In 1828 the United States Congress passed what came to be called “the
Tariff of Abominations”. It was meant to protect northern industry.
Instead it inflicted enormous harm on southern manufacturing and
agriculture, especially the cotton industry. And no place was more hit
by the consequences of the tariff than South Carolina.
This led
to the Nullification Crisis of 1832. South Carolina declared that the
Tariff of 1828 did not apply to within its borders. It effectively set
the state of South Carolina against the United States of America.
Fortunately cooler heads eventually prevailed, a new tariff was approved
to South Carolina’s satisfaction, and everyone was happy.
But think about it: the American Civil War could well have broken out thirty years earlier.
I believe that civil war was going to happen regardless. It was
inevitable. In fact, it was practically guaranteed when the Founders
approved the 3/5th compromise that counted black slaves as “three fifths
of a free white person”. The Founders may have been the greatest
collection of minds in modern history. But they were not infallible.
Whether they understood the consequences of their actions or not they
had set in stone regional differences and rivalries that would explode
into open conflict nearly eighty years later.
It was just a
matter of when. It was also just a matter of who it would be who fate
decided would be the ones who fought in that war. And no matter which
side it was – be it Union or Confederate – those men were faced with the
hardest decision of their lives. It certainly weighed on Robert E.
Lee, who had to choose between the country his grandfather had helped to
found and the people of Virginia: the ones he considered his
countrymen.
The best that could have happened for the Civil War
was that it would be led by good men, whose wisdom had failed to avoid
the conflict, but nonetheless trusted in higher Providence to establish a
final justice. And I believe that’s what happened at Appomattox Court
House. When Robert E. Lee – still resplendent in his officer’s gray –
surrendered to the ruffian-looking Ulysses S. Grant.
Grant said
something that day. He told it to his fellow officers and to the men
under him: “they are our countrymen again”. Indeed, they were. The
great controversy had drawn to a close. It had cost each side dearly.
It no doubt hung on their consciences for all the rest of their lives.
But that was the die that had been cast and they could not have avoided
it.
And over the ensuing decades, they WERE countrymen. Fellows
who had shared a common bond. Together again. With no animosity among
them. One of the most beautiful photos I’ve ever seen is circa 1910,
depicting two then-elderly former opponents embracing as brothers. And
why shouldn’t they be?
I believe that no matter which side of the
conflict, they found with as much honor as was afforded them. We may
not agree with who fought on what side, but that’s really not for us to
judge. Those men (and women) did the best they could do with what was
given them.
Let me be blunt: they all fought with honor.
And I do believe, with utmost sincerity, that we can honor them all.
My heart has been breaking to see the statues of so many fine and
honorable and decent men being torn down, by people who have no grasp of
real history whatsoever. They certainly are not people of honor. And
now they are venting wrath against the statues of individuals who had no
part whatsoever to play in the Civil War. Last night it was a statue
of Francis Scott Key that was toppled and vandalized. A rational person
must ask: “Why?”
I have a private ritual, every January. I’ve
honored it for a long time now. I remember the lives of two great
Americans, whose birthdays are very close together. They are Martin
Luther King Jr., and Robert E. Lee. I can’t see how they are all that
mutually exclusive. Why? Because each was a Christian man of deep
faith, who was a person of his time. And he did the best with the hand
dealt. Indeed, I can’t but believe that on some level they were as
kindred spirits. What a meeting that would be!
What am I trying to say with all of this?
There is a rage loose upon this land that is NOT representative of who
we are called to be not just as Americans, but as friends and neighbors.
As family. This isn’t what we’re supposed to be at all. It’s not
just the statues. I’m seeing worse than that between people who just
weeks ago lived in contentment with one another. What happened? A very
terrible turn of events was exploited, by people who devote their lives
to exploiting, and it set off a powder keg that didn’t have to be there
to begin with.
Am I arguing that the status quo should have been
maintained? Certainly not. I don’t believe in a “status quo”. I
believe that there is always going to be room for improvement. I
believe that ours is a family that can strive together to find ever more
who we are supposed to be. We’ve come a long way already toward that.
It would be a tragedy if that was undone now.
But that is what I am seeing happen now. All the progress that we have made, together, is being torn apart.
We have had people of honor, throughout and across the entire spectrum
of American history, whose examples we are meant to heed. We stand on
the shoulders of giants, no matter their skin color or creed or
whatever. Not perfect people… but then again, who has ever been
perfect? Only One who I know of, and He lived two thousand years ago.
We have squabbled over what it is to follow His example ever since. But
for all of our failings, we still have that sense of common decency and
respect for one another.
It would be an enormous crime against our ancestors, if we continue to destroy their legacy.
I will not, in the demanded context, agree that “… lives matter”
except to say that “all lives matter”. And they DO. But I choose to go
deeper: “All INDIVIDUALS matter”. And isn’t that what has come before
has been all about? That we are not judged by the color of our skin,
but by the content of our character. A great man said that. I prefer
to believe that he was correct.
We are better than this. It’s not too late to pull back from the present madness.
It’s not too late to be countrymen again.
And it shouldn’t take someone like me to be saying all of this.
Just my .02
Beautifully stated Christopher.