October 14, 2007

Discuss Trejbal's column on racism in Floyd

Racism doesn't belong at a crafts festival
By Christian Trejbal

Tension simmered at last weekend's Floyd County Arts and Crafts Festival, and anyone paying attention saw both glorious free speech and the deplorable racism that still infects the South.

Comments

# 1
[October 14, 2007 9:11 AM]
Henry

I think every person who has held this position at the RT has done this same type of article. Find someone who is bad, condemn them and make yourself appear righteous.

Yes, we know there are racists in the area. They are everywhere. Sen Robert Byrd, D-WV, used to be a Klansman. In 2001, he went on national TV, spewed a racist tirade and promised to keep using the N word. http://www.capmag.com/article.asp?ID=383 WARNING: racist language.
And he's a SENATOR!

I doubt this guy in Floyd even knows any black people. He probably learned everything he knows about black people from the media.

# 2
[October 14, 2007 10:26 AM]
mary via: I don't think this sorry excuse of a man Gary Walker should be allowed at the craft fair. He only spreads hate in Floyd. There is more than enough racism in Floyd. (hidden and blatant) I've lived in Floyd all of my life and I've seen it all. The Womens Club is just making excuses for their own racism.

# 3
[October 14, 2007 10:27 AM]
Mike Kirkpatrick: Like Christian, I curse the day that slaves were first brought to this country. The very introduction of slavery into our history did irreparable harm to the greatest country on earth today. It is sad that the same attention given to our past slavery is not focused on slavery that continues to this day in many other areas of the word. In Christian’s article, he makes many valid points but he also slipped in a few slick thoughts that need some attention.
He criticized Walker’s view of the “positive” side of slavery calling such people paternalistic racists who “see blacks as child-like creatures who need white nurturing and guidance. Slave owners were loving, surrogate fathers and mothers. Slaves were lucky to have them…”. Gee, can you think of any group of people in today’s society who have similar feelings? Can you say “Democrats”? Today’s Democrats see blacks as unable to fend for themselves and therefore need welfare, affirmative action, etc. To Democrats, blacks are incapable of surviving without handouts and are lucky to have their “democrat” surrogate fathers and mothers. They have created and maintained a state of dependency among the black population which, to this day, keeps them chained to the “democrat plantation”. All of this just for votes. Let’s not forget that the Civil Rights act of 1964 was passed largely to the support of Republicans (82% Republican, 69% of Democrats) and that the Republican Party was started in 1854 as the “anti-slavery party”. You don’t hear about facts like that today, do you? Talk about revisionist history! Let’s also not forget that one of the Democrat’s favorite people is good ole Senator Byrd of West Virginia, a former KKK leader. No hypocrisy there.
Christian also touts the “fascinating exercise of free speech” when Walkers opponents confronted him but later adds that “If the women choose to exclude certain terrible messages, they do not censor, rather they exercise their right of free association”. What?? Come on Christian, you just said that Walker “doesn't threaten anyone, urge violence or commit anything resembling a hate crime”, but excluding him is not censoring? It sounds a lot like what I see on TV and radio. Conservative talk should be “censored” and investigated but liberal talk, despite its venom, is “free speech”.
While I laud Christian for many good things that he writes, occasionally he slips in a fast one. That is his right. I believe in free speech even if I disagree with a small percentage of what he writes. Even when he writes something disagreeable, he writes it well.

# 4
[October 14, 2007 11:31 AM]
James: The premise by Mr. Trejbal is wrong -- he calls Mr. Walker a 'racist'. Supporting our Confederate heritage has nothing to do with race at all. The Confederacy was created by the South in order to restore the original intent of our Founding Fathers, with the sovereignty of states paramount. Lincoln actually WAS a racist -- he wrote many times that blacks could never be equal to whites and he wanted to send them to other countries.
Mr. Walker is a hero and should be respected by everyone.

# 5
[October 14, 2007 12:51 PM]
Henry: I've seen the guy at some historical events. I think Mr Trejbal's conclusion is correct about it. I just find it unseemly to write about such people.

# 6
[October 14, 2007 2:09 PM]
C. Trejbal

Henry, I chose to write about Mr. Walker and his presence at the arts and crafts festival primarily for two reasons:

1) This was an incident that had generated controversy and considerable discussion in the Floyd community.

2) If we allow people like Mr. Walker to go unchallenged, their views fester and spread.

What makes that unseemly?

# 7
[October 14, 2007 2:34 PM]
George Griffin: I have read "The Truth about Slavery", and find nothing racist about the book. The only way that someone could see the book racist, is that person theirself was a racist and does not want to know the truth about what the War Between The States were truly about. I've talked to Gary Walker on the phone a few times and have read two of his books. Gary is no racist, I find him to be a good God fearing,red blooded American, and Southern Gentleman.

# 8
[October 14, 2007 3:39 PM]
Mark: That was funny, Mr. Trejbal; in your #2 comment it should correctly read "If we allow people like Trejbal to go unchallenged, their views fester and spread". There was nothing racist about Mr. Walker's appearance at the Floyd Arts and Crafts Festival. He is telling the truth about the history of the Confederate States of America. Since the beginning of the War for Southern Independence, the Union has been spreading lies and propaganda about the South and people such as yourself have been lied to for so long that you believe the opposite of truth. Please wake up and smell the coffee.

# 9
[October 14, 2007 3:41 PM]
A. Watkins

This is one of the reasons I stopped getting the Roanoke Rag & Rumor years ago. Mr. Trejbal has a long record of bashing anything Southern. He, like so many other liberals, are the revisionists who are trying to rewrite history to suit their own sick agenda. Anyone with half a brain that will study the Civil War will find that the root causes were money and Northern greed. Slavery wasn't even an issue in the conflict until 1863 when Lincoln staged his Emancipation Proclamation for political reasons. He was terrified that England would come in on behalf of the confederacy. Take a stroll through real history books and see what Lincoln actually thought of African Americans. You will also find that none other than General Grant himself said that if he thought this war was over slavery he would put down his sword.

The biggest racists I've came across are liberals.
Especially those self righteous ones like Trejbal.

I have known Gary Walker personally for many years. He is not a racist! He has a great love for all God's paople, black or white. I can remember a time when a story like this would have never appeared in a legitimate newspaper. This newspaper has a disgusting record of allowing trash columns like Mr. Trejbal's to run on editorial or opinion pages where the editors do not have to stand behind responsible reporting of accurate news.

# 10
[October 14, 2007 3:51 PM]
Henry

Two reasons why it is a bad idea. People will read the article and sympathize with him. They may say "If the media wants to silence this guy, he must be saying something extraordinary". He's more likely to find kindred souls than critics. The other reason is that this guy will now claim "martyr" status. The design to silence him is PROOF that he is telling the truth. The conspiracy to silence him is all the evidence he needs to show he is "sticking it to the Man".

"If we allow people like Mr. Walker to go unchallenged, their views fester and spread."
That's a bunch of crap. The only person helping him spread this junk is YOU. Until you brought it up, he was just some guy selling Confederate flags at historical events. No one knew what he believed until you publicized it. Looking at what he was selling in his tent, I didn't need a gypsy to tell me where the guy fell on racial issues. It was rather obvious. But I thought that drawing attention to the guy was the wrong strategy.

# 11
[October 14, 2007 7:59 PM]
Mark Reynolds

Henry: "I've seen the guy at some historical events. I think Mr Trejbal's conclusion is correct about it. I just find it unseemly to write about such people".

Just by assuming by sight is no way to judge a man. That argument can be used in so many ways, like, "Gee, I don't know you, or have ever even met you, I've only read one of your posts, but you sure do sound like an arrogant biggot. The term don't judge a book by its cover comes to very good use here.

I've known Gary WAlker for many years now, and he has never been rascist in any way. There is two different issues at hand here, slavery and rascism. Most people seem to think the South was going over and getting slaves and bringing them to America. That is totally not true. What the history books don't tell you, even the "Slave free" North had slaves. President Lincoln had slaves himself, there are historical documents to prove that. And what the history books don't tell you, there were black Confederate soldiers. No, they were not forced, they fought on thier own accord. Because the war between the states was not about slavery, it was about states rights. The war started because of economics, the South was paying about 85 to 90% of the taxes in America at the time, and the North could not afford to lose that. The North invaded the South, and the South had to defend its land.

Race is a big nasty wood, and something that once you are accused of, is very hard to get rid of. Christian Trejbal's comments are nothing but personal slander. As for every other negative comment for Gary WAlker. Can you honestly say that someone is rascist without knowing them? No. Spending five minutes with someone does not fill that matter. Nor judging by sight.

The term rascist, according to most dictionaries, is "Hatred or intolerance of another race or other races way of life"

By those terms, Christian Trejbal is a rascist. Does anyone have any memory of his anti-gun related comments months ago? That counts as hatred of a way of life.

Flying a Confederate flag, or having one, does not automatically count you as rascist.

This is a personal dare for Christian Trejbal:
If you go to a small town anywhere in the South, and walk up to people you see the flying the Confederate flag, or anyone with the Confederate flag. Walk up to them, and call them a rascist. See what your response is. And see if you make it home without black eyes.

# 12
[October 14, 2007 8:50 PM]
Josh

"They see blacks as child-like creatures who need white nurturing and guidance."

The irony of a liberal like Christian Trejbal saying this is pretty stunning, given how the Democrats have treated blacks for half a century.

# 13
[October 14, 2007 9:44 PM]
C Ramsey

"If the women choose to exclude certain terrible messages, they do not censor, rather they exercise their right of free association."

I can't help but wonder if Mr. Trejbal would still feel this way if the "certain terrible messages" that were to be excluded were those of a cause he champions.

# 14
[October 14, 2007 10:29 PM]
Mark

I think it's easy for the media to jump on an already over-loaded band wagon. In fact the only thing that came from the "Protest" by the 4 people, yes 4 people, was that they were escorted from the building by police (with their crying children in tow) and they helped sell an extra hundred copies of the book, I'd be willing to wager.

Madona couldn't have asked for better press coverage.

