Sunday, February 24, 2013

SCV and NAACP Oppose KKK


Go To Link Below for Video

(Memphis) On the set of News Channel 3 Live at 9, it could be described as the unlikely joining of two groups coming together to show they oppose the hatred of the KKK.

Lee Millar of the Sons of Confederate Veterans and Pastor Keith Norman, the new president of the NAACP, sat side by to say they don’t want the Klan to hold a rally in Memphis next month.

“We don’t believe in anything they stand for and we’re together on that and wish the Klan wouldn’t come to Memphis,” Millar said.

Norman said the KKK doesn’t need to come here and it’s seeking relevancy.
“They’re a declining organization without a purpose and they’re looking to ride the coattails of an event or have a resurgence and we don’t want to give it to them,” Norman said.

The two organizations are asking Memphis to ignore the KKK if its members are allowed to hold a rally in Memphis next month.

“To ignore them completely and not give them the attention they’re hoping to gain,” Norman said.

The Sons of Confederate Veterans said it doesn’t share the same principles with the modern-day KKK.

“The Sons of Confederate Veterans is interested in preserving battlefields and promoting our history sometimes tied into that (KKK), but the SCV has no connection to that and oppose the principles of the KKK,” Millar said.

The KKK applied for a permit to rally in Memphis. It’s against the renaming of Nathan Bedford Forrest Park, Confederate Park and Jefferson Davis Park.

But Millar and Norman say Memphians can better resolve this dispute without the KKK.

“We have to look at how we go about moving forward when it comes to the Council, historians and other people concerned about the issue. We have to look at the economic impact, emotional impact and philosophical impact,” Norman said.

Millar said education is also the key to understanding the city’s past.

“The parks should be enhanced and educational opportunities, provided though historic panels, so that people will have a better understanding of our history and parks,” Millar said.

It’s a new understanding and a symbolic handshake two groups hope will send a strong message against hate.

“For Memphis to stay home on that Saturday and we’re(the two shake hands) together on this and promote Memphis,” Millar said.

Monday, Norman told News Channel 3 he believes the Confederate names of three Memphis parks should not have been changed.

Millar agrees and has asked the city to reverse its decision.

http://wreg.com/2013/02/20/the-naacp-and-the-sons-of-the-confederate-veterans-join-forces-against-the-kkk/

Beautiful World Cemeteries


World Cemeteries

(CNN) -- To some, it may sound like a strange way to spend a vacation.


But for many visitors, the carefully manicured grounds of cemeteries can provide beautiful moments to remember history's fascinating figures.


St. Louis No. 1, New Orleans


New Orleans is situated below sea level. Early in its history, each time there was a flood, the dead would literally rise. Residents soon learned that bodies shouldn't be buried in the ground. The colorfully named St. Louis Cemetery Number 1 -- the city's oldest -- visitors see only above-ground tombs.Some are magnificent while others stand in various degrees of ruin.

One intriguing figure said to be buried here is voodoo priestess Marie Laveau (1794-1881), who held sway over her wealthy white clients as well as the Creole faithful.

Tours of the cemetery include haunted outings.
425 Basin St., New Orleans



La Recoleta Cemetery, Buenos Aires, Argentina


The first lady of Argentina from 1946 until her death in 1952, Eva Peron lies in the Duarte family tomb in La Recoleta Cemetery. Every day, tourists pay their respects at the black granite tomb.

A public cemetery since 1822, it was only when the wealthy of Buenos Aires moved to this area that the elaborate above-ground mausoleums became common. The cemetery is home to a roll call of famous Argentineans, from presidents and military leaders to scientists and writers.
Azcuénaga, Buenos Aires, Argentina



Highgate Cemetery, London

Find Karl Marx, novelist George Eliot and the parents of Charles Dickens in London's Highgate Cemetery.In the 1830s, parish cemeteries in central London became a health hazard, leading parliament to authorize seven new cemeteries in outer London. Highgate Cemetery was dedicated in 1839.

Now listed on the English Heritage Register as one of London's great Victorian cemeteries, its most famous occupant is Karl Marx, but others buried here include novelist George Eliot (Mary Ann Evans) and the parents of Charles Dickens.

Guided tours are available for the East and West Cemeteries -- a tour is the only way to get into the latter.

Was there ever a Highgate vampire? Readers can draw their own conclusions about reports in the 1970s and subsequent investigation by the British Psychic and Occult Society.
Swain's Lane, London, Highgate



Central Cemetery, Vienna

Designed to accommodate expected population growth, the Zentralfriedhof opened in 1874 on the outskirts of Vienna. It's "central" in terms of significance, not location.

Home to 3.3 million souls, many visitors nonetheless focus on its connection to Vienna's musical history. Composers Beethoven, Brahms and Strauss lie in rest here, while Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart has an honorary monument in Group 32a, his actual grave being in another cemetery.

Notably, and controversially at the time, the cemetery has a Catholic section, a Protestant cemetery, a small Russian Orthodox burial area and two Jewish cemeteries.

