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NAACP distorts the true history of the South

Date published: 3/5/2002

By or white

Troy Mooney's recent letter ["Black history supporters want to rewrite history," Feb. 24] concerning the viciousness and bigotry of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People was right on target. Anyone who has watched this once-important organization in recent years cannot help but notice the vindictive posture it has assumed.

Where the NAACP once fought for equal access, now they seek to deny access for those with whom they disagree. Where the NAACP once respected American history, understanding that we were all Americans and capable of great things, now they seek to deny the teaching of history to American children.

Where once the organization fought for equal standards, now they fight for double standards. As Mr. Mooney so clearly points out, where is the fairness in denying Southerners their rights, or supporting colleges of one race?

If they had done their homework, the NAACP would know that George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and many other slaveholders actually were trailblazers for the eventual emancipation on slaves.

Washington himself made provisions for freeing his slaves upon his death and provided a fund for their education and support which lasted for generations. (The Free Lance-Star's recent article on Washington and slavery ["Founder dogged by slavery," Feb. 18], incidentally, missed this crucial fact.)

Jefferson's original draft of the Declaration of Independence had what John Adams called the "most inspiring" section taken out--the section which decried the king of England's imposition of slavery on the colonies. Likewise Robert E. Lee was the first to integrate an army, and Stonewall Jackson was famed for teaching blacks how to read.

The NAACP has proved itself to be an ignorant organization under its current leadership, and that is truly sad. Increasingly, it seems to embrace the tenets of racism itself, and that is truly frightening. Fighting for equal rights is one thing. Denying them to Southerners, or whites, proud of our heroes and history is quite another.

The NAACP cannot have it both ways--if they want a Martin Luther King Day, we deserve a day to celebrate our heroes as well.

Johnny Hostler

Spotsylvania

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Date published: 3/5/2002