# 15
[October 15, 2007 6:39 AM]
Mike Kirkpatrick: C. Ramsey makes an interesting observation. Would anyone who would exclude Mr. Walker as an “exercise of their right of free association” also exclude say, an Islamist organization like CAIR , which reportedly has questionable ties? What about a homosexual organization which many people might object to based on religious grounds? Would Mr. Trejbal, et. al., also exclude a pro-life table or perhaps (but I doubt it) a pro-choice table? Would a “born-again” table be defended as strongly as an “atheist” table? I think we all know the answers. This is a really slippery slope we are on. Free speech does not just extend to those who agree with us. There is nothing in the constitution which guarantees the right “not to be offended”. If you do not agree with Mr. Walker then smile and walk past him. To paint all southerners as racists because you do not agree with one man is certainly using much too broad a brush. When I had to move to NYC over 30 years ago I was treated very rudely because of my southern Tennessee accent. Should I then have thought all northerners were bigots and intolerant? Of course not.

# 16
[October 15, 2007 7:25 AM]
Virginia

Subject: Slavery
I feel that if some folks dealing with the subject looked in the mirror, they'd see what "hate" is like. The controversy surrounds a subject applicable to all regions and countries at one time or another. The following clip is not furnished to justify anything as we all know slavery was not good, but in hope this one honest informational clip will help get the point across that "there is a need for related history lessons in this country." Of course there are many more such "bytes." Virginia, Guide to The Old Dominion, WPA Writers' Program, Oxford University Press, NY, 1940, p. 378

"In 1650 there were only 300 Negroes in Virginia, about one percent of the population. They weren't slaves any more than the approximately 4,000 white indentured servants working out their loans for passage money to Virginia, and who were granted 50 acres each when freed from their indentures, so they could raise their own tobacco.

Slavery was established in 1654 when Anthony Johnson, Northampton County, convinced the court that he was entitled to the lifetime services of John Casor, a Negro. This was the first judicial approval of life servitude, except as punishment for a crime.

But who was Anthony Johnson, winner of this epoch-making decision? Anthony Johnson was a Negro himself, one of the original 20 brought to Jamestown (1619) and 'sold' to the colonists. By 1623 he had earned his freedom and by 1651, was prosperous enough to import five 'servants' of his own, for which he received a grant of 250 acres as 'headrights.'

Anthony Johnson ought to be in a 'Book of Firsts.' As the most ambitious of the first 20, he could have been the first Negro to set foot on Virginia soil. He was Virginia's first free Negro and first to establish a Negro community, first Negro landowner, first Negro slave owner and as the first, White or Black, to secure slave status for a servant, he was actually the founder of slavery in Virginia. A remarkable man."

If you need a "whipping boy" to place blame for the Institution of Slavery just blame about everyone you see!
I'd strongly suggest those who make statements about this subject take some time and get educated about Slavery in American and the world.. It's time in this country to do some reading and get educated before attacking anyone or before making racist comments.

http://www.petersburgexpress.com/Petersburg_Black-CSA.html

This is what Robert E. Lee thought about it: "So far from engaging in a war to perpetuate slavery, I am rejoiced that Slavery is abolished. I believe it will be greatly for the interest of the South. So fully am I satisfied of this that I would have cheerfully lost all that I have lost by the war, and have suffered all that I have suffered to have this object attained."

# 17
[October 15, 2007 7:26 AM]
Gary Walker: Mr. Christian Trejbal, in your article, “Racism doesn't belong at a crafts festival” you wrote some very vicious things about me and my book, The Truth about Slavery.
As you know, I stand 100 % behind everything I have written in my book of over 250 pages. Before I went to the Floyd Arts and Craft Show I offered the following challenge: “I will not appear at the show if you can prove that I have made even one error in fact or conclusion in my book.”
If you are a reporter worth your salt, you know that many people accepted my challenge, but none found an error or racism.
You wrote one page about me. Will you stand 100% behind what you have written? Will you offer the following challenge? “I will resign from the Roanoke Times if you can prove that I have made even one error in fact or conclusion in my article.”
I have the guts to back up what I have written on 250 pages. Do you have the guts to back up what you have written on one page? If you don’t accept this challenge then that tells the world, you know you are in error and your attack on me and my book are invalid!
Not only is your creditability on the line, but also the creditability of the whole Roanoke Times is also at stake. If you don’t accept the challenge then your boss needs to fire you. If you continue to be employed by the Roanoke Times, it says to the world: “This paper prints lies and stands behind the liars we employ!”
Gary C. Walker

# 18
[October 15, 2007 7:38 AM]
Brenda

Free speech is free speech. We allow it or loose it.

We are a Christian society built on Christian values, yet a choir director in many schools cannot even have their students sing Away in Manger at a school event, or mention the name of Christ. Why not allow this man his right to what my ancestors fought for in the Revolutionary War? My family has been here since 1775, fought in the Revolution, and I say let him talk. I don't have to listen or read anything he puts out, do I? Called freedom of CHOICE.

Makes me sick how many screwed up minds on this board can't see that.

Better get your heads out of your "where-ever-it-is" and see that when we take away another's freedom of speech, the further loss of ours is just around the corner...

Besides, isn't it better to know about how this man feels than have him (and those who feel like him) feeling this way in secret???

# 19
[October 15, 2007 8:57 AM]
Frank Horn

I must admit I read your piece about Mr. Gary Walker and quite frankly I am appalled. Your obvious vehemence toward Mr. Walker and the South is clearly evident. You make claims that his history is "revisionist," and that he is an "amateur historian," I would be interested to hear what you consider to be "True history." Is it only that which agrees with YOUR position? The war to prevent southern independence, like every war, was based upon many predicating factors. However if there was one overriding factor it was the south's desire to be left alone and the north's opposition to allowing the southern states the right to self determination as provided for in our mutual declaration of independence from Great Britain in 1776. The sad truth is that the victor of any conflict gets to write the history of that conflict as it perceives it and as it would WANT the people to perceive it. Unfortunately for the north, there is empirical evidence that the Confederacy merely wanted to peacefully secede and through the aggressive invasion of the U.S., the bloodiest war in recent history ensued.
I would challenge you to open your mind and close your mouth until you have had an opportunity to research the topic more thoroughly. Your inflammatory rhetoric only serves to further divide an already divided nation. To presume that you can dictate to the women's club what it says in its own by-laws, is the height of arrogance. Who do you think you are to tell Mr. Walker or the women's club what to do? What gives you the right to censor him? You see true intolerance is displayed on your part. Maybe you are the "racist" here? Furthermore, I am proud of Southwest Virginia. As a lifelong resident, I can assure you that some of the most congenial people of all races live and work in this area. If you would kindly mind your own business, then we would get along just fine. I urge you to write a retraction of this terrible display of ignorance.

Deo Vindice,
Frank Horn

# 20
[October 15, 2007 9:23 AM]
rob: Once again Mr. Walker offers his bogus challenge. When approached at the Arts and Crafts Fair by two different people and two separate challenges, Mr. Walker replied to one "There are ten thousand facts in that book [The Truth About Slavery]and I can't help it if one of them is wrong." Another citizen of Floyd offered to go out to his car and bring in the published [not self-published] work that proved Mr. Walker wrong and the reply was "I don't have time to read that." So, Mr. Walker, which is it? You sure do love to broadcast your challenge but just as surely you don't acknowledge facts when they are brought directly to you as they most certainly were last Saturday. You can't have it both ways, sir. May I suggest more thorough research, far better editing and historical writing from an objective (as opposed to a subjective)point of view. If you insist on bringing your hobby to the public, then the public has a right to demand some standards. Christian Trejbal got it right.

# 21
[October 15, 2007 9:40 AM]
Terry: I find it laughable that Mr. Trejbal rants about the protestors not getting their right to free speech but in the same breath wants to deprive Mr. Walker of his right to the same. Typical liberals. They believe in freedom of speech as long as it's their own. When someone has an alternative viewpoint they resort to their old communist party learned tactics of trying to censure or pressure them to fall in line with the rest of the mindless flock. They don't want debate on an issue because that would get too many people starting to ask questions. Here's a tip for you...Why don't you read Thomas J. Dilorenzo's book "Lincoln Unmasked"...it might broaden your horizons a little.

# 22
[October 15, 2007 9:40 AM]
Henry

The "truth" about slavery is that it was a heinous practice that brought the wrath of God on the Southern people. The wickedness of slavery brought down the heathen Assyrians from the north to punish the degenerate slave owners and their supporters for enslaving their fellow brothers. It was our own debauchery that led to the downfall of the Southern states.

Unfortunately, we didn't learn our lesson and we fell deeper into our wickedness by invoking quasi-slavery called Jim Crow which resulted in the rampant Federalism we suffer today.

# 23
[October 15, 2007 11:00 AM]
Bill Vallante

For anyone who'd like a little inside information on this crafts fair demonstration, here's something that Mr. Trajbal neglected to put into his story. It helps to know people who were there instead of having to rely on the media for one's information. How big was the group of protestors Mr. Trejbal? All of 3 people big? And how did the police say your little group of intrepid heroes behaved?

"By the way, one thing Trejbal neglected to print that I caught on to
immediately - all 3 (yes, there were a total of 3 "protestors") were
escorted out by the police - the same police who came back and thanked
Mr.
Walker and his supporters for the way we had conducted ourselves vs.
the
way Neukirch and his pals had acted."

# 24
[October 15, 2007 11:14 AM]
C. Trejbal

Just to set the record straight, I was present for the incident at Gary Walker's booth. No police were there, and the people challenging Walker left peacefully without incident. There was no police escort.

I also saw no police afterward approach the booth and speak to Walker while I was interviewing a member of the Woman's Club nearby.

