Yesterday's newspaper included a photo captioned, "Members of the Sons of Confederate Veterans fire their rifles Saturday following a re-enactment of the 1861 swearing-in ceremony of Confederate President Jefferson Davis on the steps of the Alabama State Capitol."
I'll accept any old excuse to join up with a group and propel a blank bullet into the air with black gunpowder over a crowd of bystanders. What could go wrong? Oh, some bozo could actually load a live round into his rifle? Or some other clown could pack damp powder and have it ignite late right in his face? Can't happen, Bubba! These are the Sons of Confederate Veterans! The Civil War (or as we call it down here The War Between the States) has only been over for 145 years or so. Let's figure that these boys are the sons of your younger actual Confederate veterans. If their Daddys lived 70 years after the War and had these boys at age 90 or so, the lads firing off these muskets are only 75. That's prime shootin' age.
As much fun as it is to dress up, fire a gun, and play Confederate soldier, celebrating the 150th anniversary of the beginning of a war that killed thousands is inappropriate. Remembering those who didn't come home with Memorial Day (or Confederate Veteran's Day in the South) is much better. And the Sons of Confederate Veterans Honor Guard can fire their guns in the air after they play "Taps".
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