Calling Names

What’s in a name? And why do we worry so much about names we are called?

Over the last several years during my genealogical research I have been so proud of the history behind all the names in my family, I have had members from both my Paternal and Maternal side of the family in every war and skirmish since our forefathers started this country, I had members fight for the Confederacy during the War Between The States and were condemned after it was all over for standing up for God, Family, and the Country they formed against the one they had seceded from, the country they formed was the Confederate States of America and consisted of thirteen states, I also had members fight in the Revolutionary war and were praised for standing up for God, Family and the country they fought to preserve which also consisted of thirteen colonies, This formed the United States of America, now with this said, how is it right to stand up for yourself against the taxation and lack of representation of your “Government” one time and then later in history you do the same thing again, but this time you are condemned for doing so. I may be getting a bit off track here but the similarities and differences in the American Revolution, which was noted as the American War of Independence and the Civil War, which is noted as the War for Southern Independence causes so many different names. This is material for a whole other post so for now I will get back to the subject of names.

Since the beginning of this site and my opinions being shared I have heard and been called quite a few names and I would like to go over a couple of them:

Racist: is the biggest one that seems to be thrown around, The “R” word is one that I assume is to cause shame and make me look bad, Wikipedia’s definition of racism reads: Racism is the belief that the genetic factors which constitute race are a primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race.

OK going by this definition I can’t see where I have ever promoted any particular race over another nor have I ever suggested racial differences being the cause of anyone being superior to another, so with this said explains why I have no tolerance for those who try to throw shame on others when they obviously are only trying to divert attention away from their own racist agenda.

White Apologist: I have heard this one several times from different people and although I know what they are trying to say I just can’t understand their mindset. To apologize for something is to be sorry for the action and attempt to make amends for a wrong doing, to be an apologist I suppose is to be someone who is in charge of apologizing, to be a white apologist is to be of a particular race and be in charge of apologizing. Seriously what I think these people are accusing us of, is trying to make others feel better by apologizing for the actions of those who are trying to separate the races, I know there is a difference in races but I don’t think we should be forced to hate one another due to these differences, there have always been different races and we have always lived together so to say, I am not saying we have always treated each other with total respect but I do think some of us have always worked together in an attempt to get along.

Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest is quoted as stating to a political and social group comprised of black southerners in Memphis, Tennessee on July 4th 1875: “I assure you that every man who was in the Confederate army is your friend. We were born on the same soil, breathe the same air, live in the same land, and why should we not be brothers and sisters.” Now does this make him a white apologist or does it show that people really want to live together in peace without hating one another due to race. My opinion on this name is the same as the “R” word above, it is only an attempt to divert attention from your own racist/white apologist actions.
I could go on and on but you can see where this is going to end up, I have been chastised and degraded, accused and blamed, praised and commended for many of my articles in the past, these comments have come from Politicians and Chamber Members, Teachers and Professors, Grand Dragons and NNACP members, Friends and Family and of all the names coming out of this, I see a similarity that crosses the line attempting to be drawn between the races. Those people who are calling names rather than discussing an issue have run out of answers and are trying to divert the attention away from themselves, those people who are yelling rather than talking in a normal voice are attempting to cover you because they have run out of comments and are trying to divert the attention away from themselves again, and those people who know in their heart that they are wrong because they are stirring that kettle of hate will be the first ones to call those who are teaching a subject a bit differently than they are the “R” word—why? It is only an attempt to divert the attention away from their very own hateful agenda.

Be careful when accusing someone of being something they are not, make sure you have all your facts together before making these accusations and for God’s sake don’t make assumptions on a name without knowing the person or what they stand for, these actions are what causes problems and when we use our heads in an attempt to actually learn something rather than make someone look bad then it’s a pleasure to breathe that same air.