the answer, and I hope others thinking of joining will consider my reasons and those of others who may have left the SCV before they join. It may be right for some, but the SCV wasn't right for me.

Well said.

This has been my perspective too (as a nonmember).

Super, super militant - about a series of ~160 year old military actions that the outcome has already been determined.

Therefore, my vote was for 'I feel that the SCV's mission does not represent my historical interest'.

When I was younger the 'SECEDE' (Texas) bumper stickers were a joke… a self-deprecating, 'pride in our legendary arrogance' type humor.

Not anymore… and I certainly do not want to be (even thought of) as aligning myself with that movement.

 

[TallTallMan]

Me: "I feel that joining the SCV has a negative connotation in this day and age."

If it was just a historical group I wouldn't be opposed to joining (being quintuply eligible), but they are involved in things it would be wise to stay away from. I have no ill will toward members, since I've had no bad experience with any.

 

[JonnyReb_In_MI]

I don't have time, nor do I really have the funds, but I AM A MEMBER of the SCV...an active member in MICHIGAN, of all places... because this is a heritage I find to be worth sacrificing for to honor.

No other group of American veterans and no other aspect of my family history & heritage is under attack, but this one is and it's in serious danger of having all public honors to it eradicated. That is unacceptable to me and something within me is compelled to fight for it. The best way of doing that I know of is by being a member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans and actively supporting the work of the organization.

Is the organization perfect? Nope, and it never will be because it is made up of men... imperfect human beings, not angels. The fact is, however, that there is no other organization for male descendants of Confederate vets that has any chance of making a substantial difference. Sure, I get fed up with some of the internal politics and I don't agree with everything said & done, but I can't effect any change inside of the SCV from outside of the organization.

If someone is reading this who is not a member of the SCV but wants to see the Confederate veteran allowed the same level of honor & respect as U.S. Veterans, please consider joining. Even if you aren't a male or don't have a qualifying ancestor, you can join the Friends of the SCV and actively attend SCV meetings/functions.

 

[Josh The Lighthouse Guy]

The SCV (and UDC) will never admit the Confederacy and secession were wrong, so regardless of all other factors that is the easy no-go for me.

But lots of other reasons on top of that...

I'm not interested in joining a Union lineage society either.

Despite my interest in history and genealogy, I have no desire to join any lineage society. It seems silly to me that there are so many: Mayflower, Colonial Dames, DAC, DAR, etc. I'd rather have one genealogy society where you can earn badges.

Even then it seems like a lot of people are into these groups because they think having an ancestor farther back makes them special or better or more of a "Real American."

Organizations for adults that are gender segregated also annoy me on principle (unless they have a really good reason). I would never join the masons because of that (among other reasons). SCV and UDC are never going to merge because they appeal to the kind of people who hate change.

 

[19thGeorgia]

The SCV (and UDC) will never admit the Confederacy and secession were wrong...

That's a strange idea. Like expecting the 'Lincoln Society' to denounce Lincoln and blame him for the war.

 

[7th Mississippi Infantry]

It depends on the local camp.

Each one is different.

I've visited many local camps to possibly join, and the differences between all were surprising.
One common denominator I personally noticed, was that a few of the camps had one or two guys that made subtle smart azz remarks about my membership in the MOSB.

That was all it took for me to forget about such groups.

It was as if they were jealous because some of my ancestors were officers and theirs were not.

So ... I remain a member of the MOSB, but not the SCV.