# 25
[October 15, 2007 11:25 AM]
Donnette Leonard: Christian Trejbal,
Just an inkling of the lies you've printed here...
Why did you not put anything in your story about the "protestors" (all 3 of them) being escorted out of the building by police??? It was NOT the Women's Club who led these people out, it was the police.
This was a matter of free speech, but once again, anything related to the Confederacy or Southern Heritage is deemed racist by you. Your statement calling Mr. Walker a racist is one of the more ridiculous lies I've seen you print to date. And I have to wonder about the integrity of the Roanoke Times, when they allow such gross statements to be passed off as fact.
Once again, you're trying to make YOUR OPINION the standards the rest of us should live by. YOU don't agree with something, so "change the rules", ban it. If it were only that simply, you'd have been ran out of Virginia on a rail a long time ago.
You wouldn't know the truth if it slapped you, and you wouldn't print it if by some small miracle you did recognize it.
"Journalism" such as yours has no place in the media.
And to Mr. Walker ~ keep up the good work sir. As long as people such as Mr. Trejbal and Mr. Neukirch get upset by it, you must be doing something right!

# 26
[October 15, 2007 11:36 AM]
C. Trejbal

I correct my previous post. At the insistence of Mr. Walker, Mr. Neukirch was peacefully escorted from the booth to outside the building by police after I had departed to speak with the Woman's Club representative. He was not escorted from the festival.

I apologize for the mistake.

# 27
[October 15, 2007 11:46 AM]
Michelle

Mr. Trejbal, once again your ability to simultaneously trash Floyd, Southwestern Virginia, and basically “all things Southern” astounds me. The RT must be paying you a bundle. Why else would you choose to live amongst us ignorant mountain fools?

My husband and I both come from a long line of men and women who have fought and in some cases lost all to defend the rights afforded to every American (whether they be black, white, red, pink, or polka-dot) under the Constitution of the United States. I enjoy my right to free speech. From reading your editorials, I surmise that you enjoy yours as well. While free speech guarantees every individual the right to express their opinion on any and all subjects (even those most of us find unpleasant and distasteful), it is a privilege that comes with a certain degree of responsibility. We have obscenity laws, hate statutes, and provisions for slander and libel on the books to combat the abuse of free speech. When free speech crosses the line, the laws we have in place should be and are exercised and the abuser loses their right to free speech. No matter how noble the cause, using your right to free speech in an attempt to muzzle someone else before they cross the line is an attempt to censor.

Give the people of our area a little credit. I do not like to be spoon-fed excerpts taken out of context and told what I should think. Not many people do. I read the book. Like you, I felt the need for a scalding hot shower and some strong lye soap. I was offended by the book on so many levels that I cannot even begin to enumerate them all. On the other hand, you and I agree that Mr. Walker has not violated any laws. He does not use his book to advocate slavery in modern terms, incite violence, or issue threats against another race. Racist is a strong word. I tried looking up the term “paternal racist” and was unable to find a definition. I am guessing that this is your way of saying that Mr. Walker does not fit the traditional racist mold so you have decided to invent a new subcategory. I do not personally know Mr. Walker. Unlike you, I will continue to reserve judgment until I have irrefutable proof that he is a racist before I label him as such. If Mr. Walker declares himself a racist, produces a KKK membership card, or decides to show us his subscription to Skin Head Magazine, I believe you will be justified in your initial assumption.

I have been following this matter with rapt attention. I have concluded that this all began when a small handful of people were offended. I can sympathize. I am offended on a daily basis by a multitude of things, but what we should keep in mind is that it is how we deal with being offended that defines us. As Americans, we have a choice to make each and every time we are confronted by a controversial issue. We can like it, tolerate it, or hate it. For me the answer is clear, I tolerate those things which I cannot like because the only other option is to hate and there is enough of that in the world already. It does not matter whether you spew hate against an entire race or spew hate against a racist, it is still hate that is being spewed and one is just as bad as the other.

# 28
[October 15, 2007 12:03 PM]
R. Neukirch: My wife and I did not go to the Arts and Crafts fair to "protest." Having read "The Truth About Slavery" (something, by the way, that NONE of Mr. Walker's supporters said they had done) we decided to approach Mr. Walker and ask him specific questions regarding some of the "facts" in his book. Mr. Walker would have none of it, immediately labeling us "protesters" and calling for security. Interestingly, none of the 10 or so people surrounding my wife and I and shouting at us were labled "protesters." They were allowed to stay. Though I was told that later that day even Mr. Walker's supporters were asked not to return on Sunday. Later, I spoke with Sheriff Zieman who explained that the Floyd police officers responded to a request by the Woman's Club. They made no judgement on their own about who may have been in the right but instead, simply responded to a request by those hosting the event.

# 29
[October 15, 2007 12:04 PM]
Henry

Mr Trejbal

Was your intent to get the group to "disinvite" Mr Walker because you felt his views were controversial?

and

If the Roanoke Times must refer to Mr Morva as the "alleged" gunman despite the fact we all know he did it, shouldn't Mr Walker be an "alleged racist" as well? After all, racist is in the eye of the beholder much of the time. I can find people who will claim you are a racist simply because you are white and carry an inherent racism within you (a Nation of Islam belief).

# 30
[October 15, 2007 12:18 PM]
Wilfred

Hi,
I'm a young professional looking for a place where I can get a good job, enjoy the beauty of nature, get to know my neighbors and raise a family in a great atmosphere. Southwest Virginia looks like a great.... wait, I just read the last 29 posts...

never mind.

# 31
[October 15, 2007 1:06 PM]
Other John: My personal opinion is that we need to be reminded of our history and past, no matter how ugly or tarnished, so it serves as a beacon of where we came from and how we do not want to become in the future. If every racist, bigot, or hater out there is silenced and all traces of the past are brushed under the carpet like so many people want to do, we are doomed to repeat our history. That said, slavery was an integral part of why the United States became the powerful country it is today, like it or not. Without slavery, there would likely have been very little of the manufacturing that got our economy going, low foodstocks to feed the country as it grew, and very little chance we would have evolved to what we are now. Does is suck that this country build a lot of its foundation upon slavery, yep...it does. A lot of other countries have done it too, like most of Europe, a lot of Central and South America, and a lot of Africa too. Those countries have met with varying degrees of economic sucess, but slavery was common for just about everyone at some point in their past. What we do with that knowledge of history is educate, remind, and strive for improvement. If having an alleged racist (I can't say one way or another since I don't know the man) speak gets everyone talking about history again, then I see it as a good thing. We need to be reminded, our collective memory in this country is all too short.

# 32
[October 15, 2007 1:06 PM]
Virginia: Unfortunately, the hateful, whoever they are today, are not benefiting our youth and future generations. Where has being nice and telling the truth gone in our communities? Is it possible that the violence and bias we see on the news today starts at home or within the media itself? Fortunately today because of the information explosion across the world, we do not have to "buy into" anyone's biased view or any teachers of "presentism" because "you can't change history!" That's a fact! You can "sugar coat it", you can "massage it", you can try to "re-write it", you can even lie about it, Etc., but in the end, you'll get caught! Liars will be caught telling the "half truths" and the lies. Any so called "Post Traumatic Slavery Disorder" or "PTSD", is taught by ignorant people who just deal with selected history to benefit their personal agenda. We should all feel cheated by what our public educational system has delivered to us, and what they are delivering to our children today.
Virginia

# 33
[October 15, 2007 1:08 PM]
mollymalarky

Thank you Wilfred! I moved here five years ago. I was thinking what a sweet, beautiful calm place it was. Before I moved, people where I lived told me I would get tired of hearing about a 140 year old war, of sly racism, and of religious bigotry, and that I'd move back up North. I thought they were wrong. I thought it was a college town and it would be fine. I thought surely couldn't *really* still be obsessed with the War of Northern Agression/War between the States/War for Southern Independence (and what the rest of the world calls it The American Civil War. I didn't think I'd read over and over again in the local newspaper "if you don't like it leave!"

It did turn out to be a pretty place, a mostly calm place, but they were right, I am tired of the Civil War obsession and seeing Confederate flags. How long are people here going to obsess over a war that was over 140 years ago? One they lost?

My boyfriend is African. Can I encourage him to move here? Not in good conscience. I would encourage any young professionals to not move to Southwest Va. There are other pretty places in the South without the attitude.

# 34
[October 15, 2007 1:09 PM]
Henry

Wilfred

We've reached our limit so SW Virginia isn't taking any more applications for residency.
May I recommend Lake Wobegon? No one ever disagrees there.

# 35
[October 15, 2007 1:38 PM]
mollymalarky

Mr. Neukirch

Thank you for saying what you needed to say. If you hadn't, it would have appeared that the Floyd community was just fine with Mr. Walker's revisionist history.

# 36
[October 15, 2007 2:09 PM]
Carol Anderson

As a direct descendant of a Confederate officer who died in battle I have pride in my Southern Heritage. As a native Floyd Countian I feel shame over the presence of Mr. Walker and his minions at our annual arts and crafts fair.

I witnessed the "incident" at Mr. Walker's booth when Mr. Neukirch and his lovely wife approached him to ask questions about the conclusions in his book. Instead of answering their questions he chose instead to demand that the ladies club call the police and Mr. Neukirch and his wife were immediately surrounded by a group of people wearing confederate flag buttons. They closed around the couple in a menacing fashion and attempted to shout them down. I later learned the group came with Mr. Walker to provide "support," as a sort of rebel version of private security.

If Mr. Walker is entitled to free speech, should not Mr. Neukirch have the same freedom? Why did the women's club ask the sheriff's department to remove Mr. Neukirch and his wife while allowing the shouting and intimidation of Mr. Walker's private army?

I am ashamed of the passive racism of our ladies club by allowing the spectacle during the arts and crafts fair. I have read Mr. Walker's book and, as a Southerner who proudly displays the Stars and Bars in her home, I found it to be disgusting, racist trash.

# 37
[October 15, 2007 2:22 PM]
First Amendment Anyone?

I could walk into any bookstore and find hundreds of books that I know I would not enjoy reading. I'm not forced to purchase or read them. Same thing applies here...Mr. Walker may write what he chooses, but I don't have to buy it or read it. There were vendors at the A&C Fair selling Va. Tech gear, and I bought some t-shirts. Had they been selling UVA items, I would simply have walked on past and not made any purchases. Same principle.

