During the Thanksgiving season we often hear that the first national Thanksgiving Proclamation was given by Abraham Lincoln in Washington, D.C. on October 3, 1863. What the northern history books fail to mention is that Lincoln, bowing to political pressure, copied the President of the Confederate States of America. Jefferson Davis actually had made the first national Proclamation of Thanksgiving two years earlier in Richmond, Virginia. Here it is:

Proclamation of Thanksgiving, 1861
by President Jefferson Davis

WHEREAS, it hath pleased Almighty God, the Sovereign Disposer of events, to protect and defend us hitherto in our conflicts with our enemies as to be unto them a shield.

And whereas, with grateful thanks we recognize His hand and acknowledge that not unto us, but unto Him, belongeth the victory, and in humble dependence upon His almighty strength, and trusting in the justness of our purpose, we appeal to Him that He may set at naught the efforts of our enemies, and humble them to confusion and shame.

Now therefore, I, Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederate States, in view of impending conflict, do hereby set apart Friday, the 15th day of November, as a day of national humiliation and prayer, and do hereby invite the reverend clergy and the people of these Confederate States to repair on that day to their homes and usual places of public worship, and to implore blessing of Almighty God upon our people, that he may give us victory over our enemies, preserve our homes and altars from pollution, and secure to us the restoration of peace and prosperity.

Given under hand and seal of the Confederate States at Richmond, this the 31st day of October, year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and sixty one.

By the President,
JEFFERSON DAVIS

(Thank you to the English Friends of The South Facebook page)

While the primary Confederate Colonel interest in this video is the shift from agrarian to industrial society, he brings an important message about why Common Core must be opposed and stopped. For our part, we choose to home school and completely bypass the government indoctrination system.

In addition, this is a good time to point out another project that I am working on – The New Southern Agrarians. From the home page of The New Southern Agrarians:

What is Southern Agrarianism? Who were the Southern Agrarians and what did they believe? Does Southern Agrarianism have a place in today’s society? More importantly, does Southern Agrarianism show us a better way – a new path to take as we walk away from the rubble of a collapsed civilization built upon that which the Southern Agrarians warned us about? Those questions, and more, are what this web site hopes to answer.

The New Southern Agrarians is little more than what is quoted above at this time. It is, however, something I consider to be an important project and one that I will be working on.

As early as the Revolutionary War, the South primarily produced cotton, rice, sugar, indigo and tobacco. The North purchased these raw materials and turned them into manufactured goods. By 1828, foreign manufactured goods faced high import taxes. Foreign raw materials, however, were free of tariffs.

Thus the domestic manufacturing industries of the North benefited twice, once as the producers enjoying the protection of high manufacturing tariffs and once as consumers with a free raw materials market. The raw materials industries of the South were left to struggle against foreign competition.

Because manufactured goods were not produced in the South, they had to either be imported or shipped down from the North. Either way, a large expense, be it shipping fees or the federal tariff, was added to the price of manufactured goods only for Southerners. Because importation was often cheaper than shipping from the North, the South paid most of the federal tariffs.

Much of the tariff revenue collected from Southern consumers was used to build railroads and canals in the North. Between 1830 and 1850, 30,000 miles of track was laid. At its best, these tracks benefited the North. Much of it had no economic effect at all. Many of the schemes to lay track were simply a way to get government subsidies. Fraud and corruption were rampant.

With most of the tariff revenue collected in the South and then spent in the North, the South rightly felt exploited. At the time, 90% of the federal government’s annual revenue came from these taxes on imports.

Historians Paul Collier and Anke Hoeffer found that a few common factors increase the likelihood of secession in a region: lower wages, an economy based on raw materials and external exploitation. Although popular movies emphasize slavery as a cause of the Civil War, the war best fits a psycho-historical model of the South rebelling against Northern exploitation.

Many Americans do not understand this fact. A non-slave-owning Southern merchant angered over yet another proposed tariff act does not make a compelling scene in a movie. However, that would be closer to the original cause of the Civil War than any scene of slaves picking cotton.
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In Great Britain, the Queen is known for being exceptionally frugal, using the same car until it practically falls apart. In fact, in a recent year, the travel expenses for the entire British Royal Family was considerably less than the travel expenses for President Obama and his small crew.
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(W)hen people think of Marie Antoinette, they think lavishness and frivolity, they do not think of a woman who gave large amounts to charity, who broke down social barriers at court and who invited poor children to eat with her own royal offspring at Versailles. When it comes to royal children for that matter, it may surprise some to know how much more luxuriously the children of a President of the United States live compared to royal or even imperial offspring.
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The Romanov Archduchesses Olga, Tatiana, Maria and Anastasia, for example, had to sleep on camp beds and take cold baths. Their educational schedule was positively Spartan with dawn till dark studies and exercises. The White House may not be the Winter Palace but you can be sure the Obama daughters are taking hot baths at night. Similarly, when one thinks of an Emperor one doesn’t usually think of someone like Emperor Francis Joseph who slept on an army cot and wore clothes until they were worn out -and then patched them and wore them some more!
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In Russia, Emperor Alexander III preferred the simple meals of his servants to the delicacies of the banquets thrown by the upper class and his idea of recreation was a simple walk in the Russian wilderness with some sausage and a piece of bread for his lunch. These imperial leaders were hardly men of lavish, wasteful luxury and indulgence.

