Ride With Forrest For $1,000!

Of course, that $1000 will have to be in United States dollars …

Thanks to Kevin Levin, who has shown a recent interest in Confederate artifacts, we now know that someone is now looking to you to help fund a movie about the life of Nathan Bedford Forrest based on a book published by Sea Raven Press, the choice of Karen Cooper.

To preserve historical accuracy, we are working from an original screenplay by Lochlainn Seabrook, based on his non-fiction biography.  Everything Mr. Seabrook has written has been told from a southern perspective, and “A Rebel Born” is no different.  The character of Nathan Bedford Forrest comes across as a real human being.  He is confident and passionate, but also has a great sense of humor.

I wonder if Forrest will guffaw about Fort Pillow.

Playing Forrest will be Jerry Chesser. Here he is:

Watch Jerry at work:

Here’s the website detailing the levels of funding and what you will get in exchange.  Here’s what you’ll get for $1000:

At this level you will receive an advance world premiere DVD of the completed film, a world premiere poster signed by the director and cast members, a “thank you” listing in the ending credits, a copy of the book “A Rebel Born” by Lochlainn Seabrook, two tickets to the world premiere of the motion picture (current estimate January 2017), limited access to the set for you and a guest and a walk-on role if you desire. Production dates will be forwarded so you may choose dates that are convenient.

I am so glad they will work around Susan Hathaway’s schedule. But wait, there’s more … for only $5,000:

At this level you will receive an advance world premiere DVD of the completed film, a world premiere poster signed by the director and cast members, an “executive producer” listing in the beginning credits, a copy of the book “A Rebel Born” by Lochlainn Seabrook, two tickets to the world premiere of the motion picture (current estimate January 2017), a substantial supporting role with dialogue if you desire. Production dates will be forwarded so you may choose dates that are convenient.

Maybe Susan could play Mrs. Forrest and sing to him. Here’s an audition tape:

I wonder whether H. K. Edgerton will be eager to be in the movie as a member of Forrest’s black escort. He already has the costume.

Kevin’s warned us of the failure of various Civil War movies to raise funds via these online campaigns. However, he overlooked another memorable failed effort.

I’m waiting for word that a certain dust jacket designer will prepare the movie posters.

It’s a call to action for Confederate heritage apologists! Prove Kevin Levin wrong! Show him this is not a debacle! Raise that money, even if it’s Yankee money, to prove that the South will rise again!

After all, there was Birth of a Nation and Gone With the Wind. Good things come in threes, right? Put your money where your mouth is!

The Sunday Question: Secession Today

Many people argue that the constitutionality of secession for Americans was settled by the American Civil War. Others point to court decisions (and not just Texas v. White) as evidence of this.

Does that mean that secession is impossible today? Or that there’s no procedure for it? I note that southern nationalist groups are rather quiet on how they would go about seeking the separate nationality they propose to secure, although their spiritual ancestors spent a lot of time detailing process and procedure (not much of which was followed in 1860-61, but I digress).

Here’s a recent example of a discussion about separatism:

Clearly I think there’s a procedure for secession as a constitutional process … but that such a process would have to begin with the ratification of an amendment outlining the process. I’ve always wondered why separatists don’t follow that procedure.

Share your thoughts.

Another Journey Through Amazon

I love Amazon. Here’s a book written in 1605 about a man born in 1822 by a man who was born in 1957.

This explains why you can’t buy it for less than $5,000. At that price it’s a bargain.

Will the SCV Protect Its Trademark?

You may recall that famed Virginia Flaggers photographer Judy Smith, who has a problem spelling “heroes,” also has a problem honoring other people’s trademarks and copyrights, even as she demands that people respect hers. Such remains the case with these faux license plate magnets she produced. The SCV directed her to change the original template so that the magnet would not mimic the now-gone Virginia SCV plate, including a reproduction of the SCV’s logo (which was done without permission).

So you would think that the Virginia Flaggers would honor the SCV’s request, and that Judy would exchange the flawed magnets for the current product? You would be wrong. Lookie here at what someone found along “the Boulevard” today:

Oh my. Guess that some people don’t care what the SCV says, which may be one reason the Virginia Division singled out the Flaggers for criticism last June.

Pass the popcorn, y’all.

Fame With a Vengeance

And the hits keep coming.

Coup d’etat at the Sons of Confederate Veterans?

People have been writing a great deal about the arrival of Pope Francis in the United States, and how the pontiff decided to depart from the airport in a black Fiat, eschewing the usual limo ride.

But look a little closer at this car.

The Fiat carrying the pontiff bears the license plates “SCV 1.”

