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Women of the Confederacy WTF


debrand

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It has been said that in the Confederacy no one woman stood out as far greater in importance than any other. I would venture to say that this is the result of their understanding of the role of women in society. They believed that women could have the most God-honoring influence by fulfilling the role of wife and mother.

Really, what the hell? I guess slave women and poor, white women don't count in her world.

koleesa.com/?p=1747

I know that people who belong to Vision Forum ignore most of history but they also seem to think that entire classes of people didn't exist either. It is also amazing that so many of these young women honestly believe that they would be among the privileged class who were waited upon by those invisible slaves; however many of them would probably be among the poor whites barely eeking out a living.

http://archives.nbclearn.com/portal/sit ... om/?p=1747

Rich and poor in the South

NARRATOR: In the years before the Civil War, the South was a society divided, not only between blacks and whites, but among whites themselves. The region was dominated both socially and politically by 1,733 families who owned more than a hundred slaves each. They were called the “Planter Aristocracy†and they lived in a world of opulent mansions and mint juleps. But most white southerners weren’t wealthy enough to own slaves. In fact, two-thirds of all southerners owned no slaves at all. This part of the population was known as “yeoman farmers.†They raised their own food and made their own clothes, often eating less and working harder than slaves.

Professor CRAIG WILDER (Dartmouth College): Very often, this is a poor population. Very often, it’s a population that has little more than the land that they work. They’re largely subsistence farmers in many places. For the most part the yeoman farmer comes to define, they’re sort of the lost people of the South in American history.

NARRATOR: The Planter Aristocracy owned the best land, forcing the yeoman farmers to scratch out a living in the less fertile backcountry and mountain valleys that remained. Since they didn’t own land, they could not hold political office, which meant they had less representation in both national and state governments. In addition, people who owned slaves were often allowed to include their slaves when calculating population, giving them a huge advantage in their state legislatures.

WILDER: We know this, and we can actually see it in places like South Carolina, the large plantation counties, where the black population actually outnumbers the white population, four to one in some cases. Meaning that the authority of the wealthy is magnified at almost every step in the local, state, and federal government. Giving them extraordinary power in this region. And also silencing non-slave-holding, poor white people, very often, in both state politics and in national politics.

NARRATOR: But most poor yeoman farmers didn’t blame the slave system for this vast inequality. In fact, most poor whites defended the institution of slavery. Knowing in their hearts that at least they were superior to slaves in one way. The whites had their freedom.

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I'm descended from one of the largest slave holding families in the south, and it's well documented that the women in my family were no shrinking violets. They were shrewd accountants and ran their plantations with iron fists (yes, women DID run them). From reading books published about my family, it seemed like the women were more interested in keeping the ways of slavery, married and had kids reluctantly, and sometimes forced their male heirs into staying with the family business. While I can't really comment on poverty during this time, I know my female ancestors were not the meek, mild women that VF would like to believe they were.

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From her post on quilts:

Quilts have a long and fascinating part of American history. Families have snuggled beneath quilts as they read inspiring stories of adventure, risk, and kingdom building. Quilts traveled in covered wagons as the pioneer families settled the frontiers. Every little scrap of fabric to be found was sewn into quilts and blankets by the resourceful southern women during the War Between the States. Quilts also were sewn from scraps left over from the famed “Flower Sack†dresses of the Depression era of the 1930′s. Quilts express the wonderful ideas of multigenerational thinking and resourcefulness – they remind us of our tasks of dominion under Jesus Christ and our heritage as Christians. They also brighten our home and serve the practical purposes of warmth and comfort.

I have quilts that were made for me by my great-grandmother and my grandmother. They remind me of my own heritage, and remind me of the Providence of God, and His kindness towards me. I’d like leave a similar legacy for my own children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren: I’d like to pass down to them a legacy of resourcefulness and dominion-minded womanhood.

I'm pretty sure that there are many Christians, Jews, Buddhists, atheists, etc. who quilt for a lot of reasons--and dominionism isn't one of them.

ETA: Just noticed she referred to the Civil War as the "War Between the States" in this post. And she only talked about Southern women who quilted, even though Northern women also quilted.

