The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.

Its A Matter Of Perspective...

Dessa Rodeffer, Quill Publisher

17 September 2003

Everyone has their view on the Southern Rebels.

Everyone has their perspective on what they stand for and what they should and should not do, it seems.

Since the recent forfeiture of the Homecoming game by the predominantly black Chicago School in Longwood, a large scattering of stories and news accounts of various shapes have been printed, reported, or told.

It almost makes me flinch to be a part of the media that is so quick to jump on a story and sensationalize it before having all the facts.

I was reading a book this weekend of a man who was touring a prospective college when he was young.

The Art Department vividly stood in his memory where there was a number of easels in a row all facing a long window there.

It was obvious that each artist was painting a large oak tree outside, but each artist had painted it differently.

A hippy looking guy came up to this college bound boy and said the tree is being drawn from each artist's perspective and each had a different one.

The unusual thing was, not one artist had drawn the tree as it really was.

This simple thought has plagued my mind all week.

The views we each take of something are only our perspective and none of them may be right. It's a lesson in itself.

It is very important we try to find out all the information before we make quick judgements that could hurt others.

From my perspective or from what I know about the Southern Rebels, they are a caring team that embrace this United States and its flag.

They are supporters of the Union who wept when terrorists struck the Pentagon, the World Trade Center, and a Pennsylvania field.

They welcome with open arms those of different ethnic groups or color. They admire the life of Abraham Lincoln.

It's a school that sings our National Anthem at every game with pride and who salute the U.S. Flag.

It's a school that is taught team work and team support, and to be competitive, but there is one more thing.

It's a school where the students show compassion for others. A school where the coach had made plans to feed the team members of Lamont himself. It's a school where the Rebel Booster Club had also planned on a feast for the team members as well as gifts for them.

It's a school where students are proud of the "Southern Rebels" and "Southern Belles" because it is their school.

There is no confederate mascot. There is no player leading the team out onto the field. There was only a young boy with a 3 x 5 Rebel flag of his school - no other intent.

He was waving it along the Rebel sidelines as support for his school as the Fighting Irish, or Fighting Illini might wave their's.

From my perspective, we are all united - we are all Americans - it's now the U.S.A. The war is over.