One Brick Short

Some time ago, H.K. Edgerton marched through Charlottesville on his way to seek a meeting with President Barack Obama and ask for—and these are my words—a pardon for the Confederate Battle Flag.

Seems the flag, flown at most racist rallies, is full of different meaning to folks who grew up in the South, whose ancestors grew up in the South and fought and died in the Civil War. The fact that Mr. Edgerton is black made his marching of interest.

The story drew a backlash from a most surprising quarter: Other members of the Sons of Confederate Veterans and people from his hometown. You can read the responses at dailyprogress.com.

Seeking to respond to his detractors, Mr. Edgerton sent an e-mail. Edited for length, his response goes like this:

I have learned to take criticism, as well as the many awards and accolades that have been bestowed upon me, in equal stride. However, it is quite troubling to read the libelous comment posted from my very own hometown, by some sham organization representing itself as Think Asheville, that I, in fact, was removed from the office of president of the Asheville Chapter of the NAACP after mismanaging the organization’s funds. I know that the NAACP didn’t make this statement…

...and furthermore, to have a former officer of the Sons of Confederate Veterans (Zebulon Vance Camp 15) post the following comment: “I know Mr. Edgerton and he is well-intended, but most often misdirected, advocate for Confederate pride…“ please commander, explain to me just what does that mean?

Mr. Cooper went on to say, also referring to me, that [I am] not a member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, although [I have] been accepted as an honorary member at several camps. “One has to provide credible evidence that he has a Confederate veteran ancestor to become a member. There are some Negro members, but he is not one of them.“ ... Why [would he] refer to these black men, in this politically correct environment, as Negroes? Even though that term does not bother me, it just might bother them….

Let’s examine the so called disrespect that I am said to have exhibited at a camp meeting to a Son of Union Veterans…The camp commander [called] upon a visitor to speak. The man got up and told us that he was from Ohio and in the camp of the enemy (ha ha ha)...I immediately told the gentleman that while he considered himself in the camp of the enemy, it was no laughing matter to me ... I told him how my Southern babies were being force to hold their heads down and remember their ancestors in shame, how my children were being terrorized in the public school system if they dared to show up in their Dixie Outfitter garb or any item that depicted the [Confederate Battle Flag], how Hollywood and this same public school purposely omitted the place of honor and dignity that the men and women who looked like me earned under [the flag].

...I know that my great-great grandmother Hattie Edgerton, who came to this country a slave to the Honorable T.R. Edgerton family from Rutherfordton County, North Carolina before the Declaration of Independence was signed; my father and my dear mother—who to my knowledge is the only black woman to ever be given a Confederate state funeral and whose namesake is used by the North Carolina Order of the Confederate Rose for a heritage award—and the many camps nationwide like the Longstreet-Zollicoffer Camp # 87, that ... presented me with the Clarke M. Roberts Memorial Award in honor and recognition for the devotion to the cause of Southern heritage and support of the Sons of Confederate Veterans; the many black folks who are proud that a man who looks like me would stand up for the honor of their forgotten ancestors who earned a place of honor and dignity serving the Confederate cause, would take exception to the remarks of Mr. Cooper and any others for the assassination on my character.

For those who might be wondering,  Mr. Edgerton made it to Washington two days after President Obama’s inauguration, but could not meet with the president.