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Music
The Bratton Sound
Bob Bratton went looking for a sound, but he ended up creating it himself. The Madison resident has been building custom guitar amplifiers for the past year, but has only …
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Jacksonian
Julianna Pardue
Julianna Pardue was never far from a comic book when she was a child. Her dad collected them, so she fondly remembers playing around and rifling through his many boxes …
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Politics
Alphonso Hunter: Rebuild Hinds County
This year, Alphonso Hunter, 56, is making another bid for the Hinds County District 2 Supervisor seat. He recently sat down with the JFP to talk about his vision for …
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National
From Terrorists to Politicians, the Council of Conservative Citizens Has a Wide Reach
When I clicked on Dylann Roof's alleged racist "manifesto" yesterday, I wasn't surprised at all to see the name of the Council of Conservative Citizens name-checked. In some ways, I …
Story
White Supremacist Donated to GOP Presidential Candidates
The leader of a white supremacist group cited by Charleston church murder suspect Dylann Roof made $65,000 in donations to Republicans, including several to Republican presidential candidates, The Guardian newspaper …
Entry
Confederates Speak: Yes, We Fought the Civil War Over Slavery
By Donna LaddIf you grew up in the South, and especially if you're white, you've likely been told repeatedly (maybe even in a classroom) that "the Civil War wasn't fought over slavery." (They might have even called it the "War Between the States" or even the "War of Northern Aggression.") "It was about economics," they might say. Or, almost always, "It was over state's rights," as if that somehow means that it wasn't actually over a state's right to allow its white citizens to own and abuse black human beings. It's remarkable how many white southerners, and others around the country, actually believe this myth. And it is regularly used as an excuse to justify keeping the Confederate battle flag and other symbols of the Confederacy and the "lost cause" of slavery imbedded into government, public and private schools, and some state universities in every way possible—especially in the taxpayer-funded state flags that still adorn several state capitols, including Mississippi's.
But the problem is: The Confederate leaders themselves had no reason then to hide what they were fighting the Civil War over. They were forthright about both why they were seceding into the Confederacy and their beliefs about the white supremacy (and its spoils of wealth) that they were willing to fighting to keep in place. Ever since I first read Mississippi's Declaration of Secession, I've used it as a response to someone who decides to spread these myths in my presence.
Now, in the wake of the Charleston massacre by an apparent white supremacist, and as the country is engaging in a welcome conversation about the Confederate flag, I've compiled a list of primary sources from the mouths and pens of the Confederate leaders themselves that could prove useful as you deal with the myths that continue to be used to justify racism and racist symbols. (Hat tip to Kristy Wittman Howell who had posted several of the more obscure links on Facebook.) Please suggest others in the comments.
Mississippi's Declaration of Secession: "Our position is thoroughly identified with the institution of slavery - the greatest material interest of the world. Its labor supplies the product, which constitutes by far the largest and most important portions of commerce of the earth. These products are peculiar to the climate verging on the tropical regions, and by an imperious law of nature, none but the black race can bear exposure to the tropical sun. These products have become necessities of the world, and a blow at slavery is a blow at commerce and civilization."
All the Declarations of Secession by southern states that did them: From Texas' Declaration: "In all the non-slave-holding States, in violation of that good faith and comity which should exist between entirely distinct nations, the people have formed themselves into a great sectional party, now strong enough in numbers to control the affairs of each of those States, based upon an unnatural feeling of hostility to these Southern States and their beneficent and patriarchal system of …
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NRA Board Member Blames Church's Pastor in Charleston Shooting
A Houston attorney on the National Rifle Association's board of directors is blaming the deadly Charleston church shooting on one of the victims, saying the slain pastor had opposed concealed …
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Ton of Ivory Crushed in Times Square to Highlight Poaching
Over a ton of confiscated ivory tumbled off a conveyor belt into a rock crusher in Times Square on Friday in a symbolic display highlighting an illegal trade that activists …
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Iowa Court Allows Remote Dispensing of Abortion Pill
The Iowa Supreme Court has struck down a restriction that would have prevented doctors from administering abortion-inducing pills remotely via video teleconferencing, saying it would have placed an undue burden …
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US: 35 Percent Spike in Global Terror Attacks in 2014
Extremists in Iraq, Afghanistan and Nigeria unleashed a savage rise in violence between 2013 and 2014, according to new statistics released by the State Department.
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World Shocked at Enduring Racism, Gun Violence in US
Often the target of U.S. human rights accusations, China wasted little time returning such charges following the shooting at a historic black church in South Carolina that left nine people …
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Person of the Day
Calvin Smith
Only a few men can lay claim to being the fastest human in the world. One of those men is Calvin Smith.
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Cover
Guys We Love
Each Father's Day, we present the Guys We Love issue, which highlights men who are making a difference in the community. This year's batch is no exception.
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Editor's Note
Givers We Love
I appreciate the presents my dad has bought me in the past, of course, but when it comes down to it, I'd rather hang out with him. I'd rather thank …
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Food
The Boon of Fondren and Craft Beer
In many ways, craft beer's boon mirrors Fondren. Both emphasize local support. As with craft breweries, the vast majority of businesses in the neighborhood are small and local.
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State
My Friend Rachel Dolezal: Walk in Her Shoes
When Rachel Dolezal's story began trending this month, media outlets immediately began shucking the most symmetrical assumptions of race and ethnicity. The headlines ranged from "Hero" to "Hater."
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State
Blogger Gets 2.5 Years Over Senator's Wife Photo Conspiracy
A blogger who pleaded guilty in a conspiracy to breaking into a nursing home and shooting unauthorized video of the ailing wife of a U.S. senator was sentenced Monday to …
Story
US Archbishop Quits After Archdiocese Charged with Cover-Up
Pope Francis has started making good on his promise to not let even the most senior churchmen get away with sex abuse or cover-up.
Story
Union-Backed Dems Make Final Push to Kill Obama's Trade Bill
Union-backed Democrats launched a last-ditch effort Thursday to scuttle President Barack Obama's trade agenda by sacrificing a favored program of their own that retrains workers displaced by international trade.
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Music
Cruz Contreras
Cruz Contreras, lead vocalist for Knoxville, Tenn. Americana group The Black Lillies, has been a musician for as long as he can remember.
