Salon: Rick Perry's ties to the neoconfederate movement "may be deeper than previously known"

[Amerigo Vespucci]

Wednesday, Jul 13, 2011 10:30 ET
Rick Perry's Confederate past
By Justin Elliott



Rick Perry made national headlines in 2009 when, during a speech to a tea party group, he floated the possibility that Texas could secede from the union. But the governor's substantive ties to the neoconfederate movement may be deeper than previously known.

A 1998 voting guide published by a leading neoconfederate group and obtained by Salon not only endorses Perry for lieutenant governor, it also describes him as "a member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans." Perry's office did not respond to a request for comment about the governor's possible membership in the Sons of Confederate Veterans.

This is the document, published by the League of the South on its website DixieNet.org; it was unearthed by Edward Sebesta, a Texas-based independent researcher and co-editor of "Neo-Confederacy: A Critical Introduction."



The organization that publishes DixieNet describes its mission in openly secessionist terms: " The League of the South is a Southern Nationalist organization whose ultimate goal is a free and independent Southern republic." Its core beliefs include the abolition of the income tax and central banking, a Southern republic that "revives the use of State Militias in place of maintaining large, standing armies," and a society that "perpetuates the chivalric ideal of manhood." The group rejects "the American Empire that now occupies the South."

http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/index.html?story=/politics/war_room/2011/07/13/rick_perry_sons_of_confederate_veterans

[StevesRedLens]

1. "Neo-Confederate?" Not really accurate

I saw this on Salon.com. The "Sons of Confederate Veterans" is primarily a group of history buffs and re-enactors who get together on occasion and dress up like civil war soldiers and act out battles. I don't belong to it but I am familiar with it some. One has to prove an ancestor was in the Confederate military to get in. "Neo-Confederate" makes the group sound like a "Neo-Nazi" group or something, which is just not true.

That is what the organization is but of course there may be specific members or groups in other areas of the country who do more political type stuff, but that is not the mission of the organization.

And just for the record, I did have an ancestor or two who were in the Confederate Army; I also had a couple in the Union Army as well.

[classysassy]

2. The Nazi party vs the Dixie party

both are founded on hate,I am sure the sons and daughters of the old confederate will argue that they are all about their heritage,well I say to you your heritage is tinged with racism and you need to let it go or the next generation of young people will denounce you and your kids for what you really are.Liars)

[southernyankeebelle]

3. I live in the south but I am a yankee through and through. My heart isn't in dixie land. The

day they start fighting I will leave or sell my 12 acres and move back to the east coast where I belong. Yep look away look away dixie land. You can damn have it. I will go back where people have ideas and are willing to work to make a better america.

[JustAmused]

4. wrong

Your screen name is wrong. Definitely not classy. Bye now