The people who are saying that Freedom of Speech doesn't apply in this case would be protesting the loudest if someone wanted to ban books touting a pet subject of theirs; they can't have it both ways. How ironic that the protest only served to heighten Mr. Walker's sales. If the book does promote racism (I haven't read it and don't plan to, so I can't say it does or doesn't), now even more people will be exposed to his views than ever.

# 38
[October 15, 2007 2:26 PM]
WV to ATL to SW VA: This is why I moved away, and now want to go back.

# 39
[October 15, 2007 2:58 PM]
Virginia

Hey, we did not lose everything! The Black and White Southerners who I know just want to honor their dead ancestors, their heritage, and enjoy their family legacy those patriotic Virginian's left their children and future generations as reflected here:

http://www.petersburgexpress.com/Pocahontas.html

Would we ask those in the North to forget their ancestors if we move there? Heck no! Problems described by some above are typically created by extremist White people and extremist Black people (North & South). . Historically, these fools have always existed. To have them redefine our community by the ugly lies would be shameful!

All of our ancestors (North & South) worked together to heal past bad feelings. Problem is our education system was not nice to many of the children in the last century

We were all Americans then, and we're all Americans today. Some in this conversation seem to describe our past American history as a war to be about "Good vs. Evil". Well, it was primarily war about "money." and a few other details. This history has been well researched:
http://www.petersburgexpress.com/Causes.html

Historically, that conflict of Americans was represented by Father against Son, Brother against Brother, Uncle against Nephew, Black against Black, White against White, Black againt White, Irish against Irish, Etc against Etc.

We all have the right to our honest American heritage. What kind of people take that from others? Since when did anyone get the right in this country to disrupt others in their pursuit of happiness and Constitutional rights as reflected here?:

http://www.petersburgexpress.com/Pocahontas.html

The expression to "Forget, Etc. applies when folks are the nice. It does not apply when people are not nice. Again, in the South we did not "lose" everything and you won't "steal" certain things from us today!

Robert E. Lee again said it well:
"The gentleman [Lady] does not needlessly and unnecessarily remind an offender of a wrong he may have committed against him. He cannot only forgive; he can forget; and he strives for that nobleness of self and mildness of character which imparts sufficient strength to let the past be put the past."

"What a cruel thing is war: to separate and destroy families and friends, and mar the purest joys and happiness God has granted us in this world; to fill our hearts with hatred instead of love for our neighbors, and to devastate the fair face of this beautiful world."

# 40
[October 15, 2007 3:09 PM]
mollymalarky

Virginia,

I'm not sure if you are addressing me. I did not see that anyone said the South lost "everything." But they did lose that war.

Honor your heritage, that's fine with me. My ancestors have served this country in modern peacetime and wars. I'm not obsessed with that, or those wars. I don't display WWII, or Korean, or Vietnam, or Iraqi memorabilia in my house, and it's difficult for me to understand the need to do so. I have my freedom because of my ancestors, and have better things to do with my life than go ON and ON about long dead war. Do you think you'd get tired of it if I DID go on and on about those wars? I think you would. I think anyone would get tired of it.

# 41
[October 15, 2007 4:11 PM]
Virginia: Dear mollymalarky,

No, I was not addressing you personally, nor do I below.

For all above: Fortunately as in the past, today we all can feel the way we want to in America. In saying that, I feel, we should never forget the ugliness of that war! I will also always remember my honorable Virginia / American Veterans. Our family hasn't tired of patriotism and honor of our heritage going on 400 years in America.

As a 63 year old American Veteran, and Virginian, I am just expressing my view concerning all the comments above. One set of my patriotic Virginia ancestors arrived here in Virginia in 1650, and another soon after. Both families have patriotically fought in every war this country has been unfortunate enough to be involved in. Even some before we were a country! Part of my wife's family came to Pennsylvania
in the 17th Century and some of her ancestors fought on both sides during "The War."
Today, we love each other!

I am reminded of another patriotic Virginian who some like and some dislike for various reason. He is a Virginia war hero not forgotten, and today he is one of our Virginia Senators. I am proud to say I voted for this Democrat!:

Quote by James Webb when former U.S. Navy Secretary:

"To tar the sacrifices of the Confederate soldier as simple acts of racism, and reduce the battle flag under which he fought to nothing more than the symbol of a racist heritage, is one of the great blasphemies of the modern age."

This year (2007), James Webb began serving his first term as a United States Senator (D) from Virginia

# 42
[October 15, 2007 4:27 PM]
Henry

Nothing personal, Molly but I find your logic a bit disconcerting. If you were to say to a black person "You need to get over slavery. That was long ago and you need to move on", I would think it would be ill received. Our history is important. That's why it should never be revised or laundered. Whitewashing slavery is not "celebrating our history". Granted, both sides are guilty in this matter. Slavery was a sin practiced by black and white, North and South. And it is still practiced today in parts of the world.

I find it ironic that the people who downplay slavery are the first to yell when their rights are threatened. Too bad those slaves did not have the rights you enjoy today.

# 43
[October 15, 2007 4:37 PM]
Will

Whether you agree or disagree with the subject Mr. Walker and the issues and points he makes in his book, he just like you are free to make those statements. The Constitution gives all of us that right. Any time any place you begin to try to reign in that freedom, you're playing with the Constitution.

As Ben Franklin put it so correctly over 200 yrs ago, "I will virorously defend your right to disagree with me." The only difference today is that there is no civility in the way we go about disagreeing. Society today has lost most of it's social graces and civility.

We've raised a bunch of thugs, gangsters, and lowlifes that have become objects to behold...aka Brittany, Vick, Hilton just to name a few.

# 44
[October 15, 2007 4:39 PM]
Shannon Green: It is time for Mr. Walker's supporters to take the time to read his book as they would find themselves ashamed to be defending him. In our schools, we try to teach our children respect for all people. Their textbooks should present the most verifiable version of our country's history that we can offer. If the Floyd County Crafts Show continues to be held on school property and The Truth About Slavery continues to appear...what message are we sending our children? Let him sell his books elsewhere.

# 45
[October 15, 2007 4:56 PM]
Mike: Shannon, you are right. We all should read Mr. Walker's book "The Truth About Slavery". Actually, I bought one of his books about Civil War history in SW Virginia several years ago. It was very good. Now, because of all this hullabaloo I'll have to see for myself about this book. Oh my gosh! Mr. Walker's book sales may actually soar because of this article. Oh the humanity!! How ironic.

# 46
[October 15, 2007 5:02 PM]
mollymalarky

Henry,

I don't ask that you forget your past, or that I forget mine, but all of our ancestors have fought in wars. Many people posting here have probably had relatives fight in every other war too, no? I would like to understand, why the Civil War is different? It's a subject that is very often brought up in this particular region, and on these RT boards. Why so often?

We all recognize that you can display what you want on private property, and that you can say what you want here. but if you lived in a place where people constantly discussed, oh, any other war, and you'd never seen people talk about one war so much in your life, wouldn't you wonder why? Wouldn't you get tired of hearing about it over and over again?

Is it because the South did not secede? Is that the basic issue? I don't understand. Honoring your past is not a good enough reason for this. Everyone honors their past.

# 47
[October 15, 2007 5:10 PM]
Chris Prokosch

Hello, Gary Walker- here, once again, is proof of errors in your book, as printed in The Floyd Press. You denied having read it, and will undoubtedly hide behind that lame excuse again, although it's obvious that you are reading these postings.

On September 24, Mr. Gary Walker wrote “I will not appear at the show if you can prove that I have made even one error in fact or conclusion in my book (The Truth About Slavery).” The hard part about doing this is deciding which errors to point out. These stand out, however:

On p. 149, Walker writes “Run-away slave Frederick Douglass, received great respect and a very high income as he lectured on the evils and abuses of slavery. He did not emphasize that he was speaking of someone else and not himself. As a slave he was well fed, well clothed, and never whipped.”

In Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave, p.51, Douglass writes “I suffered much from hunger, but much more from cold. In hottest summer and coldest winter, I was kept almost naked- no shoes, no stockings, no jacket, no trousers, nothing on but a coarse linen tow shirt, reaching only to my knees. I had no bed. I must have perished with the cold, but that, on the coldest nights, I used to steal a bag which was used for carrying corn to the mill. I would crawl into this bag, and there sleep on the cold, damp, clay floor, with my head in the bag and my feet out. My feet have been so cracked with the frost, that the pen with which I am writing might be laid in the gashes.” At the time, Douglass was under 8 years old.

On p. 89, on writing of his time with a notorious slave breaker, he writes, “I had been at my new home but one week before Mr. Covey gave me a very severe whipping, cutting my back causing my blood to run, and raising ridges on my flesh as large as my little finger.” This was when he was 16 years old, and is by no means the only example.

The most glaring error in Mr. Walker’s book is the title. This book is not the truth, it is his opinion and a flagrant whitewash. The Truth About Slavery, p.194: “Before 1865 slavery wasn’t foreign, it was a way of life. Like any way of life it had its negatives and its positives. On the negative side there was a lack of freedom of choice, lack of opportunity to succeed or fail, and lack of personal responsibility. On the positive side there was no fear of unemployment, no lack of food, clothing, shelter, medical care, no need for long term planning, no need to save for a daughter’s wedding or one’s retirement, no need for agonizing over business decisions, and less accountability for the errors that all human’s (sic) make.” (my underlining)

I can only hope that the Women’s Club is promoting Mr. Walker because they haven’t read his blatant defence of slavery, and not because they share his views.

Chris Prokosch

# 48
[October 15, 2007 5:46 PM]
Virginia

I agree with Ms. Green on this statement:

"Their textbooks should present the most verifiable version of our country's history that we can offer."

Honestly, I really appreciate that statement!

About "......what message are we sending our children" is also a very good question, and I raised the same of concern above in an earlier post as stated: "We should all feel cheated by what our public educational system has delivered to us, and what they are delivering to our children today."

