From the beginning there have been a few individuals in the League of
the South who wish to make race the principal issue and also those who
want to deny its importance altogether. Neither of these, I believe,
are tenable positions.
On the one hand, those who have criticised the League for our refusal
to make race the "be all and end all" of our efforts are largely
atheistic, scientific racialists who believe in evolution. But as
the late M. E. Bradford noted, Southerners are not in the business of
measuring skulls. On the other, there are some who wish to ignore
the race issue completely in hopes that it will solve itself. But as
Southerners, we know, rightly or wrongly, that race is a factor in nearly
every issue in Dixie. Thus, we cannot run from a reasoned discussion
of it and all its implications.
Recently, I heard someone (not a League member, by the way) propose
that after independence we must negotiate with responsible black leaders
to see who gets what piece of real estate. I dont know about this
fellow, but Alabama is my home and I plan on staying here, God willing.
Such silly ideas merit no serious discussion. Blacks make up about a
quarter of the South's population, a demographic fact that cannot be
ignored. Therefore the relationship between Southern whites and Southern
blacks must be approached in a realistic manner, and "tribal
homelands" are anything but realistic.
Each time the League leadership addresses itself to the issue of race,
the policy we advance must be free of hatred and malice. This has been our
position from the start. Though many blacks may be taught to hate us
in their homes and institutions, our response to them must be grounded in
Christian charity. Now, some will surely see this as a sign of
weakness, but if you do it's because you simply dont understand the tenets
of the Christian faith. No less a man than Rev. Robert Lewis Dabney
noted over a century ago that Southern whites recognised an obligation to
treat Christian blacks (slave and free) as brothers in Christ, and to
recognise their common humanity (original sin, all created in God's image,
etc.). Moreover, all (except those convicted of felonious offenses) should
have their lives, liberties, and property protected by the civil
magistrate.
This does not mean, however, that we must subscribe to the flawed
Jacobin notion of egalitarianism, nor does it mean that white Southerners
should give control over their civilisation and its institutions to
another race, whether it be native blacks or Hispanic immigrants.
Nowhere, outside of liberal dogma, is any nation called upon to commit
cultural and ethnic suicide. Furthermore, our surrender would ultimately
be regretted by all parties as the remaining liberties were squandered by
those who had no desire to preserve the Eurocentric, (and therefore
"racist"), institution of the rule of law.
Let us in the League, then, confidently defend our ethnic, cultural,
and religious heritage. After all, we have as much right to do this
as anyone. Let us also not fall prey to the notion that any other
group besides ourselves could (or would) defend and preserve the
biblically-based rule of law that has undergirded our Southern society
since its formation. Undoubtedly, the liberal and neo-conservative
pundits will attempt to smear us as "racists" because we stand
up for ourselves and our posterity. This is, regrettably,
unavoidable because we are confronted by fundamentally dishonourable and
dishonest people who substitute the ad hominem attack for rational
debate. Therefore, we are obliged to develop thick hides to fend off the
attacks that will inevitably come.
But at the same time, we will loudly proclaim that we will have no
truck with those who wish to interject malice and hatred into the racial
issue, and that includes both sides, black and white. Being proud and
thankful of who we are does not mean that we must denigrate others.
But let us always speak the truth about race (as well as all other things)
no matter how uncomfortable it may be or how politically incorrect it is.
For instance, League member and syndicated columnist Charley Reese
noted in a recent column that black-on-white crime has reached epidemic
proportions (e.g. 100 white rapes against blacks in 1994 as compared to
over 20,000 black rapes against whites). Reese writes:
"This huge disparity between white-on-black and black-on-white
crime is the elephant at the tea party that both the press and the federal
government pretend they can't see. They are vile hypocrites."
Well said, Charley.
Such hypocrisy is guaranteed to fuel white resentment, but we must not
allow ourselves to be pulled into the vortex of hatred and violence to
"settle the score." Rather, we should speak the unvarnished
truth and continue to work positively for the interests of our own
people. And of course this means protecting ourselves when
necessary, individually and collectively.
Today's white Christian Southerners are the blood descendants of the
men and women who settled this country and gave us the blessings of
freedom and prosperity. To give away this inheritance in the name
of "equality" or "fairness" would be
unconscionable. As the progeny of Lee, Jackson, Forrest, and Davis,
let us summon the courage to defend what the God of the ages has given
us. No one else will do it for us.
