Bacon's Rebellion

Democracy Thrives in Sunlight

Well, They Went and Done It

—

by

James A. Bacon
in ,

Photo credit: The Generals Redoubt

Washington & Lee has set a new precedent in the culture wars — it has cancelled a horse. Robert E. Lee’s horse Traveller, to be precise. A plaque dedicated to the memory of the renowned steed was removed yesterday in a larger purge of references to its rider, who salvaged the university from extinction after the Civil War. (See an enumeration of purge actions here.)

The zeal of W&L President William C. Dudley and his minions has no limits in their campaign to transform W&L from an elite liberal arts university build upon Southern traditions into an elite liberal arts bastion of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. No detail is too small to be expunged. Dudley’s notion of inclusion and belonging, it appears, does not extend to the thousands of alumni who have demonstrated lifetime commitments to the university and its traditions, nor to the man who stood for reconciliation between North and South after the nation’s bloodiest war.

The closest historical analogy I can think of is with the French revolutionaries who marked their new era by proclaiming 1792 as year 1 of the new republic, sweeping away all vestiges of the ancien regime. We all know how that turned out. Well, maybe we don’t. Washington & Lee teaches as much African and African-American history as European history these days. (Literally.) Here’s how the Revolution turned out: Year 2 of the new republic introduced the Terror, notable for its revolutionary tribunals and mass beheadings. That’s what you get from people who never forget or forgive.

— JAB

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49 responses to “Well, They Went and Done It”

  1. William O'Keefe Avatar
    William O’Keefe

    This is a figurative example of kicking a dead horse and says a lot about Dudley and his minions. I’ve been told that a former president closed the doors to Traveler’s barn and that the backlash was so great that she was gone a few months later. If we’re lucky, Dudley will have the same fate.

  2. Eric the half a troll Avatar
    Eric the half a troll

    “Well, maybe we don’t. Washington & Lee teaches as much African and African-American history as European history these days. (Literally.)”

    Why would you find that troubling?

    1. walter smith Avatar
      walter smith

      Hmmm….
      How is Africa doing today? Which history has more applicability to the world built by Western Civ? So, other than for for esoteric “knowledge,” comparatively, which field has more applicability to the real world?
      Will they do the part where the Africans sold other Africans into slavery, as opposed to imprisoning or killing them?
      Most colleges would actually be better academically if they eliminated about half of the course catalog – cheaper and better academic outcomes. What a concept!
      Parents need to start calculating ROI cuz it ain’t there…
      So do the students!
      Did you see stats where 1/3rd of the freeloading fake-elitists upped their spending in reliance on their loans being pushed off on responsible people?

      1. Nancy Naive Avatar
        Nancy Naive

        Are your prejudices restricted to Subsaharan Africa, or are you including Mediterranean countries like, oh say, Egypt in your not contributing like Western Civilization?

        Just curious.

        Because, since the Hebrew nation of Israel, including Jesus, might be surprised that you could also exclude Asia thusly.

        1. walter smith Avatar
          walter smith

          And other than your snark, how exactly is Ancient Egypt or Turkey during Christian beginnings relevant to the point. Their times passed. Turkey is busy trying to stamp out Christianity. Africa actually has some Episcopalians who believe in the Bible, unlike the Whiskeypalians in America. But as to how our society got to where it is today, it was JudeoChristian, Western Civ and the abandonment of those mores explains a whole lot of the decline we see in the current mores. Not an improvement, which, by chance, happens everywhere “Progressive” policies get implemented…

          1. Nancy Naive Avatar
            Nancy Naive

            “ And other than your snark, how exactly is Ancient Egypt or Turkey during Christian beginnings relevant to the point. Their times passed.”

            So too then for the Confederacy… let it go.

          2. M. Purdy Avatar
            M. Purdy

            What’s more Christian than subjugating an entire race as human chattel, then starting the bloodiest war in American history to defend and expand that horrific institution?

          3. Nancy Naive Avatar
            Nancy Naive

            Which? The Revolution, or the Civil? Both wars led to a continuation of the institution, and there is evidence it played more than a passing role in the former.

            It’s the whiteness of thinking Western Civilization is the be all end all of modern thought that is incredibly ignorant.

            While these Brit-descendant’s ancestors were huddled in mud huts, the peoples of the middle east were walking on lighted streets.

