Newspaper Article

Saturday Talk

NICHOLE MOSER, RANDY ALFRED, CHET MCQUAIDE, ROBERT HENRY, JAMES F. SHOCKLEY, JOHN B. SPAFFORD, MATT DUNCAN, ROBERT J. NEBEL, PATRICIA GAINEY, CALVIN E. JOHNSON JR., MARY OWENS, JIM CHEEK, BOB POWELL, JOE CANO

2003

Overview

I am becoming more and more uneasy about the trend toward radical nationalism gripping this country. It seems that anyone who attempts to criticize or speculate on the wisdom of any decision of the [George W. Bush] administration is labeled a traitor and guilty of sedition. I love my country, and I hope that every American does as well. Fervent nationalism that attacks a person's right to question authority has the potential to be as dangerous as radical Islamists. I hope Stone Mountain Park authorities will reconsider and grant permission to the Sons of Confederate Veterans and Military Order of Stars and Bars to hold their April 26 Confederate memorial on the grounds of the great Southern carving. God bless America! When Stone Mountain Park was created, it was to serve as a Confederate memorial and as a place of public recreation. The lawn in front of the carving was designated as Memorial Lawn. It appears that the private management company that now controls much of Stone Mountain Park knows a lot about creating pseudo-history in order to generate income, i.e., blacksmith shops and glass blowing shops at the base of the mountain selling high-priced souvenirs, but their spokesperson knows nothing about the true history of the park.

• Publisher: Atlanta Journal Constitution, LLC