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This girl is deep in the thick of VF. She is "majoring" in history through College Minus, her brother is an expedition leader for Hazardous Journeys, she does "War Between the States" reenactments, she quotes Rushdoony frequently, she sells a CD of her harp music, and she has filmed one documentary about courtship called "Two For Life" which appears to no longer exist.

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Ok, I admit I don't know as much about Civil Ear history as I'd like, but....

Go to the second page of her blog.

Black men in Confederate uniforms with rifles.

:wtf:

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not every single black person the south was a slave and a handful had the means to buy slaves for themselves and so did. if you were one of those handful of blacks who had a prosperous farm and thought slavery was a necessity it's not a huge leap to start fighting for the cause.

about female slave holders: as I understand it,most of these women did not did not have the power to instill physical fear but in fits of anger used knives, forks, boiling water, knitting needles or just what ever was handy at the moment resulting in maiming.

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Here is something about free blacks before the Civil War

memory.loc.gov/ammem/aaohtml/exhibit/aopart2.html

In the south, free blacks were still put under a lot of dehumanizing restrictions.

Free blacks in the antebellum period--those years from the formation of the Union until the Civil War--were quite outspoken about the injustice of slavery. Their ability to express themselves, however, was determined by whether they lived in the North or the South. Free Southern blacks continued to live under the shadow of slavery, unable to travel or assemble as freely as those in the North. It was also more difficult for them to organize and sustain churches, schools, or fraternal orders such as the Masons.

Although their lives were circumscribed by numerous discriminatory laws even in the colonial period, freed African Americans, especially in the North, were active participants in American society. Black men enlisted as soldiers and fought in the American Revolution and the War of 1812. Some owned land, homes, businesses, and paid taxes. In some Northern cities, for brief periods of time, black property owners voted. A very small number of free blacks owned slaves. The slaves that most free blacks purchased were relatives whom they later manumitted. A few free blacks also owned slave holding plantations in Louisiana, Virginia, and South Carolina.

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Oh and her brothers are part of the confederacy of hazardous journey douchebags who are going to burma do do ....what? Their website is as clear as mud probably snear at the buddist temples and make fun of the delicious burmese food. http://expeditiontoburma.com/#home

This is a calling for men to prove themselves and to embrace the call of manhood. It is a man's duty to demonstrate that he possesses stalwart character and is capable of performing the duties of manhood—such as leadership and dominion. Men prove their mettle by accomplishing great things for Christ. We do not need any more insignificant men in this world, but we need men who pursue the gospel commission and labor for the kingdom of God with the zeal and strength encompassed in biblical manhood.

It sounds like an excusee for a trip to another country while still sounding like it is more than just a fun vacation. "No, we are really doing something like proving our manhood....we aren't just enjoying another country. Um, no."

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Leaving entire populations out of one's consideration of history is a given with these people, isn't it?

She really has made herself a living stereotype (well, to be fair, since she is young, it was probably with the help of her parents). Anyone who's read at FJ for any length of time will recognize every link down the right side of her blog.

I went looking for more info, to find out her age, because I do like to refrain from snarking on the underage -- found something that said she was 19 in 2011:

shiningstarsmagazine.com/2011/03/stay-at-home-daughter-interview-with-koleesa-amundson/

Her blog entry (which was also a paper she turned in for "school" :shock: ) on Sophia Gallaudet was typical. Some highlights of bizarre focus, odd conclusions, childish and/or over-flowery writing, othering, and SOTDRT errors:

Sophia was born deaf on March 20th, 1798 near Guilford, Connecticut to the Fowler family. As a young girl, she was unable to receive any formal education yet learned many excellent traits of character, which distinguished her in later life. She learned many useful manual skills; including sewing and cooking. She grew to be an industrious and modest young woman; she is said to have gone about her household duties with a great cheerfulness.

Sophia was radiant at the idea.

Sophia was delighted to learn whatever the school was able to teach her; yet in the spring of 1821 her studies where unexpectedly interrupted. Thomas Gallaudet approached his young pupil with an offer of marriage; she was quite surprised as his proposal and at first protested. She argued that her lack of knowledge of the world and such a change in station was insurmountable. Gallaudet assured her that these hindrances could easily be over come. Sophia’s hesitation lasted but a little while and she soon willingly consented. The two where married on August 19th, 1821.