          4. Tom B Avatar
            Tom B

            If the whiteness of Western Civ is ignorant, what of all the POC who are risking everything to get into Europe, US and Canada? Are they stupid for wanting to come here?

            If you actually talk to the immigrants in the US, you will find they have no respect for the liberal and black populations who don’t appreciate the opportunities here and they view as lazy and stupid.

          5. walter smith Avatar
            walter smith

            And what’s more Christian than ending the practice, which was Christian influence? Unless, of course, it is useful to Democrats like the human trafficking at the border, or the Chinese trading partners treatment of the Uighurs?
            And where did the elevating principle of “all men are created equal” come from? Jefferson’s pen, but classical, Western Judeo Civ principles. Slavery has existed from the beginning of time, and exists today, but you guys like it when you get to do it, or when you think you have a pedantic point to make, while ignoring your part in it, too.
            “An entire human race” – bit of an exaggeration there, Sport. Along with that “race’s” participation in it from the sales in Africa to even owning other slaves here in America. And far more slaves went to places like the Caribbean and Brazil. Slavery is a pox on the human race. Drop the non-existent moral superiority and relativism.

          6. M. Purdy Avatar
            M. Purdy

            You’re all over the place. As is typical among the Jeff Council folks, there’s not even an attempt at intellectual consistency.

          7. walter smith Avatar
            walter smith

            Yes, the old non-reply because you can’t refute the points…
            Lemme know if you ever stop being perfect…

          8. Nancy Naive Avatar
            Nancy Naive

            Consistency is the hobgoblin of small minds… oh, wait! Make that foolish consistency. That, they have.

          9. walter smith Avatar
            walter smith

            As usual, changing the subject, what have I ever said about the Confederacy?
            Here’s a deal – I’ll drop the Confederacy, which I never bring up, you drop the Marxism.

          10. Nancy Naive Avatar
            Nancy Naive

            In case you didn’t notice, this whole article is based on the confederacy and zero on student loans.

          11. walter smith Avatar
            walter smith

            Yes and this thread started with full Troll taking offense at Jim suggesting an equal number of African history courses as European may have been an imbalance…
            Which it is.
            By the way, removing a plaque to a horse is just petty and beyond stupid.
            He lives in Virginia…maybe re-name the State. Does W&L do the stupid land acknowledgements? HOw about Dudley prove he means it by giving his house back to the Indians. Better yet, all the Commie Cape Codders…
            Calling BS on you hypocrites.

          12. Nancy Naive Avatar
            Nancy Naive

            Zero. Hold that.

            We study “our” history. Ideas, people, things. “Our” is everyone. Everyone contributes. The ideas that comprise Western Civilization came from everywhere. You can find the influences from multiple civilizations in the various western “humanities”.

            If Western Civ was solely the product Europe, we’d be using Roman numerals without a concept of zero.

            James, and you, are describing one period of Western Civilization where everything was easily explained and strictly a homegrown civilization — the Dark Age.

            What we learn (relearn) now influences what we do going foward.

          13. Nancy Naive Avatar
            Nancy Naive

            Zero. Hold that.

            We study “our” history. Ideas, people, things. “Our” is everyone. Everyone contributes. The ideas that comprise Western Civilization came from everywhere. You can find the influences from multiple civilizations in the various western “humanities”.

            If Western Civ was solely the product Europe, we’d be using Roman numerals without a concept of zero.

            James, and you, are describing one period of Western Civilization where everything was easily explained and strictly a homegrown civilization — the Dark Age.

            What we learn (relearn) now influences what we do going foward.

          14. Nancy Naive Avatar
            Nancy Naive

            Zero. Hold that.

            We study “our” history. Ideas, people, things. “Our” is everyone. Everyone contributes. The ideas that comprise Western Civilization came from everywhere. You can find the influences from multiple civilizations in the various western “humanities”.

            If Western Civ was solely the product Europe, we’d be using Roman numerals without a concept of zero.

            James, and you, are describing one period of Western Civilization where everything was easily explained and strictly a homegrown civilization — the Dark Age.

            What we learn (relearn) now influences what we do going foward.

          15. Nancy Naive Avatar
            Nancy Naive

            Zero. Hold that.

            We study “our” history. Ideas, people, things. “Our” is everyone. Everyone contributes. The ideas that comprise Western Civilization came from everywhere. You can find the influences from multiple civilizations in the various western “humanities”.

