Lawsy, Facebook is full of finger-pointing and blaming. Certainly those of us with thick skins and a few brain cells to rub together are capable of determining whether we currently actually own slaves and how to feel about it if it’s “only” something our Ancestors did.
What started out as a concern and is rapidly becoming a point of fury is the constant drumbeat that somehow all of those superior beings have a more nuanced and authentic understanding of the Civil War (and frankly of anything they care to argue about) and the rest of us romantic dullards need to See The Light.
We all know that history is a slippery and subtle study, it isn’t as clear as we’d like for it to be and there can be many understandings of the same set of events. Continuing to browbeat and belittle people who are merely suggesting that we look a little more deeply into the cause and effect of a difficult part of American history does not prove your point.
The constant tone of shaming rhetoric is both wearying and disheartening. And this doesn’t begin to touch on the private messages and small in-person conversations that take up space in my heart and time in my day.
I have even coined a phrase for all this–Yanksplaining.
So glad I am not a Facebook user! And many thanks for posting so us Outliers can read your inspired thoughts.
My lineage is such that I could be a DAR and my boys could be Sons of the new C-word. We aren’t.
(truth, I doubt they would have us). But surely back when my Grandmother’s people were living in Alabama during that time, I have no doubt that some owned Slaves. I do know some ancestors died fighting for the South. I’ve searched Ancestry.com and seen the pictures – but it got too costly to remain a member there…
I only know that this knowledge is painful and that some Shamanic Ancestral healing is required.
But it is Tower Time and planting/harvesting season, and good Goddess, the Pollinators need us.
So it may be some time before I get to it. But I will.
I don’t think you need to Yanksplain anything to me. I hope not any way.
Blessed, Healing Full Moon To You
PS Have you ever wondered what the interweb fracas’s do to the environment? All the anger and
Insults? I have, and this is why I stick my neck out seldom and am true only to Twitter, with it’s block tool.
I hear you! I have chow chow to make and apples to prep for cider. Whew! Blessings!