Sophia had many fresh trials awaiting her at her new home. She had been placed into a society completely unknown to her yet she was ready for the occasion. She met this new challenge with great conviction and determination. She was perfectly apt to take on the responsibilities that accompanied her new name. The friends of her husband where also kind and encouraging. They not only welcomed her with kindness but also with honor.

Summer of 1822 brought to the Gallaudet’s their first child. He was named Thomas after his father. Two years later a little girl was born; she was named Sophia after her mother. Peter, Jane, William, Alice, Catherine, and Edward followed her. It was with delight that Mrs. Gallaudet took on these new responsibilities. She diligently trained her children, teaching them and instructing them in all the principles that drove herself and her husband in their life work.

September 10, 1851 was a sorrowful day in Sophia’s life – it was the day her husband passed away. Yet her sorrow was made happy by the prospect that together they would spent eternity sing the praises of their great and glorious Savior.

The kind providence of God did not keep her waiting for long; her son Edward was asked to take charge of Columbia Institution in Washington. Sophia was then asked to oversee the domestic department of the establishment.

Having lived a life full of love and kindness Sophia Fowler Gallaudet passed away on May 13th, 1877. She left behind her an example of a life to be emulated: she supported her husband in his many endeavors and encouraged and trained her children to continue on with their father’s legacy. By being faithful in these things she was able to help the Deaf community more than we may every know.

It is featured on her other blog, but I found it through the first one.

heroinesofhistory.wordpress.com/2012/11/16/sophia-gallaudet/

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Although I like biographies of normal, everyday people, the paper still left me confused as to what contributions Sophia made to history. The young woman's report makes it sound as if Sophia Galludent was just a nice woman who happened to be deaf and had a lot of kids.

I had to look her up on Wikipedia

As the founding matron of the school that became Gallaudet University, she played an important role in Deaf history, even playing a key role in lobbying Congressmen in the effort to establish Gallaudet (then the "National Deaf-Mute College").

She founded a school for the deaf and played a role in politics to help establish Gallludent University.

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It has been said that in the Confederacy no one woman stood out as far greater in importance than any other.

Who said this?

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My guess is the young woman's parents.

Delphine LaLaurie stood out. Quite an example of Southern womanhood. She could do it all!

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delphine_LaLaurie

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Although I like biographies of normal, everyday people, the paper still left me confused as to what contributions Sophia made to history. The young woman's report makes it sound as if Sophia Galludent was just a nice woman who happened to be deaf and had a lot of kids.

I had to look her up on Wikipedia

She founded a school for the deaf and played a role in politics to help establish Gallludent University.

Well, a good VF girl couldn't call attention to that! Silly Debrand, actually being interested in non-domestic achievements of a woman.

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Ok, I admit I don't know as much about Civil Ear history as I'd like, but....

Go to the second page of her blog.

Black men in Confederate uniforms with rifles.

:wtf:

And did you see her jean skirt tutorial - complete with her wearing a CSA belt buckle? I've known many people who are interested in Confederate history because of their ancestors or because they want to learn from what went wrong there. However, the VF crowd seems to have an increasing number of people who are militantly pro-Confederacy in a way I wasn't used to seeing in years past. Many of them seem to be in their teens/early 20s, so I keep hoping life experience will make their views evolve, but it's kind of a creepy development.

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I'm descended from one of the largest slave holding families in the south, and it's well documented that the women in my family were no shrinking violets. They were shrewd accountants and ran their plantations with iron fists (yes, women DID run them). From reading books published about my family, it seemed like the women were more interested in keeping the ways of slavery, married and had kids reluctantly, and sometimes forced their male heirs into staying with the family business. While I can't really comment on poverty during this time, I know my female ancestors were not the meek, mild women that VF would like to believe they were.

This makes lots of sense sociohistorically. The easiest ways for a woman to exert power in eras in which women weren't allowed or expected to do so outright were in sneakier ways, i.e. over groups that have even less power than women, like slaves in this case, or children in the case of the hierarchy of the fundie home.