I’m waiting for the Pope Pius IX and John Surratt comments.

And You Thought $45 Was Too Much?

Last year several Civil War historians, including yours truly, collaborated on a volume edited by Ethan Rafuse that examined the performance of several Union corps commanders. I chose to write about Winfield Scott Hancock and the Overland Campaign, setting aside what some might see as the obvious choice of Hancock at Gettysburg, in part because at Gettysburg Hancock did not actually function as a corps commander. The Overland Campaign represented his first sustained experience as a corps commander. I was fortunate to be counted among a number of people who are distinguished Civil War historians in their own right.

Clearly some people thought the book was worth reading. Just take a look at what third party vendors want for it at Amazon:

Used, it can cost you even more:
By the way, the book retails for $45, and costs less on Amazon.

h/t to Ray (hope this doesn’t put you back on Chastain’s radar).

Spinning Spelling and Heritage: Flaggers Flailing and Failing Again

As you might expect, yesterday’s airplane-borne message from the Virginia Flaggers–“Confederate Heros Matter”–got a lot of attention … although not quite for the reasons the Flaggers doubtless sought. A good number of online sources, including several Richmond media outlets (see here and here) as well as other websites (see here), let everyone know exactly what was being flown.

Even a cartoonist got into the act:

Susan Hathaway offered her take on the event:

So did the Flaggers’ FB page:

As you can see, this really had nothing to do with honoring Confederate soldiers or heritage. Nor would I confuse explosions of laughter with heads exploding, but perhaps the Flaggers can’t tell the difference.

Oh, by the way … protesting in Richmond for four years without incident? Really?

I guess the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts is no longer in Richmond.

Flagger photographer Judy Smith photoshopped the missing “e” in an effort to save face, perhaps because one report had her photographing the misspelled banner before the pilot took off:

I guess she forgot to Photoshop this:

Oops.

The Flaggers’ webmaster and erstwhile spokesperson decided to battle it out in the comments section of this blog before commencing another characteristically charming rant on her own blog, declaring that to report on this story was “proof positive” that I hate the Virginia Flaggers.

Sure. Apparently so do a lot of other people, judging from the widespread laughter. What a way for the Virginia Flaggers to mark the approach of their fourth anniversary gathering.

Someone in Florida doesn’t have a sensahuma … and that is fun-hun-hun-nee! 🙂

The Virginia Flaggers wanted publicity. They got it on CNN in a report on Lilly Baumann, when the Flaggers refused to help locate a missing child. They now have it again. They say there’s no such thing as bad publicity. Mission accomplished.

Honoring Confederate “Heros”

Yup.

We are waiting for the usual Flagger explanation (perhaps through an erstwhile spokesperson fresh from training to dodge bullets) that this was simply an ad for a sandwich.

Of course, these are also called subs (as well as grinders) so perhaps it’s all about the CSS H. L. Hunley. Or perhaps they are looking to replace Jared as Subway’s spokespeople, given their own concern for children.

Like here. And here.

For context, go here.

UPDATE: In a desperate attempt at spin control, the Flaggers had this to say on their Facebook page:

Despite the unfortunate “typo” on the part of the pilot, the banner plane was a phenomenal success, circling downtown for two hours with a huge Battle Flag and a message that was perfectly clear, seen by thousands (including those gathered to protest our monuments) and, judging from the firestorm created on social media, obviously served to cause quite a few Anti-Confederate haters’ heads to explode on (visual) contact.
Mission accomplished.

Two notes:

1. People exploding in laughter is not the same thing as having heads explode.
2. We see again, by the Flaggers’ own admission, that their mission is to annoy and aggravate people, not to honor the service and sacrifice of Confederate soldiers.

We await the next feeble attempt at spin control.

A Reprimand from the SCV

Remember yesterday’s story about a new way to celebrate Confederate heritage … namely, this license plate-like magnet?

For $25?

Well, I hope you purchased one. They’ll be very rare items. See, the SCV didn’t take kindly to the unauthorized use of its logo by copyright queen Judy Parsons Smith. It did not take long for the SCV to convey that message.

The new version of the magnet?

It sells for $20–a $5 reduction … but then the size’s been reduced as well. No word on whether that price is in US dollars or Confederate money. Note also that the magnet “expires” in 1865 … still.

Understanding that perhaps a God-fearing person might not like to buy an item emblazoned with “POS” on it (it seems the Flaggers, who are so sensitive to obscene language elsewhere, don’t mind alluding to it themselves, which might open them up to the charge of being hypocrites … as if that was a surprise), the magnet can now be inscribed according to the buyer’s preferences. Perhaps “WE LOST” would do the trick.