            If Western Civ was solely the product Europe, we’d be using Roman numerals without a concept of zero.

            James, and you, are describing one period of Western Civilization where everything was easily explained and strictly a homegrown civilization — the Dark Age.

            What we learn (relearn) now influences what we do going foward.

          16. Eric the half a troll Avatar
            Eric the half a troll

            “By the way, removing a plaque to a horse is just petty and beyond stupid.”

            Having a plaque… no, strike that… a headstone to a horse is what is beyond stupid.

          17. walter smith Avatar
            walter smith

            Pet rocks, Have a Nice Day, Tik Tok, inner city education (the abysmal lack of), single parent dooming of many kids to bad outcomes…yes, removing a plaque to a horse makes things better! See how virtuous I am. Theater. But “hypocrite” came from Greek theater, so maybe just being consistent over the millenia…

          18. Eric the half a troll Avatar
            Eric the half a troll

            “But as to how our society got to where it is today, it was JudeoChristian, Western Civ and the abandonment of those mores explains a whole lot of the decline we see in the current mores.”

            JudeoChristian “mores” of today have more in common with those practiced in Turkey where they are supposedly “busy trying to stamp out Christianity” than secular modern “Western Civilization”.

      2. Eric the half a troll Avatar
        Eric the half a troll

        “How is Africa doing today?”

        From wiki:

        “…as of 2013 Africa was the world’s fastest-growing continent at 5.6% a year, and GDP is expected to rise by an average of over 6% a year between 2013 and 2023. In 2017, the African Development Bank reported Africa to be the world’s second-fastest growing economy, and estimates that average growth will rebound to 3.4% in 2017, while growth is expected to increase by 4.3% in 2018. Growth has been present throughout the continent, with over one-third of African countries posting 6% or higher growth rates, and another 40% growing between 4% and 6% per year. Several international business observers have also named Africa as the future economic growth engine of the world.”

        “Which history has more applicability to the world built by Western Civ?”

        Given the role of colonialism in the rise of the European nation state globally, I’d say Africa (and its history and resources) played a pretty significant role. Certainly worth studying…

      3. Eric the half a troll Avatar
        Eric the half a troll

        “How is Africa doing today?”

        From wiki:

        “…as of 2013 Africa was the world’s fastest-growing continent at 5.6% a year, and GDP is expected to rise by an average of over 6% a year between 2013 and 2023. In 2017, the African Development Bank reported Africa to be the world’s second-fastest growing economy, and estimates that average growth will rebound to 3.4% in 2017, while growth is expected to increase by 4.3% in 2018. Growth has been present throughout the continent, with over one-third of African countries posting 6% or higher growth rates, and another 40% growing between 4% and 6% per year. Several international business observers have also named Africa as the future economic growth engine of the world.”

        “Which history has more applicability to the world built by Western Civ?”

        Given the role of colonialism in the rise of the European nation state globally, I’d say Africa (and its history and resources) played a pretty significant role. Certainly worth studying…

        1. walter smith Avatar
          walter smith

          Not saying not worth studying, saying the emphasis is misplaced. Not that hard to understand. Unless you intend to.

          1. Eric the half a troll Avatar
            Eric the half a troll

            The emphasis (if measured by the reported number of classes offered) is equal. Equal seems appropriate to me.

    2. James A. Bacon Avatar
      James A. Bacon

      Why would I find that troubling? Perhaps because American society, institutions, and values, for better or worse, are descended from European philosophical, religious, political, military, artistic, economic antecedents, and our institutions — not, except in minor cases, from African antecedents. Surely, there is value in learning about African tradition — I have a M.A. in African history — just as there is from other civilizations and cultures. But if you want to understand the society we live in, you need to understand how it got where it is.

      1. Nancy Naive Avatar
        Nancy Naive

        Oh, c’mon James! Even you can only have a maximum of 2, maybe 3, percent Neanderthal DNA — European.

        If you are attributing to European philosophy, religion, art, military, etc., etc., the property of spontaneous generation, please bundle up your diplomas and mail them back to UVa with an apology.

        Now let’s go have a nice plate of the Southern delicacy, fried okra.

      2. M. Purdy Avatar
        M. Purdy

        In your master’s program, did you study the African diaspora in the Americas, especially the American South?

        1. Nancy Naive Avatar
          Nancy Naive

          Well, apparently it didn’t take.

