A Norman Rockwell South

The America painted by illustrator Norman Rockwell is one of idyllic beauty and heroic nobility. It is a land where all is good and just and righteous. It is a place where all evil has  been vanquished and life is good for all. We enjoy thinking of America in Norman Rockwell terms. It is our way of honoring our American heritage. Critics may whine that it is not an accurate portrayal of America because it omits that which is bad and ugly and corrupt. Let them whine. We still like to think of America in Norman Rockwell images because it inspires us to reach for that vision of America.

Our vision of The South – as true Southerners – is no different. We view our land – our great Southern land – as a Norman Rockwell painting. We treasure the good in our heritage. We treasure the honor in our ancestors. We treasure the nobility of those who came before us. In other words, we do exactly what the rest of America does by treasuring a Norman Rockwell America – we look for, and celebrate, all that is good.

When America gathers together to celebrate Independence Day, the words that are written and spoken do not include stories of My Lai and Dresden; there are no memorial services commemorating Wounded Knee or the Trail of Tears; there are no celebrations of Ruby Ridge or Waco, Texas. When we celebrate our Southern heritage, we do so in the same manner that the rest of America celebrates American heritage – we celebrate all that is good and right and noble and honorable. It is why we take pride in our Southern heritage. It is all about taking something good and striving for something better. It is a lesson that much of America has apparently forgotten.