Civil War Memory’s Fatal Attraction

The Burial of Latane (1864)

When I was in the sixth grade I sat behind one of the meanest girls in my math class. I tried to be very careful not to upset her and I did my best to be nice to her. Nothing worked. Our desks had racks below the seats for books and other belongings, but one day I placed my feet on hers and inadvertently began to shake it. Before I knew what was happening this girl turned around in her seat and lunged at me with a finely sharpened pencil. I reacted by placing my right hand in the path of the pencil to protect myself. All I remember is jumping up from my seat and running around the class with a pencil stuck in my hand. The school nurse extracted it, but you can still see the lead in my right hand. Eventually we met up again after college and I learned that she had a huge crush on me that year.

With that in mind I give you the latest example of a poll that my biggest fan, Connie Chastain, set up at her blog. [You can find her blog on your own.] Some of you have already voted, which I greatly appreciate. I had trouble narrowing it down so I took the easy way out by voting, “All of the above.” I would prefer a poll without that option only because I am interested to know who I hate the most out of this list.

Who does Kevin Levin love bashing the most?

~Antebellum Southern white slaveowners
~Confederate soldiers
~All whites of the Confederacy
~The SCV
~The UDC
~The Southern Heritage Preservation FB Group
~Dixie Outfitters
~H.K. Edgerton
~Ann DeWitt
~Other (Specify)
~All of the above

Feel free to vote in the comments section.

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15 comments… add one
  • Roger E. Watson Nov 4, 2011 @ 6:48

    “Eventually we met up again after college and I learned that she had a huge crush on me that year.”

    Just imagine what she would have done to you if she didn’t “like” you !!!!

  • Michael Aubrecht Nov 3, 2011 @ 3:25

    A poll? Really? Makes you long for the good-ol days when we were feuding huh Kevin? 🙂

  • Neil Hamilton Nov 3, 2011 @ 0:39

    Kevin,

    I keep wondering if this is the best Miss Chastain can do when it comes to the history of the Civil War, simply attack those you disagree with by making up such silly jabs.

    She obviously has intelligence and the ability (plus the time and interest) to frame an informed response to other points-of-view she disagrees with, but she expends her talents on this form of playground attacks? “Bad Kevin! No biscuit! No biscuit!”

    I am sorry to say I expected better, if not a far more informative repsone, than at least a more elegant one.

    Oh well,
    Neil

  • Keith Muchowski Nov 2, 2011 @ 17:40

    Just don’t bash the Red Sox, Kevin. September was tough enough.

    • John Buchanan Nov 3, 2011 @ 5:16

      Amen, brother, amen….

      (Be quiet Dr Simpson!)

  • Michael Lynch Nov 2, 2011 @ 12:23

    Personally, I think Ann DeWitt is the most entertaining target, simply because it’s hard to beat that whole “Negro Cooks Regiment” fiasco. I was literally in tears.

    –ML

    • Kevin Levin Nov 2, 2011 @ 12:35

      That was indeed a classic.

  • Barbara Gannon Nov 2, 2011 @ 11:46

    I think you do not bash the people of the past who were product of their times. I narrowed it down to “modern people who know better.” I then narrowed it down to “modern people who know better who are economically exploiting the issue.” The winner, Dixie Outfitters.

    • Kevin Levin Nov 2, 2011 @ 11:54

      I think you nailed it, Barbara. Ann DeWitt means well, but is simply out of her league and it’s kind of hard to really bash H.K. since he is so damn entertaining. Dixie Outfitters distorts history and makes money doing it. They certainly deserve to be bashed, though I wouldn’t characterize what I’ve written as such. It would be more accurate to describe it as pointed criticism. 🙂

      • Andy Hall Nov 2, 2011 @ 12:15

        “I don’t give ’em Hell, mister. I just tell the truth on ’em, and it makes ’em think they’re in Hell.”

        — Harry Truman (attributed)

      • James Harrigan Nov 2, 2011 @ 13:18

        yes, and H.K is clearly mentally ill – no fun in making fun of a crazy man. FYI, I voted for Dixie Outfitters, too.

    • Michael Douglas Nov 2, 2011 @ 13:46

      I like your deductive reasoning, Barbara. I may have to go back and change my answer, since that seems to be an option. I had voted “other” without specification as I saw no entry for “willfully ignorant or cynical, self-serving liars about history.”

  • Brooks D. Simpson Nov 2, 2011 @ 11:27

    I think you have misread the poll. It does not seek to discover who you hate the most, but who you most enjoy bashing. I say that because I don’t think you “hate” a single entry on that list. However, I note that Connie failed to list herself as an answer.

    She clearly enjoys bashing you. Indeed, I’m sure she’s running about right now with a sharp pencil in her hand looking for her personal Kevin Levin blow-up doll to puncture (again), followed by efforts to repair it lovingly (again). It’s the biggest cybercrush I’ve ever seen.

    And so, for Connie and all her friends at Table Nine … http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3s5xsVHOJQs

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