Reply #26: Yes... [View All]

[GoddessOfGuinness]

My maternal grandfather's father, who was a poor blacksmith, and not even remotely interested in owning slaves, fought for Georgia because he didn't like the Federal Gov't telling GA what to do; and because he was promised all kinds of benefits. He fathered my granddad when he was in his 60s. When WWI broke out, he warned my grandfather to stay out of the service, saying that the government would promise uniforms, boots, decent meals and decent pay, but would never follow through.

My dad's ancestors were mostly slave-holding southerners who fought in the Revolution, the War of 1812, the Mexican War, and for the South in the Civil War. They were as bigoted a set of bastards you'd ever meet, and did their best to hand their ignorant legacy down to subsequent generations. When I was 6 years old, my grandmother gave me a lecture about associating with "those kind of people" after I introduced her to my best friend.

Don't get me wrong...I love them, and appreciate the good that they did; but I am so grateful that my parents raised me differently.