Webb and the Confederacy

Adam Kleinheider pointed to an article regarding Jim Webb's views on the Confederacy yesterday and thinks me a hypocrite for not having a problem with Webb's affinity for the Southern soldier based on my past statements regarding the terrorist regime that once occupied these lands.

Now, what has Jim Webb said exactly? That many of the confederate soldiers were not slave owners, and for them, the war was more about state sovereignty than it was about keepin' the black man on the plantation. Do I disagree with this notion? Not really.

I went back to look at some old posts to see what I've said about the confederacy, and generally two themes emerge.

A) I think the Confederate Battle Flag is a symbol of aggression against the US Military.

B) I don't think Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest should be celebrated.

Now, I can't find anything regarding Webb supporting the flying of the confederate battle flag, which was flown on the field of battle where American soldiers were killed; but it does appear he has given some amount of praise to NBF.

"Among others [Scots-Irish Confederate generals] included … the unparalleled Nathan Bedford Forrest, a semiliterate who proved to be a master of maneuver and improvisation, and who defeated every West Point general he faced."

This makes me uneasy to say the least. But can I argue against the truth in the statement? No, not really. While I think Nathan Bedford Forrest was little more than pondscum, he was a competent military tactician. My issue is that while some may have joined the confederacy because of loyalty to their state, Forrest was a slave-trader before the war, had never served in the American forces, and once the Civil War was over, never served again.

While his history regarding the Fort Pillow Massacre and the founding of the Ku Klux Klan is debatable, I still see no reason why this man should be given an official day of remembrance, or the recipient of statues in his honor.

Webb's vocal support for the confederate soldiers may not be a positive quality in my book - in fact it is probably detracts from my support of his vice-presidential candidacy - but quite frankly I didn't support Webb because I found an ideological kinship with him; I support him because I think he'll help Obama win. My dream ticket would be Obama/Feingold, but I know that isn't going to happen, and I'm realistic. Obama could pick David Duke or Geraldine Ferraro to be his VP, and I'd still support him vociferously...to me, his VP pick only matters so far as it helps him get elected.

The question is, does Jim Webb's affinity for the confederacy stem from a hatred of America or blacks; or some kinship with his relatives? I think there is a difference between someone writing a book and examining the reasons for why the Scots-Irish fought in favor of the confederacy; and going around with a confederate flag belt buckle and a big-ass sign in the rear window of your pickup truck saying "the South will rise again". This aspect of Webb certainly should be examined closely, but is it a deal breaker for this yankee? Not at this time. If this is hypocritical, so be it.