A good representation of what is being delivered is contained in some of the above comments. We need to keep our children away from all bigots, and insure the best education possible.

Bigot: noun; French :
a person obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices, especially: one who regards or treats the members of a group (as with a racial or ethnic group) with hatred and intolerance.

I don't know Mr. Walker, and from the beginning of my comments, they have been in reference to the article and some of your comments.

I've tried to share some Virginia history with all of you because I'm tired of such hateful news. Some of the history I've shared won't be found in your Virginia History Books! If you know someone with "PTSD" maybe it will help.

"True History" does not seem to be the reason for the news article or some of the comments above.

# 49
[October 15, 2007 8:05 PM]
Michelle: Calling into question the collective moral compass of the entire Woman’s Club of Floyd seems to be a popular theme. I am curious. Where do you believe they should draw the line? Mr. Walker? Or, at the point where another group finds something equally offensive? Careful everyone - once out, it is hard to stuff the genie back in the bottle. If we all look hard enough, I am sure that each one of us can find something else we personally find offensive to gripe about. Obviously, the Woman’s Club has honed in on this and decided to take a neutral position on the matter before chaos reigns supreme. Rightly so, at this point, it does not matter what they say or what they do, one side or the other will find fault with it. Both sides are lucky to have the Woman’s Club. If all else fails, at least the Woman’s Club is still tied to the “whipping post”. Right?
Let me tell you a short story. A few years ago, my mother and I were at the Arts and Crafts Festival. My mother was looking for a vase. She found one that she liked at the booth of a local potter. After my mother got the vase home, we noticed that the vase was actually a very cleverly disguised silhouette of a nude woman. Some people call that art. My mother thought it was the most vile and offensive object she had ever been suckered into buying. However, my mother did not call for the Woman’s Club to take complete responsibility for the moral decay of our community nor did she demand that the potter be exiled in disgrace because the vase did not meet my mother’s quality control requirements. Instead, my mother viewed the vase to be an inevitable by-product of free speech and exercised her right to disagree with the author’s choice of expression by pitching the vase in the trash. Since my mother’s ill-fated purchase, she avoids that particular potter’s booth like the plague. There is a lesson here several people could stand to benefit from.

# 50
[October 15, 2007 9:21 PM]
Donnette Leonard

It's unbelievable the amount of contradictions I see printed here, not to mention "half-truths".

Mr. Neukirch, in post #28, you stated "My wife and I did not go to the Arts and Crafts fair to "protest." " In the online edition of the SWVA Today, a few days before the festival on 10/6, and I quote "A citizen who said he has exhausted other channels is planning “some form of formal protest” at the Arts and Crafts Festival next month." The article was about your opinion of Mr. Walker's appearance, and how you were upset, and apparently no other "means" you've attempted in the past have succeeded in keeping him out of the Festival. (http://www.swvatoday.com/comments/citizen_plans_protest/news/837/). The title of the article even gives you away - "Citizen plans protest".

And you, Mr. Trejbal - you who didn't realize the police had escorted Mr. Neukirch out of the building... HOW did you miss it, when you weren't 20' from Mr. Walker's booth?? I saw you watching as Mr. Neukirch and the lady with him were escorted out. I saw you interviewing Mr. Neukirch not 2 minutes later. And you weren't aware the police were involved?? "Just to set the record straight, I was present for the incident at Gary Walker's booth. No police were there, and the people challenging Walker left peacefully without incident. There was no police escort." You went on to apologize in a later post, for your "mistake". Saying you were there, and NOT truthfully stating what you saw sir is not a "mistake" - it's a flat-out lie you got busted in stating!

And Rob, in post #20 - you stated when you told Mr. Walker about this other book his comment was "I don't have time to read that." Shouldn't you FINISH that comment? Mr. Walker's reply was "I don't have time to read that right now, but I will check into it." Did you expect him to close up shop immediately, just to read your book, right there on the spot? Your "half-quote" is as bad as some of the other garbage I've seen posted here ~ taken out of context to try to make Mr. Walker look, at best, uninterested; a man who in truth, agreed to read the very book you were asking him to!!!

This is so ironic - all of you using your own twisted versions of the truth, and excercising your 1st Amendment rights to label a man racist! And at the same time, trying to stamp out HIS same 1st Amendment right - you truly have reached a new level of sickening, desperate, depravity!

The way you keep quoting bits and pieces from the book (which by the way, thank you Mr. Trejbal - I'm sure the controversy HAS sent the sales into record numbers!), have any of you looked at the list of people who assisted in the research?? Emily F. Jones - African/American Interpretation Colonial Williamsburg; E. Clarke Ross - Civil War Author; Revs Pete Isenberg, David Derrow; Jennifer R Morse (PHD!!) George Mason University; and the list goes on of well-qualified, educated people who had a part in developing this book!!! Are they all wrong?? Are they all racist??

Just for the fun of it, how many of you know who to attribute THIS quote to? "I will say then that I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of bringing about in any way the social and political equality of the white and black races; I am not nor ever have been in favor of making voters or jurors of negroes, nor of qualifying them to hold office, nor to intermarry with white people." In the same speech, this person goes on to say "I will say in addition to this that there is a physical difference between the white and black races which I believe will forever forbid the two races living together on terms of social and poliitical equality. And inasmuch as they cannot so live, while they do remain together, there must be the position of superior and inferior, and I as much as any other man am in favor of having the superior position assigned to the white race."

That quote didn't come from one of Mr. Walkers books ~ that quote came from good ol' abe lincoln, Sept. 18th, during the lincoln/Douglas debate held in Charleston, IL.

Folks like Mr. Trejbal, Mr. Neukirch, and others of that same prejudiced mind-set will never give you quotes like the above - it doesn't fit into their agendas of destroying everything Southern, or of having history taught the way only THEY think it should be. Fortunately, there are folks out there who can (and do) think for themselves, who don't wait on people like "Ron" or Mr. Prokosch to spoon feed them history as they think it should have been. There ARE those of us who have minds of our own, and thank the Good Lord we have the capacity to use them when drivel like Mr. Trejbal's article comes to print.

Lastly, Molly Malarky, you said "It did turn out to be a pretty place, a mostly calm place, but they were right, I am tired of the Civil War obsession and seeing Confederate flags. How long are people here going to obsess over a war that was over 140 years ago? " And you went on with ". You're in the wrong area of the country to be "moving in" if you don't want to hear about the War anymore. And yes, I81 that probably brought you here DOES run two ways. If you don't like the way we've discussed things in this area for at least 135 years prior to your arrival, I would strongly encourage you to explore the Northbound side.

# 51
[October 15, 2007 10:28 PM]
Stephen

An observation here. In following this story and the posts on this board throughout the day, I can honestly say what a bunch of liberal hypocrites!

Virginia in post #48 says, "We need to keep our children away from all bigots, and insure the best education possible."

Well Virginia, you are right. You and the rest of your misguided ilk are the bigots we need to keep our children from. What I would like to know is who appointed you judge and jury to judge anyone else?

You also state, "We should all feel cheated by what our public educational system has delivered to us, and what they are delivering to our children today."

One again I agree with you. I know I feel cheated with the garbage these teachers, who are paid by taxpayers, are spoon feeding our children. Let's see. We have kids today in the public school system that are rapists, murderers, and thugs. They have been told there is no God, that they came from apes, that there is no right or wrong. They are the most rude generation with no respect for themselves or anyone else. Heck yeah I feel cheated.

Shannon Green in post #44 says, "Their textbooks should present the most verifiable version of our country's history that we can offer."

Well Shannon the last bunch of textbooks I saw had no history in it. It was a bunch of political propaganda that boardered on the tenants of socialism. The schools have a special history month for every ethinic group, which is fine, however that same attention also needs to focus on American History. The same tired old garbage that the Civil War was over slavery is still being proclaimed in the classroom. Have you read, "Forced Into Glory" by a African American historian?

Molly Malarky in post #46 states, "I would like to understand, why the Civil War is different?"

Well Molly I'll tell you why wounds in the south still run deep. The Civil War, if you want to call it that, was the first war this country has ever waged on a civilian population. Try studying on some of the attrocities committed against defensless southern women and children. Even some of the Federal Officers were shocked at what went on as the recorded in the Official Records.

Excuse us poor dumb southerners if we don't take kindly when you liberals move into our backyards and cry that you don't want to see Confederate flags, or that we are obsessed with the Civil War. Many of us here still honor our families. No one in the North or South that is alive today had anything to do with Slavery. So why don't you get over it!!

# 52
[October 15, 2007 11:24 PM]
R. Neukirch

In answer to Ms. leonard:

I am not the editor of the Floyd Press, Wanda Coombs is. She created the headline "Citizen Plans Protest." At the time of the interview, a good two weeks before the fair, Wanda asked if we were going to protest. I told her I honestly didn't know but we sure planned to do something. When the fair rolled around, we still hadn't fromulated any kind of formal protest and, instead, my wife and I decided to approach Mr. Walker directly to question him about his book and the "facts" in it. As I stated previously, we didn't see that as any kind of protest. And still don't. Secondly, Ms. Leonard, why is your recollection of Mr. Walker's comments 100% accurate and mine is not? Do you have a recording of these comments or are you, too, relying on your memory of what transpired? Maybe you have a photographic memory, I don't know. The fact remains that Mr. Walker was challenged well before the Fair. The book on Frederick Douglas that Mr. Prokosh cited is readily available and had Mr. Walker read it, he would have seen that he was in error. (Mr. Walker - "There are 10,000 facts in that book. I can't help it if one is wrong." Mr. Walker - "I challenge anyone to find even one error in fact...in my book.") Apparently he chose not to read it. Hmmm. I wonder why? "Destroying everything southern..." This phrase has been posted more than once. Our contention is, and has been from the outset, that Mr. Walker's book "The Truth About Slavery" is a racist tract, plain and simple, and should not be for sale at an Arts and Crafts Fair, especially one that takes place on public school property. That's all, "The Truth About Slavery," not "everything Southern." Why do you quote the Lincoln/Douglas debate? Was Lincoln a racist? Now there's a debate in the making. Racist or not, Lincoln freed the slaves. Mr. Walker, by contrast, has written a book that mourns the passing of slavery. So, who's the racist?