So… what is the point of this, you may ask? Why are we reading about monarchies on the Confederate Colonel blog? Aside from the fact that monarchies are a time-proven form of government that is grossly misunderstood by those who depend on American public schools for their education, it would behoove us give some serious thought as to what will replace the republican form of government here in America once it fully self-destructs. If you don’t see that coming, then you’re not paying attention. Am I advocating that America become a monarchy? The fact that I cannot see any realistic path from “here” to “there” precludes that. Still, it is a form of government that has stood the test of time for far longer than any form of self-government has. It’s a sad commentary on our ability to govern ourselves.

One year ago, families from all across the country came together to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. It was an incredible event and one which gave glory to God for His hand of grace on the lives of the men who sacrificed themselves on that cold April night. With more than a hundred reenactors, soul-stirring messages, many live performances that highlighted the music of the era, and a memorable dinner cruise, we have been told by many that it was one of the most moving events in the history of Vision Forum Ministries.

The hundred-year mark of Titanic’s sinking truly stands as a place holder in a culture which has forgotten what it means to act nobly, to willingly give your life for another, and to honor women and children. At the heart of the forgotten notion of chivalry is the biblical doctrine of male sacrifice. This was exemplified in the life of Jesus Christ who gave his life for his “Bride,” the Church.

But the legacy of the men of the Titanic may not be ignored and left to end after its centennial mark. Click here to view a collection of more then thirty music, message, and performance clips from the Titanic 100.

The Legacy and Ongoing Work of the CBMTS

More than fifteen years ago, my father founded the Christian Boys’ & Men’s Titanic Society (CBMTS) to promote the biblical understanding of “Women and Children First” to future generations. Our goal is to study the many spiritual lessons which can be derived from the sinking of the Titanic and to apply them to our lives today, both spiritually and practically. Since that time, the CBMTS has come together for one evening each year to commemorate the legacy of the Titanic and to remind boys and men of our duty to carry the mantle of sacrificial manhood.

Last year, for the one hundredth anniversary celebration, my father passed the baton of leadership for the society to me. My desire is to see this important work advance. This next week, a group of men and boys will be gathering in San Antonio, Texas, headquarters of the Christian Boys’ & Men’s Titanic Society, to continue to honor the men of the Titanic and to commit to living sacrificially as we remember this monumental event with our annual dinner.

An Appeal to You: Gather a Dozen Friends and Hold Your Own Titanic Dinner

This year, I also would like to encourage each of you to begin a similar tradition. It doesn’t need to be big; it doesn’t need to be complicated. Just gather a few or many of your friends together for an evening meal of prayer, thanksgiving, and commemoration as men. What a wonderful thing it would be to know that, in dozens of places around the country, men are gathering to honor those who went before us!

How to Host a Dinner

The elements are simple:

• Gather your friends (men and boys).
• Eat out or in, but make it a memorable feast.
• Read excerpts from The Sinking of the Titanic or other historical accounts.
• Let each person share a Scripture, prayer, poem, or toast.
• Exhort each other to noble leadership and sacrifice.
• Leave a record of your gathering in some form or another for the future.

Remembering the legacy of an event from so long ago is not just about getting together, but it is about gathering, giving thanks, and applying the lessons to our own life.

For Women and Children First,

Joshua Titus Phillips
President, The CBMTS

Commemorative painting of the Stigler/Brown encounter by John D. Shaw, courtesy Valor Studios.

The following is taken from the Men Who Lead blog by best-selling author Marcus Brotherton. Mr. Brotherton’s post is titled, The Most Overlooked Command Ever. Be sure to take the time to read his original post and add his blog to your regular reading to learn more Lessons in Leadership.

On December 20, 1943, in the skies above war-torn Europe, two bitter enemies—an American B-17 bomber pilot and a veteran German fighter ace—met in what is undoubtedly one of World War II’s most remarkable encounters.

The American bomber, piloted by 21-year-old West Virginian Charlie Brown, was severely damaged. Bullets from German fighters had chewed the bomber to pieces. Others bullets had shot straight through the fuselage, and several crew members had been hit and were near death.

The German fighter plane, piloted by Franz Stigler, was poised to blast the bomber from the sky. It was Franz’s job to kill the enemy. His sworn duty was to triumph in blood.

In fact, encountering a wounded bomber was Franz’s lucky break. Other fighters had already done the initial damage, and when Franz flew up to the bomber, it was the most badly damaged airplane he’d ever seen still flying. That meant an easy target. And in the kill-or-be-killed quest to reach air superiority, the odds against the German’s survival were much worse than the American’s. Of the 40,000 German fighter pilots in WWII, only 2,000 survived.

But what happened in that tense moment when Franz and Charlie came to stare at one another across the frozen skies only can be described as other-worldly.

The American 8th Air Force would, in fact, classify the incident as top secret for decades.

The German military sealed the record as well. Franz was ordered never to speak of the act again, at risk of facing a firing squad.

