I want to fly the Confederate battle flag in front of my home for everyone to see because Stephen D. Lee, lieutenant general, Confederate States Army gave the Sons of Confederate Veterans this charge: "To you, Sons of Confederate Veterans, we submit the vindication of the cause for which we fought. To your strength will be given the defense of the Confederate soldier's good name, the guardianship of his history, the emulation of his virtues, the perpetuation of those principles he loved and which made him glorious and which you also cherish. Remember it is your duty to see that the true history of the South is presented to future generations."

Before I go any further, I want you to look very carefully at the wording of that charge. General Lee left the defense of the Confederate soldier's good name, not the defense of the white Confederate soldier's good name, but the defense of the Confederate soldier's good name. To me that means the defense of the good name of both black and white Confederate soldiers.

The politically correct history writers would like for us to think that only white Southerners fought for the South during the war of Northern aggression. The Northern politicians began as far back as 1910 to eliminate or change the fact that the South did have dedicated black men who were willing to stand up and say enough is enough when it came to Northern states' efforts to eliminate states' rights. National Park Service historian Ed Bearrs stated, "I don't want to call it a conspiracy to ignore the roll of blacks both above and below the Mason-Dixon line, but it was definitely a tendency that began around 1910. Historian Erwin L. Jordan Jr. calls it a cover-up that started back in 1865.

During my search of my ancestors' history, I discovered there were black harbor pilots as well as white who served the Confederate navy during the war. The number of black pilots would equate to approximately 20 percent of this branch of the Confederate military. Not only did they serve as harbor pilots but also when Charleston was about to fall to the Northern invaders, both black and white harbor pilots went to Richmond, Va. There they fought with Gen. Robert E. Lee until after the war ended.

It is a sad time in a country's history when people's heritage is taken from them by those who would rather be politically correct than honest. Our black confederate descendents have a proud Southern heritage. They have a right to know their heritage and be proud of it. Why is it so difficult for people to believe that a person can fight for states' rights and their country and yet hate slavery? This was the same reaction the African-Americans showed when they fought with the American colonies during the American Revolution when the British offered them freedom if they would only fight for the King of England.

Yes, I want to fly my Confederate battle flag because I am proud that my white ancestors and the many black ancestors of others fought under that flag. They fought for a belief that has since been taken from them. That it is right for a state and people to govern themselves.

There were an estimated 65,000 Southern blacks in the Confederate ranks. Over 13,000 faced the enemy in combat. Dr. Leonard Haynes, an African-American professor at Southern University, stated, "When you eliminate the black Confederate soldier, you've eliminated the history of the South."

We as Southerners need to put our hearts and minds together and work to tell the true history of the war of northern aggression. We need to insist that the truth be told. Researchers, read, tell and print the truth about the war and the political leaders, and yes even the truth about Lincoln. The facts will speak for themselves when they are dug out of their hiding places in the national archives. I am not asking anyone to believe me. What I am asking is that people stop being led around by those who profit from the untruth and seek the truth for yourself.

The Sons of Confederate Veterans is open to all descendants of Confederate veterans. We have many members of descendants of African-American, Catholic, Jewish, Native American and Asian Confederates. We welcome all descendants of Confederate soldiers, sailors and marines or those who materially aided the South in its struggle for independence.

If you would like more information about the Sons of Confederate Veterans, call 803-496-3618 and ask for Andrew. We are not a hate group. The SCV does not knowingly allow anyone with ties to hate groups to join our ranks.

-- Andrew W. Burk Jr., Holly Hill

SCSU board remiss

in evaluating Hugine

Leadership guru John Maxwell once stated "Everything rises and falls on leadership." Having duly read the SCSU Board of Trustees' evaluation of Dr. Andrew Hugine and Hugine's response, this quote sums up SCSU's present situation. The leadership of this board was remiss from the onset by giving Hugine only five objectives with an average of two goals each. Reading the trite objectives, the leaders gave Hugine a roadmap to nowhere; vague, no details, and no true measurable standards. Surely these cannot be the best business practices these leaders employ in their respective workplaces.

Leadership geared toward success and future accountability dispenses clear and objective guidance with realistic goals. Increase giving by 15 percent, reduce costs by 10 percent, implement quarterly safety forums, raise the GPAs of student athletes by one-half letter grade, etc. Without this type of guidance, everything is easily challenged.

However the greatest concern with the leadership of this board is its indiscriminate statements in the evaluation that appear to be in direct contradiction to its official minutes. It is understandable why the board was reluctant to release the evaluation and when they did, did so without Hugine's official response. If the minutes disprove some of the basic statements, then the leadership has allowed its integrity to be questioned about the evaluation in its entirety. Leadership should operate above the questionable lines and appearances. If true, this board either haphazardly prepared an evaluation for a self-fulfilling prophecy (sack Hugine) or they failed miserably at applying due diligence of an issue of great magnitude.

This current scenario underscores the immediate need for the leadership of this board of trustees to post its official minutes online within two weeks of the meetings. The leadership should also post current operating bylaws on line as well. This will be in well keeping of former Supreme Justice Brandeis' leadership quote; "Sunshine is the best disinfectant."

-- Alex 'Herc' Conyers , Orangeburg

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