# 53
[October 15, 2007 11:27 PM]
VaSteve: Molly, The 'Civil War' is different because the South lost the war and thus became occupied. Those of us with roots here probably had an ancestor or two that were in that war. And in the reconstruction that consisted of being ruled by the victors military.Laws and taxes were made up to steal what little property the Southern people had left.My father told me stories that were just horrid;
told to him by his grandfather who fought with the NC 17th Inf.It wasn't that long ago.You think we should say, "Oh,well"? Not me. I say "Forget,Hell!"

# 54
[October 16, 2007 12:07 AM]
Stephen

Mr. Neukirch,

Once again you show your ignorance and intolerance. Are you an authority on race? What qualifies you to place that label on someone? I hope Mr. Walker gets an attorney and sues your narrow minded butt off. That’s the only thing that will shut you up as far as the slander and damage you are causing him, not to mention the mental anguish.

Lincoln hardly freed any slaves. A little fact that is often not mentioned in regards to Lincoln and slavery. President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation that he delivered in 1863 only freed the slaves in the Southern States. At that time the Southern States were an independent country so Lincoln motives were purely political. If Lincoln really wanted to end slavery, why did he not extend his proclamation to slaves held in Northern held territories? Those slaves weren’t freed until December 1865, months after the war and Lincoln’s death.

This whole business of even replying to your posts on this subject is a waste of time and only plays into your hands and the Roanoke Times.

# 55
[October 16, 2007 8:19 AM]
Brenda

Ouyr Mr. Trejbal has accomplished just what he always intends on in reality. To see the posters put in words what they truly feel on the inside. I think that is what he's up to each and every time.

I am purely Independent but lean pretty hard towards being Libertarian. I feel that until government gets out of our pockets and ways/choices of life, stops enabling those who refuse to fend for themselves (welfare), make folks own their problems, and until we stop trying to point others in the direction of our OWN beliefs, this is what we have.

Good day to all!!

# 56
[October 16, 2007 8:21 AM]
Brenda

Another thought...

Based on some of the ignorance/posts I'm reading. Are some of you folks actually considering moving away, or not moving here, or changing your feelings on the entire area over one man and one article??!!

Good! If that is the case, maybe I should put one out on MY true feelings and get rid of the rest of you. Would be so peaceful around here :>)

# 57
[October 16, 2007 9:22 AM]
mollymalarky

[i]Molly, The 'Civil War' is different because the South lost the war and thus became occupied. Those of us with roots here probably had an ancestor or two that were in that war. And in the reconstruction that consisted of being ruled by the victors military.Laws and taxes were made up to steal what little property the Southern people had left.My father told me stories that were just horrid;
told to him by his grandfather who fought with the NC 17th Inf.It wasn't that long ago[/i]

Thank you VaSteve, for an explanation that makes sense to me. Though my relatives have fought in wars, it's never been in my own yard, and I can understand why that would leave deep scars.

# 58
[October 16, 2007 9:26 AM]
Virginia

"Liberal"?,"hypocrites"?, "your misguided ilk are the bigots?, "Judge and Jury?" WOW! Didn't I leave my comments in the areana: "If the shoe fits, wear it." I don't see where I labeled my attacker anything. Ya'll try to be nice! My purpose has only been to provide honest Southern "Sunshine." You will find more of it at my Website here:

http://www.petersburgexpress.com/

There is an educational problem in this country and maybe I should have provided the definition in this context:

Bigot: noun; French :
a person obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices, especially: one who regards or treats the members of a group (as with the Southern Culture and with Southern Heritage) with hatred and intolerance. Same thing!

Don't waste your time attacking me, because that what it would be. I would probably agree with MOST Southerners about the vicious attacks on our culture, heritage, or legacy.

# 59
[October 16, 2007 9:43 AM]
Michele

Stephen,
I'm not sure that you can sue someone for a negative review of a book. Mr. Walker left himself, as all authors do, wide open to this criticism. He wrote an overtly racist book about slavery. Does he separate himself from the words that he has written? No, he vehemently defends his work. If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck...

Mr. Walker's major error is that he tries to get into the mind and psyche of the American slave without the benefit of readily available sources such as slave diaries and memoirs, or, as Mr. Prokosch points out, he misquotes his sources. Clearly Mr. Walker has trouble as a historian and he is not an expert on race. Without conducting serious research, how could Mr. Walker possibly get into the mind of a black slave? He can't because he is too far removed by time and ethnicity. We in the African-American community know that slavery was not a happy time. And we know that those who escaped were not all slacker, liars and murderers (can't you throw one superlative our way Mr. Walker?).

We have come a far way from the question that Mr. Trejbal posed which has nothing to do with who is a racist historically, who was the first slaveholder in Virginia, who's enslaved today, or what the cause of the war was. Does racist literature belong at the Floyd Arts & Crafts Fair? What does the inclusion of such offensive literature say to a community whose members include African-American's whose slave ancestors are buried in their churches?

As Mary Via stated in an early posting, we have enough racism in Floyd and don't need to import more. Mr. Walker can continue to celebrate the historically racist past by selling his books at more appropriate venues like gun shows and Confederate gatherings.

# 60
[October 16, 2007 10:03 AM]
Josh

Every time Christian does one of his pieces designed to incite the good people of Southwest Virginia, he merely illustrates the values of northern and northeastern liberals:

1) anti-Christian bigotry
2) an over-the-top pro- homosexual agenda
3) disdain toward gun owners
4) disdain toward more-rural people.
5) a falsely assumed intelligence despite a lesser education

It reminds me of a common Andy Griffith Show theme: The slick huckster descends on Mayberry to take advantage of the rubes. Andy plays along in his self-effacing way, allowing the con man to feel smarter, then eventually catches him in his own trap. The crook is dispatched. Small-town virtue and common sense win out again.

# 61
[October 16, 2007 10:26 AM]
Michelle

Mr. Neukirch, you state “Our contention is, and has been from the outset, that Mr. Walker's book The Truth About Slavery is a racist tract, plain and simple, and should not be for sale at an Arts and Crafts Fair, especially one that takes place on public school property. That's all, The Truth About Slavery, not everything Southern.” I for one am thrilled that you have finally stated your agenda. Now it can be addressed directly.

First things first, let’s start with “The Truth About Slavery is a racist tract, plain and simple”. I submit to you that this issue is neither plain nor simple. If it was, we would not be engaged in debate. Racism is subjective. As I stated earlier, I read the book and found it offensive on many levels. I think I take offense to the title more than anything else. When one inserts the word “truth” into the title of a book, it insinuates that the author has taken an objective (emphasis on objective) in-depth look at the issue at hand and has made an effort to report all the facts and base any opinions contained in the book thereon. Unfortunately, I do not believe this was the case. However, as I also stated earlier, I personally did not find “his book to advocate slavery in modern terms, incite violence, or issue threats against another race”. I believe Mr. Trejbal also found that Mr. Walker’s book does not fit the traditional racist mold. Since Mr. Trejbal could not stuff a square peg into a round hole, he has decided that a new subcategory called “paternal racist” should be established so that everyone can feel moral and justified in labeling Mr. Walker a racist and his book racist drivel.

Next, Mr. Walker’s book “should not be for sale at an Arts and Crafts Fair”. This issue is not plain or simple either. I think most of the world will agree that literature is an art form. Unfortunately, like racism, the criteria for establishing a book as literature is subjective. Some believe anything written qualifies. Others opine that a written work must be of a certain nature and quality to be considered literature. Perhaps Mr. Trejbal would like to write a precise definition for that too. That way, when people start burning books off library shelves, they too can feel moral and justified. If I am not mistaken, I believe I read in an article published in the Floyd Press that the festival is not a juried show and the only requirement for entry is that the item being sold be made by the vendor. I believe that I also read in the same article that Mr. Walker has been participating in the festival since at least 1996. I have been to the Arts and Crafts Festival numerous times and I have to admit that until you decided to make a public display of your displeasure over Mr. Walker’s participation, I did not even know the man existed. I wonder how many others did? Tell me something, if you are unable to conclusively prove to the satisfaction of everyone that Mr. Walker is a racist, how can you in good conscience insinuate that the Woman’s Club is supporting racism by his presence? The festival is not a juried show. Do you believe that they should implement quality control standards on Mr. Walker and no one else? Or, do you think that the Woman’s Club should take the position that literature is not an art form and risk being ridiculed by most of the civilized world? If so, where do you draw the line? Are cookbooks and researched family genealogy books out? Or, only Mr. Walker?

As far as your last bone of contention goes, “especially one that takes place on public school property”, I will have to give credit where credit is due. I believe Mr. Trejbal summed it up very well when he said “The final player is the school division. Some argue it should ban Walker and the Woman's Club as long as they welcome him. That would be a terrible mistake. The schools are the only public agent in this tragedy. They must uphold Walker's and the Woman's Club's First Amendment rights. They cannot throw them out just because Walker writes appalling things, including a coloring book to indoctrinate young people.”

Not to trivialize this situation, but this all boils down to your opinion against the opinions expressed by Mr. Walker in his book. Unless Mr. Walker has crossed the line by committing a crime related to the writing of his book that I am unaware of, under our Constitution he is entitled to his opinion, as you are entitled to yours. Although I am sympathetic to you and your wife and I am truly sorry that you have been offended, I would like to point out that Mr. Walker is not the first “historian” to write in such a way nor will he be the last. I was a history major. I could spend hours of my time providing you with an extensive list of books, written by authors much more educated and experienced than Mr. Walker, that are so far out on one end of the spectrum or the other that they are laughable. One of my history professors in particular routinely assigned his students two books; one from each end of the spectrum. He would always say, “The truth is somewhere in the middle. Go find it.” He would have had a field day with Mr. Walker’s book. You may not believe it, but Southwest Virginia has come a long way in the last 142 years. Have a little faith and allow them the opportunity to “go find it” for themselves.