Simmeringer Hauptstrasse 234, 1110 Vienna



Bonaventure, Georgia, United States

Located on the site of a former plantation, Bonaventure was established as a public cemetery called Evergreen in 1847. It became Bonaventure when the City of Savannah bought it in 1907. It's now listed on the National Registry of Historic Places.

Notable people buried here include Confederate general Hugh Mercer, novelist and poet Conrad Aiken and singer-songwriter Johnny Mercer, who wrote lyrics for Hollywood movie songs, including "Moon River."

The Jewish section has a memorial to victims of the Holocaust, whose ashes were brought here from a Nazi labor camp.

Bonaventure's fame grew when a sculpture of the so-called Bird Girl from the cemetery was featured as the cover of the 1994 book, "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil."



330 Bonaventure Road, Savannah, Georgia, United States



Punta Arenas Cemetery, Chile

Punta Arenas Cemetery, Chile: resting place for many of Chile's wealthy. A small angel stands with head bowed and palms together in prayer, a beautiful figurine atop one of the 19th-century tombs in the municipal cemetery of Punta Arenas in southern Chile.

The chapels built in the early part of the 20th century house the remains of some of the wealthiest families of the time, including Sara Braun. It's said that when she donated the money for construction of the cemetery entrance, she had but one request: that once she passed through the central doorway in death, the door would remain closed forever.

And so it is till this day.



9, Magallanes and Antártica Chilena region, Chile



Novodevichy Cemetery, Moscow

Adjacent to the World Heritage listed 16th-century Novodevichy Convent, the Novodevichy Cemetery is said to be Moscow's third most popular tourist site.

Inaugurated in 1898, it grew in importance from the 1930s when the remains of many Muscovites, including writer Anton Chekhov, were transferred from small cemeteries that were being demolished. It's now used only for the burial of significant people.

Among a host of famous Russian singers, writers, scientists, cosmonauts and generals buried here lie Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev and Boris Yeltsin, first president of the Russian Federation.



Luzhnetsky proyezd, 2, Moscow



Woodlawn Cemetery, New York


Opened in the Bronx in 1863, Woodlawn Cemetery is one of New York's largest, with 300,000 souls at rest. It's a listed National Historic Landmark.

At its entry stands a marble memorial to Civil War hero, Admiral Farragut.

Within its grounds many larger-than-life figures are interred, including jazz supremo Duke Ellington, songwriter Irving Berlin, writer Damon Runyon and newspaper publisher Joseph Pulitzer.

Many monuments and mausoleums were designed by top architectural firms and noted sculptors' talents are in evidence, such as the angel at the Angie Kinsley Monument created by Daniel French, whose credits include the seated Abraham Lincoln at the Lincoln Memorial.



E. 233rd St., New York



Waverley Cemetery, Sydney

Waverley Cemetery, on the cliff top above Bronte in Sydney's east.They may be dead and buried but "residents" of Waverley Cemetery, set high on the clifftop above Bronte in Sydney's east, have spectacular ocean views.

While its sculptures and architecture are fascinating, there's much to notice about the names on the graves. Among the 80,000 interments since 1877 are literary figures who helped define Australia's character, including Henry Lawson and Dorothea Mackellar.

When viewers watch the funeral scenes in Baz Luhrmann's film "The Great Gatsby," due for release in 2013, they may think they're in Long Island. In fact, those scenes were shot at Waverley Cemetery.

St. Thomas Street, Bronte



Père Lachaise, Paris



At the Cimetiere du Pere Lachaise, home to a million souls, lies the grave of Jim Morrison, whose visitors leave tokens of love. A crowd gathers at Chopin's grave, which is adorned by a statue of the muse with a lyre. There are kisses for Irish playwright and novelist Oscar Wilde. The list of the famous goes on.
( Note: Confederate Sec. of State Benjamin is also buried here)

A moving site is the series of sculptures memorializing victims of the Nazis. There's a tribute to those who died in the French Resistance and a poignant sculpted figure of an emaciated victim of the concentration camps.

Others place red roses on the tomb of singer Edith Piaf, whose funeral in 1963 was attended by 40,000 people.

16 Rue du Repos, 75020 Paris



Have we missed any? Tell us about any beautiful cemeteries you've seen on your travels below

http://www.cnn.com/2013/02/20/travel/world-beautiful-cemeteries/index.html?hpt=hp_bn10

Sunday, February 17, 2013

Army Recruiting Tents Now Available


Compatriots,


It is with great pleasure I announce that new Recruitment Tents are now available. Each Army has its own tent that is available to any camp, Brigade, or Division who would like to reserve it. For reservations contact your Army Commander.

