The "Southern Pride" movement really began in 1973 when the Southern rock band, Lynyrd Skynyrd, wrote and sang the song, Sweet Home Alabama, which eeflected the arrogant defiance of some Southerners who resented criticism regarding their racism and were proud of the Confederate Flag and what it stands for. However, in recent years that movement has grown and taken on the guise of religiosity and patriotism, as it did in the 1860s, and some of its ...

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The "Southern Pride" movement really began in 1973 when the Southern rock band, Lynyrd Skynyrd, wrote and sang the song, Sweet Home Alabama, which eeflected the arrogant defiance of some Southerners who resented criticism regarding their racism and were proud of the Confederate Flag and what it stands for. However, in recent years that movement has grown and taken on the guise of religiosity and patriotism, as it did in the 1860s, and some of its leaders have also trying to mislead people about the intent of the Founding Fathers regarding religion, and regarding Jeffersonian Democracy. In fact, Southern evangelists on the "religious right" like David Barton have even created a revisionist history of the past to justify themselves. Therefore, learning historic facts and the real lessons of history is more important now than it ever has been.

Authors Bio:

E.J. is a progressive activist serving to help promote an initiative based on Jeffersonian principles regarding government and religion -- principles which Abraham Lincoln said are "the axioms of a free society."

E.J. has closely examined how and why America has changed, especially since 1984 when he saw the ominous signs of the terrible things to come. Now he understands why evil has triumphed over good and enabled the greediest of the richest few to now own 95 percent of the nation's wealth.

He understands that it was because Reaganism was sold as being "patriotic and religious" even though it was and is neither. In fact, Reaganism created a Plutocratic anideology that serves "Mammon," not God. But the American people didn't realize how or why the wool was being pulled over their eyes.

That is why he promotes an Interfaith initiative reflecting universal truths common to all religions. He understand that what we need is religious pluralism, religious tolerance, and real religious freedom, with freedom from theocratic imposition into the operations of government. As Jefferson said, we must have a "wall of separation between church and state."

E.J. promotes the message here on OEN (even though he vehemently disagrees with some of the articles published here) because too many Americans are divided, polarized and in conflict because they have been cunningly misled and misguided regarding the intent of America's Founders and the spirit of the U.S. Constitution.

And yet, ironically, the worst, most proud and aggressively militant leaders proudly an persistently claim they are "patriotic and religious." They cling to and try to perpetuate Reaganism, which means they do not believe that politics and government should promote the general welfare and use the common wealth for the common good.

Even worse, they do not understand that religion should be a unifying influence that creates a feeling of kinship. Instead they believe it justifies them in feeling "holier than thou" and believing that they are entitled to rule the world, which of course creates more conflict and division -- and that has impacted the nation and world in very negative and even disastrous ways.

Everyone needs to learn that we are one family of nations, religions, races and cultures, and only when we act like it, celebrate our diversity, and use the common wealth for the common good, will we have lasting peace. -- see messenger.cjcmp.org