# 62
[October 16, 2007 10:40 AM]
Let's Ask an Expert: Since one of the major issues seems to be the accuracy of Mr. Walker's book, why doesn't someone politely ask Dr. James Robertson of Virginia Tech for an expert opinion? Dr. Robertson is one of the foremost Civil War historians living today, and he's right in our back yard; he often reviews Civil War literature for The Roanoke Times.

# 63
[October 16, 2007 11:03 AM]
Donnette Leonard

Dear Mr. Neukirch,

Let me start by saying “Thank You” – for taking this issue from a source of serious contention for me, to a source of utter amusement!

Let me guess sir – did you also vote for the war before you voted against it? (Oops – my apologies. I was thinking of another flip-flopper who couldn’t decide what it was he meant.) However, just like a liberal, when confronted with your own words, you’re either going to try to place the blame elsewhere, or nearly drown trying to back pedal.

I gave you one example of your “threat” (for lack of a better word) of a protest. In that same journal (SWVA Today), in yet a separate article, you’re quoted as saying, “Neukirch and others say they are still planning “some form of formal protest” at the Arts and Crafts Festival this weekend in Floyd.” (http://www.swvatoday.com/comments/group_hopes_vendor_wont_come_to_festival/news/881/). THIS WEEKEND (as opposed to “a good two weeks before the fair”). I’m sorry sir, but when you make statements like that on 2 separate occasions, both times using the word “protest” your most recent claim of “My wife and I did not go to the Arts and Crafts fair to "protest." “ hardly holds merit. You’ve been entangled in your own words Mr. Neukirch – you might want to choose them more carefully next time.

As far as my “recollection” of certain comments ~ the particular conversation in question is one I was listening to closely sir. I was trying to catch the name of the book being discussed, as I plan to do a little more research myself. (Those of us who can think for ourselves tend to do that on occasion). So yes, I am 100% sure of my accuracy in the statements made. I’ve already proven to you that apparently you aren’t capable of quoting yourself – why should I put any faith in your ability to quote others?

In answer to your question of Lincoln being racist…what part of his racism was NOT evident in my previous quote?? You said “Racist or not, Lincoln freed the slaves.” Must you continue to show such ignorance in a public forum sir?
“Whereas, on the twenty-second day of September, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, a proclamation was issued by the President of the United States,containing, among other things, the following, to wit:
"That on the first day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, all persons held as slaves within any State or designated part of a State, the people whereof shall then be in rebellion against the United States, shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free; “
Ahhhhh – that pesky little Emancipation Proclamation. The problem here is that either 1) Lincoln had no authority over the [States in rebellion], therefore, he couldn’t legally free ANYone therein, therefore he never freed a single slave; or 2) If you want to jump on the “He had the authority because secession was illegal” bandwagon, you’re then going to be forced to admit good ol’ abe invaded his own country. So which is it? (No double-standards please – 1 is plenty).

Yes Mr. Neukirch, abe lincoln was very much the racist.
From "A Constitutional View of the Late War between the States," Alexander Stephens , 1870, Philadelphia: National Publishing Co.:
"When asked by Confederate Vice President Alexander Stepehens at the 1865 Hampton Roads 'peace' conference what would become of the freedmen without property or education, Lincoln sarcastically recited the words to a popular minstrel song, 'root, hog or die.'"
I can give you quotes like this all day long sir – I would prefer however to see you open your own mind to honest research. You might be amazed at what you will learn. I feel I have answered all you questions, but if I can be of further assistance, please don’t hesitate to ask.

# 64
[October 16, 2007 11:23 AM]
Donnette Leonard: Molly,
You said "Thank you VaSteve, for an explanation that makes sense to me. Though my relatives have fought in wars, it's never been in my own yard, and I can understand why that would leave deep scars."
I would like to say "Thank you", for having the open mind to make that comment. Given that statement, I'm going to have to temporarily suspend the invitation to you to explore the Northbound side of I81. It's refreshing to see someone actually trying to understand something they may not be familiar with. Kudos to you!

# 65
[October 16, 2007 1:22 PM]
Virginia

Ms. Leonard's post #62 was a great and wonderful post! It is important that we all enjoy our America.

Sharing our Southern culture, and heritage is what many like to enjoy throughout the cultural and heritage tourism happening across our nation today We Southerners are not alone in our interest.

One can do an Internet Search on just the words "Civil War" today and see how many people this represents. It is probably in the area of thirteen and a half million, and possibly more. It is not a situation where Southerners are obsessed with just themselves. That figure includes people from Maine to Texas, and from Virginia to California. I'd bet those figures are just the "tip of the iceberg" as millions attend our National Battlefield Parks annually.

Having lived in Germany for 8 years over time, I found it most interesting how the Northern and Southern Germans talked about each other. Sometimes like dogs! My wife is from North Carolina and her 80 year old aunt said to her, " So, this is the "soar back" you married." For those who do not know that term, it is a "not so nice" reference to a Virginian! I still love them all!

We're not so different, and we should continue to insure that Southerners take "the high road" when we are confronted by people who are not indigenous, confronted by those who do not understand our ways, and confronted by those who just don't like us. . We've had similar problems over Virginia's 400 years of existence. As in the past, today by means of a scurrilous propaganda of lies about the South's life and culture we must continue insure that our legacy is not stolen from us by any selfish bankrupt "weasels." We have been, and we are Americans as much as anyone else!
.
Phrases like "Southern Gentleman" and "Pure as a Southern Belle" labels are nice to hear, and a nice part of our regional culture. We should all try to live up to them as best we can.

# 66
[October 16, 2007 2:00 PM]
Mike: Virginia's post(#65) was a breath of fresh air. I am feeling very depressed today and you brightened my mood. Yes, I too am very proud to be a southerner, a Virginian. I enjoy the people and values here that make the most sense and learn to deal with those I am not comfortable with. I thank God that the scale tips to the positive side. My transplanted NYC wife feels the same. She even makes a great country-fried steak among many other southern delicacies. Thank ya'll for giving us a better life!

# 67
[October 16, 2007 3:21 PM]
R. Neukirch

Ms. Leonard...

If I say the sky is green, is it green? Those are my words, I said them. I was asked twice, on two separate occasions, by Wanda Coombs if we were planning a protest. Twice I told her we were planning something. It was then decided to approach Mr. Walker directly and ask him, directly, about his book. Do you see that as a form of protest? I do not. Apparently, you do. We must agree to disagree on that point. You say you were listening "closely." By your thinking that automatically makes your recollection accurate and mine inaccurate. I guess I could say I feel I was listening "more closely" than you were but then you could come back with "even more closely." At any rate, I applaud your hearing ability. I will ask, yet again, what Lincoln has to do with Mr. Walker's book, the racist content of which, I contend, disqualifies it from being at the Floyd County Arts and Crafts Fair. But you will, no doubt, come back with yet another Lincoln quote. May I quote someone? This is Julius Lester, a Newberry Honor winner for the book (not self-published) "To Be A Slave" --- "They who were held as slaves looked upon themselves and the servitude in which they found themselves with the eyes and minds of human beings, conscious of all that went on around them. Yet slaves are often pictured as little more than dumb, brute animals, whose sole attributes were found in working, singing, and dancing. They were like children and slavery was actually a benefit for them - this was the view of those who were not slaves. Those who were slaves tell a different story." Finally, Ms. Leonard, I have not resorted to name-calling and would respectfully ask you to likewise refrain.

# 68
[October 16, 2007 4:23 PM]
Will

It amazes me that this is really all we have to talk about and deal with in 2007. Reminds me much of what Congress is doing with the issue of Turks some 100 years ago.

As I sit here, I'm watching someone that is very close to me die with cancer. The struggles facing her and others with such a gut wrenching disease seem much more relevant than the discussion about someone's views of slavery.

I really wish people would wake up and deal with real life problems. Maybe if they did, I wouldn't be planning a funeral.

# 69
[October 16, 2007 4:29 PM]
Floyd County Saved by the Grace of God!

Floyd County is still in Virginia. Virginia is still in the United States of America. I think the constitution still applies to people in Floyd County.........doesn't it?

If everyone wants to wave the constitution, then read it before you read the book in question.

I can't help but notice that the names of the "pros" are familiar names where as the "cons" have a definite "foreign air" to theirs. Looks like the southerners aren't the only ones that won't let the war end.

For heaven's sake people, take a deep breath and use the oxygen to think about the whole situation.

At this point, I only feel sorry for the Woman's Club. These ladies have for years worked very hard to help the community. Now, Walker, Neukirch, Prokosh, and the media have done all they could to hurt that fine reputation. Walker blames the Woman's Club for not banning him, Neukirch and friends blame Walker and the Woman's Club, and now Neukirch blames the local paper for inciting a riot. You should all be ashamed of yourselves.

I think you would find that almost every organization in the country under the same circumstances, would just hope for the best and hope that it would all blow over. As this forum has proven, no matter which side you are on, when you stir it up, it just makes it stink worse. Now by me being neutral in all this you can all bash me.

# 70
[October 16, 2007 4:37 PM]
Valerie Protopapas

Your very POLL is 'racist' when you ask if 'racists' should be 'welcome' at the Festival. You have not proven Mr. Walker a racist and to judge him one because you disagree with his premise (I doubt that anyone in the newspaper ever did more than peruse the book - if that) makes racists and bigots of YOU, not Mr. Walker!

Try reading some books that disagree with your viewpoint, such as the one written by three Connecticut JOURNALISTS, Complicity: How the North Promoted, Prolonged and Profited from Slavery. These journalists - Anne Farrow, Joel Lang and Jenifer Frank - started to look into the issue of slavery after certain facts came to light about Northern involvement early on. They were astounded at how much 'history' they previously believed SIMPLY WASN'T SO.

Who knows? If you have half the objectivity of the three authors, you might learn something too - or would that upset your liberal apple cart?

