Last month members of the University of Alabama’s Kappa Alpha Order participated in a tradition that has produced some controversy. The students dressed in Confederate military uniforms and accompanied by dates dressed in traditional dresses, and attended an Old South event in Shreveport, La. The fraternity traces its roots to the Civil War and Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee.
According to one person, “…they were being insensitive. I don’t think they understood the broader implications of what they were doing.” According to the article, students and other community members were offended by the sight of “fraternity members in rebel uniforms and white women from another sorority in hoop skirts.”
In respone, Larry Wiese, executive director of the Kappa Alpha Order issued a statement: “Old South celebration, including the parade, has been a Kappa Alpha tradition at Alabama for many years but we are sensitive to the concerns of students, faculty and the community.”
First, lets just set aside the whole Freedom of Expression rights.Therefore, it seems to me there are two ways to view this: 1) the motives of these individuals is pure racism and therefore should be stopped; 2) the motives of these students is to honor history and tradition, and whether we like it or not, the Old South did indeed exist and to disallow such events is to ignore an important aspect of history; albeit a regretable part. Therefore they are simply “reenactors.”
The photo above shows the “reenactors” on their way to the dinner or dance, whatever. I don’t know what side I agree with most.
I can see this issue both ways. A strong argument would be that: would we allow Germans to dress up like Nazi’s and celebrate National Socialism? Obviously not. So does that apply here? You could make a case obviously.
But I think there are other issues as well. I think this would be agreat debate subject in the classroom.
Why would you decide to set aside freedom of expression?
Your argument is that “we” wouldnt allow nazis to dress up and celebrate when we would, because we live in America and barring incitement of violence they have the same right to assembly as your local democratic and republican organizations.
I like the guy in the photo holding a poster “Oppression is not a tradition”.
I think those in costumes are the ones being oppressed.
vanderlei, I did as there is still issues of whether or not this event qualifies as, I guess, “hate speech” and that is not protected by the law.
Theodore, LOL, funny.
I don’t know, are we becoming so “hyper” sensitive that we can’t just chill as a society. I am concerned that everyone becomes so “offended” and upset so easily that we are becoming a society of victims. Just food for thought.
Chris
We are definitely becoming very sensitive. I think hate speech clauses in this country are generally about incitement of violence, which i dont think they are doing with “tradition” as their stated focus.
These guys are just going to affect their own brand and i would expect they wont have many minorities in next semesters pledge class.
My wife is descended from Monacan Indians. Should she be offended at rodeos, westerns, and cowboy hats?
If the Confederacy was founded to preserve, extend, maintain and protect slavery, then what exactly are those in costume celebrating?
I assume if the partygoers right to freedom of expression extends to pretending to own slaves, it also extends to protesting this costumed ritual.
Richard, that is a valid point.
Matt, I agree, they should be protested as well.
No easy answers here….
Chris
Lets equate the American Confederacy to the Nazis. You just know they have white robes on under those Southern Bell dresses and gray uniforms because they would never dress this way if they were not racists, right? The Southern Civil War re-enactors must be racists too!
No, wrong
Kappa Alpha is a traditionally white fraternity. That being said, I know, because most of my friends are KAs, that the OU chapter, at least, has minority members. I’m not saying that’s true for the fraternity everywhere, but my point is that minorities do pledge KA, and are initiated. I also know that the minority members participate in Old South. They don’t do this to piss people off, and no, none of them pretend to own slaves. They do it because they want people to remember the way things were ‘back then.’ It’s a Southern Gentlemen’s fraternity, and they take this opportunity to throw an (almost) old-fashioned party. The girls get to dress like ladies did back then, and adopt the mannerisms of a Southern Belle. The boys get to be chivalrous without anyone getting all feminist rights on them. It’s just a time to have fun. They’re perpetuating a tradition of manners and chivalry, not oppression and racism.
Remember that the (Not So) Civil War was NOT fought over slavery. Go back to high school American History if that’s what you believe. It wasn’t about slavery until Lincoln made it so. The war was fought over rules, really. The South didn’t want to be bossed around by the North. If blacks can participate in the Old South celebration, then how is it racist?
This is a FREE COUNTRY, sorry if it hurts your feelings.. Go to North Korea if you dont like it !
pixie you did not read this post or at least did not carefully read it. Hence the last part:
“I can see this issue both ways. A strong argument would be that: would we allow Germans to dress up like Nazi’s and celebrate National Socialism? Obviously not. So does that apply here? You could make a case obviously.
But I think there are other issues as well. I think this would be a great debate subject in the classroom.”
IT’S REACTIONS LIKE YOURS THAT SHOW HOW IGNORANT YOU ARE. There was that the reaction you wanted?
I have read countless times that the civil war was not about slavery but about the North’s political and economic increasing control of the southern states. My problem with it has been the values of slavery, and its role in both the South and North’s economy. In 1805
There were just over one million slaves worth about $300 million; fifty-five years later there were four million slaves worth close to $3 billion. In the 11 states that eventually formed the Confederacy, four out of ten people were slaves in 1860, slaves accounted for more than half the agricultural labor in those states. In the cotton regions the importance of slave labor was even greater. The value of capital invested in slaves roughly equaled the total value of all farmland and farm buildings in the South. Though the value of slaves fluctuated from year to year, there was no prolonged period during this time that the value of slaves did not increase.
. Let me add that political correctness in this country has become a to censor thinking
Good points Michael!
Matt… you have possibly been mislead as to why the Confederacy was formed as you say. It became a fight against oppressive government. It was not to protect slavery…and by the way…Lincoln made it illegal to own slaves in the southern states…not up North. You could still own slaves there and by the way…. the constitution gave states the right to succeed…once they did Lincoln had no rights. he was an intruder. It’s facts that have been left out of the history books brother.
completely liberal based argument. you say set aside the freedom of expression. then were not in America if we dont have it. And we are. People who take offense to this and say it should be stopped are ignorant. This is not directed towards aftrican americans. And the nazi part, the nazis commited a genocide of a religious group and race. a conferderate soldier does not symbolize racism. the south did not initiate a civil war directly over slavery, which then the costume would reflect racism. but there were greater reasons for the south seceding, people would know if they took the time to research history and learn there land’s past culture. but people do not do that, and they believe the civil war was fought greatly over racism because of slavery, and then they think that gives them a reason to believe that it is a symbol of racism.
the Old South is a historical and meaningful tradition for the south and the members of Kappa Alpha order. they have every right to do so and i am all for their tradition being carried on.
The Old South is NOTHING compared to what the Nazis did. Of course slavery is terrible, but the Holocaust is by far a diffrent story.
What about the oppression of Abraham Lincoln and the United States of the people of the South? What about the rape of Southern women after the “Civil” War? What about all the food the Yankee soldiers stole? What about the food and clothing the slave masters gave their slaves? What about the only 4.8% of the white population in the slave states who owned slaves in 1860 (according to the 1860 U.S. Census)?
The NAACP strikes again. The sad thing is that African-Americans are so ignorant of their own history that they can make ignorant assumptions like this. I like to call it “stereotyping history.” Who is to say that ever master was cruel to his slaves? We don’t know this, and you cannot generalize a society. It’s just as bad as saying “All black people like…” or “All Chinese people are rude.” You can’t stereotype history. Maybe if black people want to see how bad it was, they should do a little research of their own and see how sucky life was (and still is) in Africa in the 19th century. But no, they won’t do research. They will simply wait for the next order from the NAACP on what to believe.