ANV Frank Earnest confederatefrank@msn.com

AOT Tom Strain aot.commander@gmail.com

ATM Todd Owens owens.scv@gmail.com

Deo Vindice!
Charles Kelly Barrow
Lt.Commander-in-Chief
Sons of Confederate Veterans
1800mysouth.com

Award Nomination Deadline for Reunion Announced

Compatriots,


In a few months we will meet in in Vicksburg for our next Reunion. One of the activities at each reunion is the presentation of awards for deserving compatriots. Division Commanders and Army Commanders should submit the names of those they recommend for awards to General Headquarters on the forms provided under Forms and Documents on SCV.ORG.

 The forms can be found at the following addresses:

http://www.scv.org/pdf/awardnominationform13.doc

http://www.scv.org/pdf/awardnominationform13.pdf

The forms are available in both PDF and Word Format.  They should be sent to the names and email address given on the forms. They can also be faxed into GHQ or sent by US. Mail to GHQ.

The deadline for submissions is May, 17, 2013. 

If you have any questions I can be reached at 318-387-3791

I look forward to seeing you at the Reunion.

Chuck Rand
Chief of Staff

Saturday, February 16, 2013

Texas Division Commander Interviewed About Flag Plaza on Interstate 10

The Sons of Confederate Veterans organization is building a $50,000 memorial with large columns and 36 different flags from the Confederate States of America. The site will be on the Interstate 10 access road by Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. Tuesday morning, several black citizens in Orange appeared before the Orange City Council to say they don't want to see the Confederate flag on the highway named for the civil rights leader.

Granvel Block of Orange is the commander of the statewide SVC group and the Orange camp. He said the memorial will be for educational purposes. For instance, most people don't know that the confederacy had 36 different flags. At the memorial, each flag with have a name plate and history of the flag. He hopes the memorial will become a tourist attraction for Orange.


He described the memorial as a design to resemble the Jefferson Memorial in Washington, D.C., with columns in a circle, but without the dome. The 13 white columns will represent each of the 13 states in the confederacy.

The group received a city of Orange building permit for the project in January. Block said the recent rainy weather has delayed the beginning of construction. He expects the dedication to draw a crowd from across the country.

He described the memorial as a design to resemble the Jefferson Memorial in Washington, D.C., with columns in a circle, but without the dome. Three steps will lead up to the columns, which will represent each of the 13 states in the confederacy.

People who have Confederate ancestors or relatives who were in the SCV have bought memorial bricks and benches for the memorial. Block said the flags and memorial will be seen from the new overpass at MLK Drive and the lights from the overpass with shine on the memorial to make it a sight of beauty.

Block said the group wants to preserve history. He said some people, white and black, do not like the Confederate battle flag design because they don’t understand the history. “So many things (about the Confederacy) have been taught wrong or with a poor skew,” he said. As examples, he said the Civil War was not fought over slavery and that slaves were owned in the north, not exclusively in the south. He said individual state governments were sovereign and that “our states were invaded by northern troops.”

The Sons of Confederate Veterans received a city of Orange building permit for the project in January and paid the $260 fee. Block said the recent rainy weather has delayed the beginning of construction. He expects the dedication to draw a crowd from across the country. The SCV has more than 35,000 members internationally and about 3,000 in Texas, he said. The SCV also has local groups, known as 'camps,' in Beaumont, Woodville and Lake Charles.

The building site is triangular and 0.45 acre. The Orange County Appraisal District reports that Block bought the land in May 2010 for $10,000 in the name of the Sons of Confederate Veterans. The site is appraised at $9,500 and the annual tax bill of about $260 has been sent to the national organization in Tennessee.

http://www.1190kex.com/pages/MichaelBerry.html?article=10817840

Monday, February 11, 2013

2013 Sesquicentennial Event Slated for March 16 at Beauvoir


Compatriots,
In just over a month, on Saturday March 16, the SCV's 2013 Sesquicentennial Event will be held at Beauvoir in Biloxi, Mississippi. This event will be the dedication of the building for the new Jefferson Davis Presidential Library. We say "new" as Hurricane Katrina, in 2005, destroyed the first Presidential Library, which was dedicated in 1998. Now, at long last, the new building is complete.
On March 16 there will be a parade, speeches and a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new library building beginning at 1 PM. The building, which is unique in of itself, will be open to be toured but the exhibits will not yet be installed. Beauvoir has not yet set the date for when the exhibits will be available.
In addition to the building dedication, Beauvoir, restored to its appearance when Jefferson Davis lived there, is available for tours as are the grounds of Beauvoir, including the recreated rose garden that Varina Davis enjoyed. In addition, on the grounds is a Confederate Cemetery which is the last resting place of many of the Veterans that lived at Beauvoir when it was a veteran's home as well as the location of the Tomb of the Unknown Confederate Soldier. Visitors may tour the grounds for free but there is an admission fee for a home tour. See beauvoir.org for more information.
Additional information about the 2013 Sesquicentennial event and information for some of the local accommodations can be found at: confederate150.com/2013.htm. Hotels are filling up fast.

Make your plans now to come to Beauvoir on March 16 for the SCV's 2013 Sesquicentennial Event!