Prattville Dragoons Attend UDC Confederate Memorial Day Observance in Selma

Members of the Prattville Dragoons Sons of Confederate Veterans Camp 1524 attended the Confederate Memorial Day Observance hosted by the Selma Chpater UDC on Friday evening April 24th at Confederate Memorial Circle in Old Live Oak Cemetery.  It was a cool spring evening and rain threatened and lightly sprinkled briefly but it wound up being a beautiful comfortable evening in the beautiful Confederate section of the old historic cemetery.  Pat Godwin, President of the Selma chapter of the UDC opened the program welcoming everyone.  Alabama SCV Division Chaplain Robert Griffin then provided an Invocation and devotional on Philippians quoting scripture, "I thank my God for every rememberance of you" and reminding us all to remember our Confederate ancestors.  A salute to the Confderate Battle Flag was made and then a special solo a cappella singing of Dixie was performed by Dr. Gerald Anderson.  Jay Hinton who is the Auburn SCV Camp Commander was the keynote speaker and presented, "Why Monuments?"  He presented eight points as to the importance of monuments and reiterated Paster Griffin's message that remembering those for whom the momuments were erected is virtuous. Why Monuments?  1) veneration of bravery and heroes (we should seperate your politics from the humanity of your forebears, dont malign these men based on your presentism) , 2) remember the sacrifice of others like these Confederate soldiers defending their homes, 3) mourn with those who mourn, in sympathy, 4) teach coming future generations and defend the Confederate soldier's good name and true history (including Lincoln admitting his actions were unconstitutional), 5) speak for the dead, we are their mouthpiece, 6) vindication of the Cause, our Confederate ancestors fight for independence, that secession and the War was not due to slavery ( prime example the Corwin amendment), the War was propogated by Lincoln for tariff collection and our ancestors fought to defend their  homes - no monuments in the South or North proclaim slavery as a cause, 7) nurture reconciliation..we must save Arlington's Reconciliation monument against irrational wokeism, 8) helps us keep our oath as defenders of history and heritage and champion monuments. A Roll Call of Honor was then conducted where everyone named one of their Confederate ancestors followed by a bell ringing.  Dr. Anderson then led everyone in singing Amazing Grace and Paster Griffin led a Benediction to close the program.  It was a poignant and beautiful program honoring our Confederate veterans and ancestors.