      3. Eric the half a troll Avatar
        Eric the half a troll

        “But if you want to understand the society we live in, you need to understand how it got where it is.”

        I thought college was there to broaden the mind and expose the student to new ideas and information. Isn’t that why you studied Africa for your MA? But is your position now that courses offered need to be representative proportionally to the racial history of the student body or population? That seems to be what you are advocating but I don’t want to put words in your mouth.

        To me offerings relevant to all cultures equally would be appropriate and beneficial. If European culture was being suppressed, you might have a point but clearly it is available for those who seek it.

  3. M. Purdy Avatar
    M. Purdy

    “Southern traditions”: like what exactly? And I would say that the closest historical analogy, both in time and rationale, is the removal of symbols and statues in Eastern Europe following the end of communism.

    1. Nancy Naive Avatar
      Nancy Naive

      Well, confirms my suspicions about how “close” Southerners were with their horses… Tradition, eh?

      1. M. Purdy Avatar
        M. Purdy

        I wish it were that simple…the “tradition” that so many in Lexington are trying to maintain is white supremacy and its symbolic manifestation, the Lost Cause.

        1. Donald Smith Avatar
          Donald Smith

          I would love to read a Bacon’s Rebellion article from you, under your full name, where you explain that actions like this are necessary, in order to cleanse Virginia of its white supremacy infection. I’m confident James will print it.

          1. M. Purdy Avatar
            M. Purdy

            It’s really quite simple. I think monuments that venerate white supremacy and white supremacists should be removed.

  4. James Wyatt Whitehead Avatar
    James Wyatt Whitehead

    It costs 83,000 dollars a year to go to this college without aid. Who in their right mind would cut such a check? 449 students from last year’s freshman class need to have their heads examined.

  5. Nancy Naive Avatar
    Nancy Naive

    Again, 1971. Not exactly of “historical” significance.

    As traditions go, it was better when the students would carve their initials in the bones.

    Trooper? Traveller? Close.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtSPFXj_eZM

  6. Turbocohen Avatar
    Turbocohen

    This reeks of ethnic cleansing.. Who knew there were anti white horse supremacists at W&L. Was this stone a biological threat to Mein Führer Dudleys master race in Lexington?

  7. Turbocohen Avatar
    Turbocohen

    This reeks of ethnic cleansing.. Who knew there were anti white horse supremacists at W&L. Was this stone a biological threat to Mein Führer Dudleys master race in Lexington?

  8. beachguy Avatar
    beachguy

    How about FDR’s dog, Fala? Should they desecrate his grave too? WWII probably makes some folks out there “Uncomfortable”.

    1. f/k/a_tmtfairfax Avatar
      f/k/a_tmtfairfax

      It was FDR who approved of the forced movement of Japanese Americans to interment camps. But I guess his dog gets a pass. When we move the “debate” to animals, we’ve gone beyond hope.

  9. Donald Smith Avatar
    Donald Smith

    I guess this is what progressives actually need. President Dudley must have known how silly this would make him and the university leadership look. Yet W&L went ahead and did it.

    This action indicates that modern-day progressives really are triggered by small things, and are emotionally and culturally brittle.

    FYI, signs mentioning General A.P. Hill’s wife and horse have been covered over at Fort A.P. Hill. Again, we are now free to presume that this was necessary to appease culturally and emotionally brittle groups in our society. As they said on “CSI,” follow the evidence.

    This also explains why VMI sandblasted Stonewall Jackson’s name off of Jackson Arch. Moving his statue apparently wasn’t enough, it seems, for the modern-day VMI cadet. He/she/??? must really have been triggered by seeing Stonewall’s name on an arch. Most of us on these boards couldn’t have imagined something so silly. But the evidence is building, that that really was the case.

    We’ve also reached a point where elite institutions like VMI and W&L no longer care how they are perceived by the general public. Duly noted

  10. beachguy Avatar
    beachguy

    FDR may have been caught up in “Russian Colussion” !! I”ve heard there’s pictures of him at Yalta whispering something to Stalin. Maybe the Jan 6 committee can verify this.

  11. f/k/a_tmtfairfax Avatar
    f/k/a_tmtfairfax

    Congress should pass a law prohibiting any federal aid to any college or university that pays its president more than the President of the United States makes. Measure total compensation, including bonuses, benefits, housing, deferred compensation, retirement and the like.

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