By
Andrew DeMarco
Just last week we celebrated the 237th birthday of our country. That same week another key event in our history was being remembered. The Battle of Gettysburg which took place from July 1st through the 3rd, and was the turning point in the American Civil War, marked its sesquicentennial anniversary. It also reminded me of a trip my wife and I made to Gettysburg just last summer.
My wife and I are both very much into American History and were on our way back from Charlottesville, VA. after visiting the homes of Presidents Jefferson, Madison and Monroe. We were due to stop in Washington D.C. when a storm literally shut down the city, so we adapted and were able to get a room in Gettysburg. We arrived in Gettysburg very late and very hungry and were told by the people at the hotel that at that hour of the night and it being mid-week not much would be open. We set off into town anyway and found a Bar and Grill right on the square that was still open. With few options we went inside. Luckily there were a few people still in the place at the time and we were told that we would be the last to be served.
Our waitress was a young college student and she recommended the hamburgers. She told us that the burgers were named after the different generals of the Civil War and when they were served, depending on whether they were Blue or Gray, they would be delivered with the corresponding flag. I ordered a General Jubel Early and my wife ordered a General John Buford. When the burgers arrived hers had the Stars and Stripes but mine did not have the Stars and Bars (the confederate battle flag) but the real Confederate States of America flag. (This flag has three stripes, two red and one white and a field of blue with seven stars in a circle.) Now most people would not recognize this flag since the Stars and Bars is what is most associated with Confederacy.
After we woofed down our meal, which by the way was delicious, hungry or not it was an excellent burger, we asked our waitress about the Confederate flag. She told us that they use the Confederate States flag, since the Battle Flag offends some people. She then said that “I don’t understand it, after all it is a part of our history, and you can’t change it.” With that some other staff members who overheard our discussion came over and the debate really got started. With my wife and I acting as moderators most of those involved in the discussion were college students and it was very interesting to hear their take on this.
Our waitress was adamant that history should not be revised so as to not offend. Her reasoning was that if that if we keep revising history sooner or later someone would come up with the theory that,” Hitler was just misunderstood.” Our busboy agreed and chimed in that the real fight during the Civil War was over state’s rights and although slavery was offensive and wasn’t the best part of our nation’s history there was something to be learned from it. He mentioned that the founders delayed the slavery issue when adopting the Constitution in order to reach a compromise on the Constitution. Another waitress felt that it was an insult to the over 50 thousand who sacrificed themselves during this battle. She said, “It was something that they truly must have believed in for them to give their all.” They also found it odd that during the many reenactments which take place at Gettysburg; no one ever seems offended about the use of the Stars and Bars during these reenactments.
We heard the obvious that it is history and it is past, and we should take away something from it and move forward. They all admitted that there are some things about history that are not neat and pretty, but it is in the past and cannot be changed. We heard the clichés that those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it and one even quoted the motto of our National Archives, “The Past is Prologue.” Before we left these young people agreed to speak with the management of the establishment regarding this revision of history and maybe they could change their thinking.
On the walk back to the hotel, my wife and I were talking about how these kids were very aware of history and its importance in understanding where we are going forward as a country and society. Sometimes it is good to question present thinking and sentiment and it was good to see the younger generation expressing their feelings on an important issue like revisionist history. We started to think about those over 50 thousand who made a huge sacrifice over those 3 days 150 years ago. Maybe, just maybe, they would be proud of how those waiters and waitresses would remember them and not how some would revise their dedication and sacrifice. My wife and I thought that maybe there is hope for the younger generation (boy do I sound like my parents) and this filled us with that feeling that Cousin Bob would call that…..Rosy Glow.
Bob's Rosy Glow 