What happened was, very simply … mercy.

Franz didn’t turn his machineguns on the Americans.

Instead, Franz risked his own reputation, career, and even life, to fly for miles in close proximity to the bomber’s wingtip, providing a “shield” for the damaged enemy plane.

Instead of killing his enemy, the German fighter pilot escorted the sputtering American bomber to safety.

Franz Stigler and Charlie Brown

Both men survived the war and became close friends.

See also the post, Compassion for Others – Even the Enemy.

More posts on secession.

Molotov Mitchell is president of the award-winning Illuminati Pictures. His specialty is entertainment communications, particularly reaching the “under 40″ demographic. He is available for speaking engagements through CMG.

Early in our history, or perhaps it was an illusion all along, we voted for candidates based on their stated position, their background, and other criteria. While those are still the terms in which we discuss elections, it is only a mask for what is really happening.

America has divided into two very distinct groups. Two diametrically opposed groups with ideas that are completely incompatible, with no room for true compromise. One will be in power and the other will actively oppose anything done by the group in power. The candidate names and the party names are just convenient labels. The two major parties have completely switched roles over the last 150 years, so the only constant is the struggle between the guiding principles of these two groups.

• One group believes that the individual is responsible for his own material destiny, and that government exists to protect individuals from force or fraud and to provide a basic framework for a civilized society. The same applies on the family level but no further. This group is identified by the labels: conservative, The Right, Republican, libertarian, etc.

• The other group believes that government exists to ensure fairness and equality. It is an egalitarian system that believes all people have equal talent and ability and drive, and that if results are unequal then it must be because the system is unfair and it is government’s role to make it “fair”. This group believes it is the role of government to redistribute wealth to ensure equal results. This group is identified by the labels: liberal, The Left, Democrat, socialist, etc.

Since the objective of these two groups is to win a majority of the votes, there is a self-leveling mechanism involved in the party platforms. The Left will move just far enough to the right to try to win a majority, while the Right will move just far enough to the left to try to do the same. If one side won’t move toward the center, then the other side captures those votes and gains power. While the line between the two sides is constantly shifting, it is still a line drawn down the middle resulting in a close election. Landslides are the result of one side failing to read the mood of the country and not adjusting their position accordingly.

To really understand the difference between these two groups, I look as closely at the people who support them as I do the actual candidates. The liberal side is coarse, crude, vulgar, immoral, and aggressively attacks my most basic beliefs taught by The Bible. They are sometimes referred to as the “Free Stuff Army” and the “Gimme-Dats”. As I imagine my grandchildren living in a world controlled by the liberals, it chills me to the bone. I have a duty to do what I can to keep that from happening. Protecting future generations is one of the most basic obligations of the Southern gentleman.

The two basic rules of power in America are:
1) There are only two sides, and they are defined by whether the individual or the government is responsible the individual’s success or failure.
2) We pick the side that we believe is right and vote for that side. The name of the party or the candidate is just a way to identify which side we believe in.

So, what is the RIGHT thing to do once one recognizes how this works? My conclusion is that we pick the side we believe is right and vote for that side. That leaves me with only one option – to cast my vote for the conservative side, which in this election is Mitt Romney, Paul Ryan. It is far from a perfect choice, but what in life isn’t?

The BBC broadcast a documentary titled Rivers of Blood. It begins with one man – Enoch Powell – using his position of leadership to warn his countrymen of the grave threat they face as the gathering storm begins to assail English culture and turn England into a land completely alien to those who inherited one of the greatest nations on earth. He warned that England was losing her sense of national identity, the shared values and traditions and history, the common thread that unites the English as a people. When Mr. Powell made his “Rivers of Blood” speech forty years ago, the term “political correctness” had not yet been coined, but that is what was at work

The force that destroyed England was a political establishment that used uncontrolled immigration as a weapon. Most nations can absorb small numbers of immigrants from other cultures without damaging the existing culture. In small numbers, immigrants are assimilated into the culture as long as they are not concentrated in certain areas. In large numbers, immigrants become an invading and occupying army. From there, they spread their influence beyond their enclaves of occupation.

The forces that are destroying our once-great land are not new and our experience is not unique. What is happening now in places like Dearborn, Michigan may soon be happening across the country – including our beloved South. The question is – will we recognize the threat and take action to stop it?

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America was never intended to be one massive government with states being little more than administrative subcontractors for the federal government. It was intended to be a group – a confederation – of sovereign states. The support of “States Rights” has been a Southern theme for almost as long as there has been an America.

Many today will argue that senators should be elected by popular vote. I’ve stated several times here that I am no fan of the popular vote. People wrongly equate popular vote with freedom, when in fact, it has just the opposite effect. It is bad enough that our form of government has descended into something little better than mob rule. What makes it worse is that, thanks to the 17th Amendment, mob rule extends throughout the entire government from the White House to the town hall.

In a future post, I hope to present my own ideas on how a government should be set up – a mental exercise that everyone should go through at least once in their life. More importantly, I’ll also include why I believe it should be that way. Until then, this video goes into the amendment that should be repealed – the 17th Amendment.