Too many Southerner's these days have the attitude of an Ostrich. Rather than take a stand and defend their heritage, they would rather bury their head in the sand than hold an elected official responsible for their actions.

Too many Southerner's feel it is more important to support their political party than their heritage and are more than willing to let their heritage die by the wayside because they feel that social issues or taxes, or foreign policy is more important. Their battle cry is , "Leave politics out of it!".

But we know that to any Southern man or woman who cares about their heritage, this is impossible. For those who might happen to echo the pacification theory of "Leave politics out of it", ask yourself this; Who has attacked our heritage and has taken down our flags? Was it not politicians ? Who refused to restore our flags? Was it not politicians?

Below is a letter that I have submitted to the editor of Confederate Veteran magazine which addresses this very subject:

Politics are part of our heritage:

To the editor:

The March / April issue of Confederate Veteran magazine carried a Letter to the Editor from Mr. Keith Wilson of the General Sterling Price Camp # 145.

In the letter Mr. Wilson takes a Mr. Grady Smith from the Cranbury (Tx) Camp 427 to task for criticizing then Governor (now President) George W. Bush for allowing the Confederate Plaques to be removed from the Texas Supreme Court Building .

Mr. Wilson accuses Mr. Smith of “Bush bashing”, yet admits what happened with the plaques was wrong and then goes on to ask the question; “What difference does it make who was governor?”

It makes a difference because whoever was Governor was in a position to either preserve our heritage, or bow to political correctness and let our heritage be destroyed. In this case the Governor was George W. Bush. It is not “Bush bashing” to bring to attention, who was responsible for this action (or inaction), it is fact.

Mr. Wilson suggests that the Editor should not have published Mr. Smith’s letter and that Mr. Smith should not have brought “party politics” into the discussion stating that it “would have been the honorable thing to do”.

Politics is part of our struggle, it always has been and it always will be. Our short-lived Confederacy was born out of the struggle perpetrated by radical Northeastern-Puritans Yankees imposing their politics on the Missouri-Kansas border nearly a decade before the rest of the nation felt the wrath of war.

Politics played a major role in Reconstruction, which was the beginning of the cultural genocide that still plagues our country (through politics) to this day.

Politics most certainly played a major role in Missouri Governor Bob Holden’s decision to remove the Confederate Battle Flag from Higginsville Confederate Cemetery and the 2’cd National Flag from Fort Davidson State Historic Site in Pilot Knob, Missouri .

Politics most certainly played a role in Missouri Governor Matt Blunt’s decision not to permanently restore the flags, (which he could have done at any given time).

As my older brother put it , (in regards to Higginsville) , “Holden took down the flags, Blunt cut down the pole”.

It is funny that many were very vocal when Holden (a Democrat) took down the flags, yet many remained astonishingly silent when Blunt (a Republican) not only made sure they never went back up , but did his part to deliver Missouri’s history to Kansas, via the Freedom’s Frontier National Heritage Area.

Mr. Smith did do the honorable thing, by standing up and trying to hold an elected official accountable for his actions.

The dishonorable thing to do is sit on one's hands, (as apparently Mr. Wilson has chosen to do).

Clint E. Lacy

John T. Coffee Camp #1934

Missouri Sons of Confederate Veterans