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From her post on quilts:

I'm pretty sure that there are many Christians, Jews, Buddhists, atheists, etc. who quilt for a lot of reasons--and dominionism isn't one of them.

ETA: Just noticed she referred to the Civil War as the "War Between the States" in this post. And she only talked about Southern women who quilted, even though Northern women also quilted.

I'm an atheist and I crochet quilts. God and Jesus have nothing to do with it. Art, beauty and creativity, do.

And when I look at quilts my grandmother or a great-grandmother-in-law made, I don't see the "providence of God and kindness." I see creativity these women had that they were only allowed to express via this craft, rather than being able to get an education in the fine arts that I was able to do for myself, because of the time they were alive and the hardships they had, immigrating and homesteading, respectively.

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In the south, free blacks were still put under a lot of dehumanizing restrictions.

Interesting fact: Because of the growing "threat" of free black citizens buying and freeing enslaved black friends and relatives, laws were created to place strict limits on manumission, often prohibiting it altogether.

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I'm an atheist and I crochet quilts. God and Jesus have nothing to do with it. Art, beauty and creativity, do.

And when I look at quilts my grandmother or a great-grandmother-in-law made, I don't see the "providence of God and kindness." I see creativity these women had that they were only allowed to express via this craft, rather than being able to get an education in the fine arts that I was able to do for myself, because of the time they were alive and the hardships they had, immigrating and homesteading, respectively.

This. My grandmother (the one born and raised in middle Tennessee, so I speak from legitimate southern roots unlike, apparently, this blogger) worked her ass off all her life, raising six kids on a farm up on the Cumberland Plateau during the Depression and WWII. Well water, no bathroom til the 60's so an outhouse (I remember both the outhouse and the water pump!), pigs, chickens, huge garden, and cornfields for miles around. Quilting was her creative outlet, and as religious as she was (primitive Baptist, though nowhere near the point of all that patriarchal crap), I seriously doubt she was thinking of 'dominion-minded womanhood' while she stitched. :roll: Probably more likely thinking, "How many minutes can I sneak in on this quilt before I have to get back to the eleventy-billion other things I need to do today." :?

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This woman is from Minnesota, and I'm not finding any evidence that her family has Southern roots.

I noticed that, as well. She's just in love with the fantasy of the Southern Belle, I guess.

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And did you see her jean skirt tutorial - complete with her wearing a CSA belt buckle? I've known many people who are interested in Confederate history because of their ancestors or because they want to learn from what went wrong there. However, the VF crowd seems to have an increasing number of people who are militantly pro-Confederacy in a way I wasn't used to seeing in years past. Many of them seem to be in their teens/early 20s, so I keep hoping life experience will make their views evolve, but it's kind of a creepy development.

Funny that you mention that cause I spy VF, confederate lovin, douchebag Sam Turley and his douchebag father looking like douchebag "historical" reenactors in her August

2012 "Reenactment Photos" post.

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The title of this thread made me think that Doug Phillips (who is a tool) was shilling a new version of his Women's Teas dress-ups, only these would be held on the veranda of a former plantation instead of the ballroom of some country club in San Antonio.

Apparently, this may not be that far off the mark--VF just hasn't gotten around to finding a suitably mossy yet genteel estate.

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I'm descended from one of the largest slave holding families in the south, and it's well documented that the women in my family were no shrinking violets. They were shrewd accountants and ran their plantations with iron fists (yes, women DID run them). From reading books published about my family, it seemed like the women were more interested in keeping the ways of slavery, married and had kids reluctantly, and sometimes forced their male heirs into staying with the family business. While I can't really comment on poverty during this time, I know my female ancestors were not the meek, mild women that VF would like to believe they were.

Even the most well known fictional 'southern belle' Scarlett O'hara sounds more like your female ancestors than the stereotype VFs seem to have.

People who idealise the past should research their family tree to see how their ancestors lived. The gap between rich and poor was huge until about 100 yrs ago and the majority would have been living the yeoman lifestyle, not silk dresses and balls.

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