SCV Poll

[JackADriscoll]

None of the smaller towns or even every county has a SCV camp down here. I drive over 30 miles to attend our monthly meetings.I personally don't mind, I guess you'd call that being dedicated.I can not see most others especially young folks doing that. That's another thing that puzzles me, most other members are only a hop, skip, and a jump away but rarely show up. Too inconvenient I guess.Oh I'm one of those "old farts", I'm 74.

They belong to insta tik Tok etc m you can't get the attention you seek at a roundtable assuming that's what they want.

 

[7th Texas Mounted Rifles]

To get this thread back on track a little what can SCV do to bring members back in?

Hmmm.

You just threw a grenade that someone is gonna have to jump on, @JackADriscoll.



So - this said as a dude who celebrates ALL ACW veterans and supports 99.9% of the heritage organizations/etc…

The SCV will need to 'rebrand' and separate themselves from the (majority or minority?) portion of their membership who use 'It's our heritage' as their main defense, without being able to articulate/elaborate what that actually means - when questioned by the general public about what motivates the SCV, what their mission statement is, and what kind of an impact they aim to have.

I truly believe that as long as the SCV is associated with even a FEW loud & outspoken folks (in key positions) who refuse to acknowledge that a root cause of the ACW was slavery and the oppression of a demographic of people - they will never again have the high ground and support of the general public.

"A man could build a thousand bridges in his life, and steal one wallet - and to the world he is known as a thief, not a bridge builder".

I'll be honest - I'd have absolutely ZERO reservations of joining the SCV if it wasn't for every camp having even just that 'ONE GUY' who would be an utter embarrassment. I unapologetically refuse to associate with trashy, proud to be ignorant types.

That ONE GUY is destroying ya'lls organization and invalidating your claim as a 'heritage' society. Straight up. And it is ironic as hell, because the types to care enough to join SHOULD be more well-versed on the subject than the general public, right?

 

[JackADriscoll]

Hmmm.

You just threw a grenade that someone is gonna have to jump on, @JackADriscoll.



So - this said as a dude who celebrates ALL ACW veterans and supports 99.9% of the heritage organizations/etc…

The SCV will need to 'rebrand' and separate themselves from the (majority or minority?) portion of their membership who use 'It's our heritage' as their main defense, without being able to articulate/elaborate what that actually means - when questioned by the general public about what motivates the SCV, what their mission statement is, and what kind of an impact they aim to have.

I truly believe that as long as the SCV is associated with even a FEW loud & outspoken folks (in key positions) who refuse to acknowledge that a root cause of the ACW was slavery and the oppression of a demographic of people - they will never again have the high ground and support of the general public.

"A man could build a thousand bridges in his life, and steal one wallet - and to the world he is known as a thief, not a bridge builder".

I'll be honest - I'd have absolutely ZERO reservations of joining the SCV if it wasn't for every camp having even just that 'ONE GUY' who would be an utter embarrassment. I unapologetically refuse to associate with trashy, proud to be ignorant types.

That ONE GUY is destroying ya'lls organization and invalidating your claim as a 'heritage' society. Straight up. And it is ironic as hell, because the types to care enough to join SHOULD be more well-versed on the subject than the general public, right?

That was the best answer i could have imagined. Kudos!

 

[7th Texas Mounted Rifles]

None of the smaller towns or even every county has a SCV camp down here. I drive over 30 miles to attend our monthly meetings.I personally don't mind, I guess you'd call that being dedicated.I can not see most others especially young folks doing that. That's another thing that puzzles me, most other members are only a hop, skip, and a jump away but rarely show up. Too inconvenient I guess.Oh I'm one of those "old farts", I'm 74.

Respectfully, Polloco…

Is it a fact that the younger folks don't care, aren't interested or are not dedicated enough to participate?

On the surface, I'd say that SCV camps being few and far between show a lack of interest in the SCV, not necessarily anything else.

Retirees/pensioners have FREE TIME, thats a fact.

The younger crowd these days are typically dual-employed, living paycheck to paycheck, and perhaps trying to rear children.

