Who will stand up for our Southern culture? A culture undefended is a culture that will die, because cultures are under constant attack by other cultures struggling for dominance. There is plenty to criticize about a democratic form of government (if you are shocked by that statement, you have been watching too much television and believe too many “academics”), but the concept that “everyone gets an equal voice in how things are done” is one of the worst. One of the chief obligations of a monarchy is to defend the culture that built the nation. When England reduced the monarchy to little more than a figurehead, the decline of their culture began in earnest. The switch from monarchy to a quasi-democracy meant that decisions were made according to how it would affect the political power of those in office rather than how it would affect the culture – that which truly defines a nation every bit as much as its physical borders. Am I advocating the dismantling of our republic and replacing it with a monarchy? No. With all its faults, it pales in comparison to the problems seen when a bad monarch is in power. What I am saying, though, is that those who truly have a greater stake in the destiny of the nation should have a greater voice in how decisions are made.
There is nothing we can do about how things are done on the political level, but there is everything we can do within our own families and circle of influence. There is one true Guardian of Southern Culture – that is the Southern family that understands the importance of passing along the culture to future generations. What are you doing to pass along our Southern culture and heritage to future generations?
Wow – what a thought provoking question there at the end. What am I even passing along to future generations, let alone our Southern culture and heritage? I believe I need to start with the sense of pride I feel for being a Southern woman. I need to make sure my children understand what a priviledge it is to have been fortunate enough to be born here. I make no excuses to anyone for my heritage nor do I join in making fun of our people by listening to or passing along some of the jokes about us. It’s a sense of pride that runs deep within me. Recently I was reading another blog that asked if you could live anywhere in the world where would it be. There is no way I could ever think of living anywhere other than where I live now – in the heart of the heart of Dixie. Again I want to thank you for such a wonderful place for me to touch base with others who share my values and my pride in our heritage.
A good call to arms. Burke, in writing on the French Revolution, presented the most damning critique of popular democracy turning into the tyranny of the masses. As a constitutional republic, the ideal is that our congressmen are supposed to provide principled representation, as Burke did for his constituency in Bristol. I think there is much we can do on the political level, primarily by staying engaged in the political process.
In considering how my parents passed down their values and cultural heritage, they tied it into how these things directly applied to my life. I read my children stories about the Old Dominion, to include how Washington and Lee ordered their lives. I try to present this in a way that ties to how God wants us to live our lives and how it affects their lives and behavior on a day to day basis. As they get older, I will include more details about their ancestors, in the hope that in being proud of their heritage, they will also be proud of their conduct. There are myriad ways we can pass down our culture, and I think it’s a daily challenge to find ways to compete with the ever growing dominance of social media.