# 71
[October 16, 2007 7:13 PM]
D Leonard - Question about Poll: I agree with Valerie here - why the need for the line "Racists not welcome" in your poll?? And who's idea was the wording of that poll anyway?
Who at the Roanoke Times is so afraid of a public majority of support for Mr. Walker that they have to word what should be a simple "yes" or "no" in such a deceiving manner?

# 72
[October 16, 2007 7:23 PM]
Carl Mintz: Don't rag on Walker. He isn't a racist. You're a racist Trejbal.

# 73
[October 16, 2007 7:46 PM]
johnnyj: Once again, a feel good, mushy brained 'journalist' wants to slay those of us who are proud of our Confederate heritage. I don't care what you think, sir. I choose to evaluate and investigate the history surrounding my Southern heritage. You, sir, have been spoon fed by the liberals and you spread the hate.

# 74
[October 16, 2007 7:46 PM]
C. Trejbal: I wrote this poll statement. The short version is merely a summary of the actual poll statement, "The Floyd County Woman's Club should not welcome Gary Walker next year." We have a short version as part of the formatting, and that is beyond my control. That said, it accurately reflects the longer statement.

# 75
[October 16, 2007 7:50 PM]
mollymalarky

Brenda,

No, no one said that they were thinking of leaving over one man or one article. Perhaps you could re-read my first post.

# 76
[October 16, 2007 8:02 PM]
mollymalarky

Stephen

I don't think I posted anything about slavery on this board. In fact, I strayed quite a bit off the original topic by posting about being tired of hearing about the Civil War, as you alluded to. I can see that talking about the Civil War this long has allowed some people in this area to honor their family history. My family were 20th century immigrants and I know who they are, where they are from, and what they have done, so I don't need something like the Civil War to feel bonded to others.

# 77
[October 16, 2007 8:06 PM]
Tim Taylor: The use of the "Communist" popularized word racist clearly demonstrates ignorance on those who use it. Your writing exposes your own prejiduce opinions.
I am curious where you got your permit or license to judge anyone? Why is it your ilk think that they can build themselves up when they succeed in demeaning another person?
You sir are simply despicable and should be ashamed to live among civilized people.

# 78
[October 16, 2007 8:09 PM]
mollymalarky

Why are people saying Trejbal is a racist?? Is it just like saying "you said I have cooties, but so do you?"

The man accused of racism in the article has written a book denying the real suffering of slavery. When I say this, I do NOT mean that slavery didn't build the agrarian South, or make this country what it is, or not occur in the North, or even all over the world. As we know, slavery exists TODAY. Those things are common knowledge.

But how are some of you now coming to the conclusion that Trejbal is racist?

# 79
[October 16, 2007 8:19 PM]
Say What??

Mr. Trejbal,
You said "I wrote this poll statement. The short version is merely a summary of the actual poll statement, "The Floyd County Woman's Club should not welcome Gary Walker next year." We have a short version as part of the formatting, and that is beyond my control. That said, it accurately reflects the longer statement." Fine, now would you answer my original question? "Why the need for the line 'Racists Not Welcome'?" The way it's laid out looks like if you're going to "disagree" with Mr. Walker being welcome next year, you're also disagreeing with the statement "Racists not welcome" - do you have the capabilitiy of writing ANYTHING that isn't twisted??

D. Leonard

# 80
[October 16, 2007 8:31 PM]
Spence: Yeah, the poll was obviously worded by racists. Assuming Mr. Walker to be a racist, is racist in and of itself. Besides, if anybody really cared to research the truth about what Mr. Walker espouses, they would find it to be true, and likewise, if they researched what Trejbal espouses, they would find dangerous,unfounded,extremist viewpoints. Dump trejbal.
-Spence

# 81
[October 16, 2007 9:33 PM]
Frank Horn: As I looked at the posts I also had to comment on the poll. What an insult! First you define Mr. Walker as a "racist," even by the way you parse the poll. What a disgrace! I have known Mr. Walker for years and have only known him to be a Christian gentleman. Please stop the unwarrranted attack on a man who is trying to make a living by writing history books. Maybe if you would reasearch the history you criticize you would change your opinion.

# 82
[October 16, 2007 11:17 PM]
Donnette Leonard

Molly,

How much of Mr. Trejbal's writings have you read? I'm asking for a reason, not as an attack.

Dictionary.com defines racism as a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one's own race is superior and has the right to rule others.

Mr. Trejbal has a knack for treating those of us who are proud of our Southern Heritage as though we're a seperate race entirely. In articles he's written that have to do with anything regarding the Confederacy, Southern Heritage, or pride in our Southern Ancestors, he demeans anyone who is proud of those things.
In July, he wrote an article on whether or not the Confederate Battle Flag should be placed back in the Old Delegates Chamber in Richmond - http://www.roanoke.com/editorials/trejbal/wb/126063 . He wrote that article with the same vitriol he did this one. He condemns the pride we feel in our heritage, and belittles the folks who feel that pride.

We have those "inherent differences" - yet rather than see them as just differences, Mr. Trejbal uses his "bully-pullpit" to verbally tear down something very dear to us. Instead of simply disagreeing, he writes hateful, spite-filled editorials on the way he thinks things should be, as though he has the right to rule us, to take away our individual thoughts and beliefs.

The one common thread I've noticed on this board is that no one on either side of the battle has advocated racism OR slavery, nor does Mr. Walker's book. We all know those are/were terrible intitutions. Yet once again, because someone's idea is different than Mr. Trejbal's, that person is wrong, and in this case, labeled by Mr. Trejbal.

Believe it or not, I appreciate your honest questions. I know we see some things differently. But I would like to say one thing in regards to an earlier post of yours. You mentioned your boyfriend is black. There's no reason not to encourage him to move to this area. I think the majority of folks in SW Va really don't care what color a persons skin is. What we care about is the kind of person you are - are you going to move here and try to change everything, or are you going to live and let live?

I don't even have a problem with the fact the Mr. Neukirch disagreed with Mr. Walker's book. He's entitled to that. The problem (for me) was when he tried to keep Mr. Walker from participating in an event he's been a part of for at least 12 years, simply because he (Mr. Neukirch) disagreed. THAT is where this entire controversy started, and in fact, gave Mr. Trejbal yet more ammunition to spew his hateful opinion of pride in Southern heritage.

Your boyfriend would be welcome here Molly, and a difference of opinion is welcome. It's when one person uses their opinion to try to choke out another's rights that things blow up and get out of hand, and unfortunately in this area of the country, only serve as fodder for Mr. Trejbals trough of intolerance.

# 83
[October 17, 2007 12:55 AM]
Michelle

Many thanks to Donna for responding to the above. There are several words I believe would apply to Mr. Trejbal, but racist isn’t one of them. Name calling and mislabeling are part of what started this bonfire. Let’s try not to fan the flames.

Mr. Neukirch? Oh, Mr. Neukirch? Where are you Mr. Neukirch? Were you planning on responding to the questions I raised in paragraph 3 of comment #61? Or, were you hoping no one would notice if you didn't? I’m really trying hard to understand your thought process, but you are going to have to work with me a little bit. Normally, if I need clarification from a neighbor on a given subject, I ask them when I see them at the grocery store or catch them while they are out watering their lawn. Since it was you that chose to air your grievances in a public forum, I guess this will have to do. So, how about it?

# 84
[October 17, 2007 6:11 AM]
Virginia

Is it possible that the people in Floyd County who buy, and advertise in the newspaper are not getting all the comments here?

Seems like they would have some "say" about freedom and honest journalism.

Or are many hiding safe under a rock or with their head in the sand?

Let's work hard to insure that any "weasels" do not win.

# 85
[October 17, 2007 8:59 AM]
mollymalarky

Donnette,

I do read Mr. Trejbal's column almost every week or two weeks. I've probably been reading for a year since it's on the front page of the NRV section of the website. I have seen that many people that post replies to his articles do think he's vitriolic. I have never felt that way. I think he does attempt to make himself clear. Even in this article he admitted that the women's club had consulted an attorney to check it's bylaws, and found they were not able to exclude anyone. He said that Walker is not inciting violence, and has a right to publish and speak. He's just stating his opinion, and some agree with him, some don't. He's a editorial columnist. That's what they do for a living.

I did see the article you refer to, and I wish the flag would not go back to public property. I understand your need to fly it, but I also understand that the symbol means something else to most of the country because it's been used by neo nazi groups for so long. Many people are very hurt by it and find it offensive. This is just a reality, and no one's fault but the neo nazi groups' who use it. I think it's fine if they are in museums and private property. It's not a flag that presently represents this nation. I don't think that his writing that means he hates Virginians. If I wrote it, it would be just because I truly understand the reasons people would not want it flown on public property.

He is not writing from the perspective of someone from this area, obviously. But is that so bad? I don't know what the percentage of people infused from the North, West, Southwest and other Southern states is who live here, but it seems to be very high where I live. Do people that are so annoyed by him ever think..."wow, that's a different perspective" rather than "he hates us, he looks down on us?" I don't look down on people from here. I have relatives that grew up here, in NC, and in WV. People on this board (or at least one person) assumed I did look down on them because I whined about hearing about the war so much. I just didn't understand your connection to the war because my relatives were twentieth century immigrants and not connected to the Civil war even though some did grow up in Virginia.

I don't think a difference of opinion means someone hates you or wants to deny you your freedom.

# 86
[October 17, 2007 9:15 AM]
Carol Anderson

Virginia, the residents of Floyd County are not hiding under a rock. One of our popular bloggers weighed in on the issue two weeks ago and the article drew many comments from county residents who were outraged at the actions of the woman's club and the presence of Mr. Walker. A poll currently running on the blog has more votes than the one on the Times' site and it is overwhelmingly against the return of Mr. Walker to the crafts fair.

As noted earlier, I'm a Floyd native and a descendant of a Confederate officer who died in battle. I'm proud of my Southern heritage but I am ashamed of the presence of Mr. Walker at our crafts fair. He was a much more disruptive influence with his little army of "supporters"

The Roanoke Times

Roanoke.com

The Roanoke Times: RoundTable

October 14, 2007

Discuss Trejbal's column on racism in Floyd

Comments