This is Texas. People have to drive HOURS to go to the Apple store, the beach, the mountains, an NFL game, the deer lease.

Millions of people find a way to make time/do that stuff every year because they want to/care about it.

Sounds like an SCV issue, can't stay relevant.

That's not a 'young folks' or people problem.

 

[Josh The Lighthouse Guy]

To get this thread back on track a little what can SCV do to bring members back in?

Can SCV do anything that grows membership and/or regains lapsed members without alienating the core group of remaining members?

I think SCV could play an effective role as a Civil War history and preservation group that emphasizes Confederate perspectives, historical markers, battlefield monuments, cemetery headstones, and the like. Without the Lost Cause.

But if they become more of a Confederate historical society instead of modern day defenders of the Confederate cause they'll be savaged for caving to pressure, becoming politically correct, traitors to Southern heritage, etc. The SCV members here seem like they would vigorously oppose any such change.

I don't know if any other organization has successfully navigated it's way out of a Catch 22 like this.

 

[JonnyReb_In_MI]

None of the smaller towns or even every county has a SCV camp down here. I drive over 30 miles to attend our monthly meetings.I personally don't mind, I guess you'd call that being dedicated.I can not see most others especially young folks doing that. That's another thing that puzzles me, most other members are only a hop, skip, and a jump away but rarely show up. Too inconvenient I guess.Oh I'm one of those "old farts", I'm 74.

Respectfully, Polloco…

Is it a fact that the younger folks don't care, aren't interested or are not dedicated enough to participate?

On the surface, I'd say that SCV camps being few and far between show a lack of interest in the SCV, not necessarily anything else.

Retirees/pensioners have FREE TIME, thats a fact.

The younger crowd these days are typically dual-employed, living paycheck to paycheck, and perhaps trying to rear children.

This is Texas. People have to drive HOURS to go to the Apple store, the beach, the mountains, an NFL game, the deer lease.

Millions of people find a way to make time/do that stuff every year because they want to/care about it.

Sounds like an SCV issue, can't stay relevant.

That's not a 'young folks' or people problem.

I think someone else said it earlier, but a large part of this isn't just an SCV problem... veterans groups, heritage/genealogy societies, churches & civic groups of every kind are suffering from a similar problem of young people not wanting to get involved. Unless it involves entertainment or relaxation, such groups will continue to struggle for the foreseeable future.

Our camp in southeast-Michigan has around 35 members...
- most of us who attend are driving at least 20-60 miles to attend at the various locations we meet at.
- We have two camp members who drive 180-200 miles to be at camp meetings... one is 85 years old and he comes when his health permits it, and the other is a 30 year old full time pastor.
- we also have camp members who probably wouldn't make the effort to attend a meeting if we held it across the street from their house...

In the end, only people who truly care about honoring their Confederate ancestors are going to put forth that kind of effort.

SCV folks also have to deal with the cancel culture / doxxing factor... until descendants of Confederates are able to publicly use Confederate flags & symbols to honor their ancestors without concern of having the news vans camped in front of their house, having an EEOC complaint filed against them at work or having a group of misguided college kids mob them, this will continue to be an issue.

 

[JackADriscoll]

I think someone else said it earlier, but a large part of this isn't just an SCV problem... veterans groups, heritage/genealogy societies, churches & civic groups of every kind are suffering from a similar problem of young people not wanting to get involved. Unless it involves entertainment or relaxation, such groups will continue to struggle for the foreseeable future.

Our camp in southeast-Michigan has around 35 members...
- most of us who attend are driving at least 20-60 miles to attend at the various locations we meet at.
- We have two camp members who drive 180-200 miles to be at camp meetings... one is 85 years old and he comes when his health permits it, and the other is a 30 year old full time pastor.
- we also have camp members who probably wouldn't make the effort to attend a meeting if we held it across the street from their house...

In the end, only people who truly care about honoring their Confederate ancestors are going to put forth that kind of effort.

SCV folks also have to deal with the cancel culture / doxxing factor... until descendants of Confederates are able to publicly use Confederate flags & symbols to honor their ancestors without concern of having the news vans camped in front of their house, having an EEOC complaint filed against them at work or having a group of misguided college kids mob them, this will continue to be an issue.

