Wednesday, May 2, 2001

In light of our recent Presidential debates, I hope I'm given my "two minutes" to respond. I read the articles of the persons that responded to my letter to the editor and in part wish to offer additional comments to all of them, specific and general.

First to Harold Harrison, Jr., I wish to offer a bit of gratitude. He seemed to be the one of the few who even in part read my letter to the editor. However, I feel that he omitted one point in his line, "Slavery was not started by the South, the Confederates or by the whites".

The Civil War was fought over the separation of states and economic reasons, primarily due to the fact the South was allowed to have a free labor source due to slavery. Should northern companies and institutions be required to compete with southern farmers and companies who profited from slave labor?

To simplify, I own Company A, you own Company B and we are competitors. Would you like if I had the ability to legally produce my goods and services at near-zero labor costs while you were required to pay for yours? I think most folks would agree that is not a fair system, regardless of your opinion regarding persons different than oneself.

In response to the sentence, "Black Africans enslaved other black Africans and sold them to New England Yankees who shipped them to the South from Boston," to this in some part I agree. To borrow some of Mr. Harrison's words, I place those black Africans slave-sellers and New England Bostonian slave-purchasers in the same proverbial "Christ-forsaken boat" as I do those Confederate Southerners who went to war to preserve slavery in the South.

All of their behavior is void of what Christ teaches us as people, to love one another and what we do unto the least of these, we do unto Him also (I borrowed that latter phrase from a book I read from time to time).

I again call upon the good Christian folks of Fayette to denounce and protest the celebration of the Confederate party. Yes, it is a part of our history, however, a shameful part that must never be repeated. By the way, I never mentioned the government nor the issue surrounding the state flag. We have a process to handle any parts of the government we don't like; it's called public elections.

As to Gail Hardee Broderick, I definitely did not spit on Vietnam veterans upon their return to the United States. I do denounce killing for any reason however (that's number one of the top ten, you know).

As I said in my original letter, I support the good people of Fayette in attempting to control the elements that come into our community. As Christians we must stand for God and against the hatred of people. Additionally we must hate the actions of sin.

Please sit and re-read my original article. I asked the Fayette Christian community to denounce the recognition of the Confederacy.

You stated my letter had "hate and meanness." I must admit I am flabbergasted and to some degree disappointed that few Fayette Christians have spoken out against such a sinful act as committed by persons of the Confederacy.

Greg Sims says, "My ancestors did not fight for slavery; they fought to maintain their states rights and felt Uncle Sam was getting a little too big for his britches".

I reply, Civil War did challenge the right of southern states to operate independently of the Union. To this effect I take pause with the Union's motives. However, what really changed in the South with the Civil War? Were Southerners persecuted due to their religious beliefs? Were they made to give up their property, families or freedom of expression or speech? Did the North require them to pray standing on one foot, wearing a purple sock while scratching their noses?

To all I say, no. I'm sorry some of your ancestors might have been misinformed when they enlisted. The focal point of the Confederacy's opposition to joining the Union was the required abolishment of legal slave trade in the South.

As for LeGay Saul, I'm not sure she even read my letter. In the second line I state that I am an Atlanta native. I have lived in the South all my life. Unless you consider Atlanta "the North," there is no other place to "kick my butt back to."

And finally, Andy Cash. I was touched by the story of his family. It was heartfelt indeed. I pray the Father is pleased to know his family never owned slaves. As Cash has, I think we should investigate our history and ancestry. In a large degree, I'm proud of my ancestry, too. However, I don't support any of my family's actions that would contradict with God's plan. I pray they would do the same for me.

In my humble belief, we all stand before the scrutiny of God. That scrutiny can make us smile or cause us to weep. One thing God's scrutiny always is, however, is fair. As Christians each day we must continually ask ourselves, Are my thoughts, words and actions in conjunction with Christ's word? I feel this is the core of Christianity.

I cannot call myself a child of God and allow the celebration of persons who profited from and fought to continue the suffering of any human being. The Egyptians, Romans and Nazi Germans built entire empires at the hands and on the backs of enslaved persons; likewise, so did Southern Confederates. In all cases it was not their actions that caused them to be wiped from the face of the earth, but their hardened hearts that refused to repent and turn to God.

Let us not make the same mistakes in our society. Again I say, where are you, soldiers of God?

Constantly seeking Him,

Marc D. Michael

Fairburn GA

Back to Opinion Home Page | Back to the top of the page