Reply #29: This is a difficult question

[Maestro]

I was born in Georgia, Brunswick, Georgia but have grown up in Texas as this is where my family is from dating back to the 1800's. Heck, part of my family skipped Texas and lived in Mexico for about 30 years. Anyhow, I don't carry or even display the rebel/confederate flag. It is just too polarizing to do so and I certainly do not want to offend anyone as well I could by doing it so I don't. Having said that there is much about old southern culture I enjoy. There was a sense of family and honor in southern culture. Yes, I know, the first thing someone will say is, "Yeah, if you were white." This unfortunately is true. And slavery and oppression were unfortunately part of the mindset in those times. It was disgusting how they treated African-Americans. Just recently, my family undertook a geneological search and we found my great, great, great, great grandfather who founded a town here in Texas. We found a some tax info on him where he listed his income and property. Interestingly, and at the same time pathetically, he listed under his property his slaves, which was simply one family, a husband and wife and his three kids.

But nonetheless, southern culture is not just about this. If we are going to hold southern pride hostage because of this, then we all need to dismiss any pride we have in being Americans as we as Americans completely destroyed the indigenous peoples of North America as well. My point is there are good points to celebrate in all cultures and sub-cultures and we can celebrate those good points without dismissing the ugly parts of our past and present.

Being from the south and being proud of that is not bad. We are a friendly folk for the most part with great food, family spirit and honor. Now if I could just get the political party in power in my state I'd be happy. Where is Sam Rayburn, Lloyd Betsen, Ann Richards, or Jim Wright when I need them?