Unfortunately people wanting to use those symbols for other things beat you to it

 

[JonnyReb_In_MI]

Unfortunately people wanting to use those symbols for other things beat you to it

I disagree. It's simply that the news will report 10 times on one instance of someone using a Confederate symbol in committing a bad act (and likely put it on the front page) while ignoring ten instances of Confederate flags being waved by folks doing something good. Bad news, in general, gets the most space anyway.

 

[major bill]

I think I see some of the same issue that other societies have. "We like it the way we have always done it". "New members, especially younger members, should just shut up about any changes." Then when younger people don't join, it is the horrible young peoples' fault or everybody's fault but ours. So many societies would rather shut down than consider changing anything.

 

[DixieRifles]

B: The SCV was not meeting my interest in historical research. Time was taken up with fund raisers and state or national meetings.

As I stated in my original Post #106, my years in the SCV didn't result in much real research.
So, I'm a little surprised to get a personal Thank You note and this Challenge Coin in the mail today---and I'm still NOT a member.

 

[7th Mississippi Infantry]

So, I'm a little surprised to get a personal Thank You note and this Challenge Coin in the mail today---and I'm still NOT a member.

Is the SCV that desperate for new members ?

Nothing against you whatsoever ... but the costs involved with such recruitment endevors seem to be more than the actual SCV's current dues.

Mailing out challenge coins ain't cheap in the "big picture" with such an organizations ... that no longer has the influence they once did.

 

[DixieRifles]

Is the SCV that desperate for new members ?

Note: I said it was a Thank You for giving him a tour of the Battle of Collierville. Maybe it was intended to sway me some.

 

[nc native]

Hmmm.

You just threw a grenade that someone is gonna have to jump on, @JackADriscoll.



So - this said as a dude who celebrates ALL ACW veterans and supports 99.9% of the heritage organizations/etc…

The SCV will need to 'rebrand' and separate themselves from the (majority or minority?) portion of their membership who use 'It's our heritage' as their main defense, without being able to articulate/elaborate what that actually means - when questioned by the general public about what motivates the SCV, what their mission statement is, and what kind of an impact they aim to have.

I truly believe that as long as the SCV is associated with even a FEW loud & outspoken folks (in key positions) who refuse to acknowledge that a root cause of the ACW was slavery and the oppression of a demographic of people - they will never again have the high ground and support of the general public.

"A man could build a thousand bridges in his life, and steal one wallet - and to the world he is known as a thief, not a bridge builder".

I'll be honest - I'd have absolutely ZERO reservations of joining the SCV if it wasn't for every camp having even just that 'ONE GUY' who would be an utter embarrassment. I unapologetically refuse to associate with trashy, proud to be ignorant types.

That ONE GUY is destroying ya'lls organization and invalidating your claim as a 'heritage' society. Straight up. And it is ironic as hell, because the types to care enough to join SHOULD be more well-versed on the subject than the general public, right?

I guess I'm fortunate to belong to the camp that I joined. We do not tolerate that type of behavior and will vote out members who take controversial positions and express opinions that are racist. We recently expelled a member when we discovered he had made anti semitic comments on a social website. I remember one of the first things that I heard at at the first meeting I attended from our camp commander was that racism would not be tolerated in the ranks at our camp. Hearing that went a long way to putting my mind at ease about joining the camp I now belong to.

 

[7th Mississippi Infantry]

it was a Thank You for giving him a tour of the Battle of Collierville

I must have missed that ...

However, I've mentioned that I'm a member of the MOSB.
I have a problem with that group as well.

Their magazine (newsletter) has been a joke for over a decade ...

Instead of substantial articles, the focus has been on listing every living national officer that at one time was in charge of "something".

 

[G Low]

As I stated in my original Post #106, my years in the SCV didn't result in much real research.
So, I'm a little surprised to get a personal Thank You note and this Challenge Coin in the mail today---and I'm still NOT a member.

View attachment 522479​

I want it..

