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Web posted April 10, 1997

Editor, The Chronicle:

Again I find myself responding to yet another letter regarding Southern heritage - and yet again I find myself surprised by the sheer depth of some people's arrogance.

John Woodson (letter, April 8) makes several good points - in fact, there is little doubt that indentured servitude (slavery) was imposed on many races of people. However, where the lines become blurred is the typical attitude of many to judge historical events using modern social and political mores. Do Christians condemn all Jews for the death of Jesus? Are all Germans responsible for Hitler's bloody reign? I think not.

The practice of slavery was an accepted custom during a period of our collective history and indeed many people profited from the institution, both North and South. It was a sad thing, to be sure, but where is Mr. Woodson's contempt for the Yankee slave traders and ship owners? Also keep in mind that many Northern factories were little better than Southern plantations with ``company stores'' enslaving the workers and corporate thugs acting as overseers. ...

Mr. Woodson then proceeds to give a woeful dissertation on how vile and mean Irish, Welsh and Scottish immigrants were and the Confederacy they formed was an ``odious and despicable'' organization. I might remind the gentleman that a great many Irish, Welsh and Scottish settled in the North and in fact fought for the Union. Were these men excused of their so-called ``vile and mean'' behavior because they supported the Imperial North that burned and raped its way across Georgia? Racial generalizations are wrong and speak volumes about the people who support them.

Emory Morris, Martinez