they stop making everybody stand for a prayer before the National anthem,,,,

I graduated in ‘93 from a high school in west Texas. They stopped using the confederate flag at football games when I was a junior. Well, most people stopped. The klan showed up to make their presence known and I thought a race riot would break out at halftime. It didn’t, but a lot of the people I grew up with still think it was wrong to quit using the flag and quit playing Dixie. Not sure, but they actually might still play it sometimes. If you drive around small (and sometimes, not so small) towns all over Texas, you see the stars and bars still flying. Pretty pathetic.

During the 4th of July Parade in our small Texas town outside of Austin, our Republican state rep., a tea party guy, blasted Dixie from the speakers on his float, which was ahead of the local Democratic club float I was on by several lengths. I found it dumfounding that the anthem of the slave-holding Confederacy, secession, insurrection, was openly played by our Republican representative. Of course, it was during Obama's terms in office so it was clearly especially a message to those who supported him.

He ran for an open seat in Congress to replace a retiring Republican, and thankfully didn't even come close to winning the primary amongst a crowded field.

Loser.

Jeff Davis and Robert E. Lee public schools in majority-black public school systems - like in Montgomery (state capital) - we still have to get to work on?

I guess a song is a good place to start.

During this speech at the White House on April 10 (before his last speech on April 11)

"With the fall of Petersburg and Richmond, and Lee’s surrender to Grant at Appomattox, Washington was consumed by celebration. On the evening of April 10, 1865, a crowd of some 3,000 people gathered outside the White House, hoping for some rousing words from their president. In response to their cries of “Speech!” Lincoln demurred, saying he would deliver an address the following evening, after he had adequate time to prepare. As consolation, he issued a special request for the Marine band. “I have always thought ‘Dixie’ one of the best tunes I have ever heard. Our adversaries over the way attempted to appropriate it, but I insisted yesterday that we fairly captured it.” As the crowd laughed and cheered, Lincoln added, “It is good to show the rebels that with us they will be free to hear it again.”

https://www.history.com/news/what-lincoln-said-in-his-final-speech

for the South during the Civil War.

Last edited Wed Aug 15, 2018, 10:02 AM - Edit history (1)

Away down South in the land of traitors,
Rattlesnakes and alligators,
Right away, come away, right away, come away.
Where cotton's king and men are chattels,
Union boys will win the battles,
Right away, come away, right away, come away.

Then we'll all go down to Dixie,
Away, away,
Each Dixie boy must understand
That he must mind his Uncle Sam.

They should ask politely for fans to sing these lyrics and display them on the scoreboard or in programs, if possible.

This is a version sung by U.S. troops:

On! ye patriots to the battle,
Hear Fort Moultrie's cannon rattle!
Then away, then away, then away to the fight!
Go meet those Southern traitors,
With iron will.
And should your courage falter, boys,
Remember Bunker Hill.

Hurrah! Hurrah! The Stars and Stripes forever!
Hurrah! Hurrah! Our Union shall not sever!

I was out with friends at a local bar close to the base. A military hang out. Beer, dancing juke box music, pool table a typical bar. There was four or five of us sitting at the table drinking Carlings Black Label in cans.

Music was playing, some were dancing, others were getting the next round. Myself and one other guy was sitting at the table when the music on the juke box change.

I sat there slipping on the beer.... when I saw this bunch, gang, crowd... you chose the descriptor.... head directly for my table. As they crowded toward the table one said in a stern voice YANKEE do you know what that song is... I said no! They all said "Dixie" and you by God better stand up when you hear it playing.

I stood up and raised my beer as the song finished. They were happy with the damn yankee's response.

Until this day when I rarely hear "Dixie", back up in the north, I feel the urge to stand.

South Carolina in the mid 1960's. Sadly I see nothing has changed south of the Mason-Dixon lin