 

[TallTallMan]

I guess I'm fortunate to belong to the camp that I joined. We do not tolerate that type of behavior and will vote out members who take controversial positions and express opinions that are racist. We recently expelled a member when we discovered he had made anti semitic comments on a social website. I remember one of the first things that I heard at at the first meeting I attended from our camp commander was that racism would not be tolerated in the ranks at our camp. Hearing that went a long way to putting my mind at ease about joining the camp I now belong to.

Your camp should be emulated, because the one that runs Beauvoir has done some embarrassing nonsense.

 

[G Low]

I have a problem with people who have problems with other people. I just need to remember that it's not my problem .

 

[CWdiaryPA]

I will say the DAR is good with the history and they never, ever mention politics - not even slightly. I pay separately for and get "The Spirit" Magazine. It focuses on history all around the country. And like any other groups some groups are very active and others dead. We had a very local group which would be very convenient for me but it was deader than dead. I went to an introductory meeting and honestly, I had to keep pinching my thigh to stay away. They were giving away a $125.00 scholarship that afternoon and they belabored it SO LONG and was the girl REALLY that worthy and did she REALLY show good citizenship - it went on for over two hours - just that one discussion - that I was ready to write the check just to get out of there.

The group I'm in now is far away but is incredibly active and does things with Walter Reed Hospital - I've been in there to their family rooms where we set stuff up - like lots of stuff - for families waiting for people in surgery (when I go down for a December meeting). They also do things around the country.

Yet, there is another DAR group within 20 minutes of them that does nothing really.

All these groups boil down to strong leadership and activism within the community. Some groups focus on hunger with school children and do free lunches everyday of the year with a local center OR you can do it individually and put your hours towards a chapter's "Volunteer" thing they turn into headquarters for something - I don't follow what they do with it. But as long as you are serving the community yourself, with a legitimate activity, you can report that back.

Other DAR groups do stuff as a group as in painting places that need painting or adopting cleanup at a park or animal shelters or visiting veterans.

Does the SVC Camps do anything like this?

This scholarship aspect definitely put me off joining the DAR, of which I'd have been the 4th generation in my family to join. Honestly, I'm the one needing the scholarship , & watch every last penny going out. In the end, joining felt pointless. I probably would have, though, had I had a daughter, so in case she ever got interested, she'd be the 5th generation. Also didn't foresee being active in any way except paying yearly dues, which I looked up to see how accountable DAR was for where dues went. I wasn't impressed.

 

[NH Civil War Gal]

had I had a daughter

I did it because I was interested and also for my daughter but she has no interest in it. She loves history but absolutely no interest in joining the DAR.

 

[Tennessee Union Gal]

I will say the DAR is good with the history and they never, ever mention politics - not even slightly. I pay separately for and get "The Spirit" Magazine. It focuses on history all around the country. And like any other groups some groups are very active and others dead. We had a very local group which would be very convenient for me but it was deader than dead. I went to an introductory meeting and honestly, I had to keep pinching my thigh to stay away. They were giving away a $125.00 scholarship that afternoon and they belabored it SO LONG and was the girl REALLY that worthy and did she REALLY show good citizenship - it went on for over two hours - just that one discussion - that I was ready to write the check just to get out of there.

The group I'm in now is far away but is incredibly active and does things with Walter Reed Hospital - I've been in there to their family rooms where we set stuff up - like lots of stuff - for families waiting for people in surgery (when I go down for a December meeting). They also do things around the country.

Yet, there is another DAR group within 20 minutes of them that does nothing really.

All these groups boil down to strong leadership and activism within the community. Some groups focus on hunger with school children and do free lunches everyday of the year with a local center OR you can do it individually and put your hours towards a chapter's "Volunteer" thing they turn into headquarters for something - I don't follow what they do with it. But as long as you are serving the community yourself, with a legitimate activity, you can report that back.

Other DAR groups do stuff as a group as in painting places that need painting or adopting cleanup at a park or animal shelters or visiting veterans.

Does the SVC Camps do anything like this?

I agree about the DAR. Never a whiff of politics, and my chapter does tons of good work in the community.