Scene: Jordan’s office in Washington, DC.  (More about author and the general content of the Blog, Entry #1.  More entries about issues surrounding the Confederate Battle Flag, #142.)

Jordan: “Gelly, could you do me a favor, please? Get Ms. on the line? She’s hard to track down.”

Gelly: “OK, but it might take a while.”

Jordan: “That’s alright. I have plenty to do.”

(Short time later)

Gelly: “Jordan, Ms. Is on the line.”

Jordan: “Thanks, Gelly. That was fast.”……”Ms., how are you?”

Ms.: “Fine, thank you. The Big Dog can’t dial the phone anymore? Didn’t know you were so important.”

Jordan: “You know you are always on the go and never easy to find.”

Ms.: “What’s up?”

Jordan: “I want to discuss erections.”

Ms.: “Maybe my question should have been, ‘What’s not up?’ You really need to visit a doctor.”

Jordan: “Why do women in my life give me such a hard time? Not that kind of erection.”

Ms.: “I’m glad that’s not the problem. Why do we give you such a hard time? Because you make yourself such an easy target. Now, what kind of erection do you want to talk about?”

Jordan: “Erections like building and monuments and statues.”

Ms.: “What do I know? I’m not an architect.”

Jordan: “You were born and reared in the south but as an adult have lived all over. I need to understand why southerners are so obsessed with the Civil War.”

Ms.: “Be more specific.”

Jordan: “Why the insistence on having all the monuments to a cause that failed? I don’t get it.”

Ms.: “You don’t get it because you are not southern.”

Jordan: “That is not an answer.”

Ms.: “Some of the people are truly trying to honor ancestors, who happened to be on the losing side.”

Jordan: “I’ll buy that argument and I understand that. And there are ways to honor those folks tastefully and privately.”

Ms.: “Then there is the group that is still in denial.”

Jordan: “150+ years after the Civil War and still in denial?”

Ms.: “Like I said, you don’t understand southern culture do you?”

Jordan: “That’s why I called you.”

Ms.: “People in the south don’t want to admit they were wrong…or even worse, admit they lost.”

Jordan: “Do these folks understand how illogical their argument is? Monuments to rebels…actually terrorists.”

Ms.: “Since when do ideologues use reason?”

Jordan: “Just think about it? For the English, the colonists were rebels. Are there statues of George Washington in England? No. Do the French have statues of Hitler?”

Ms.: “Now, c’mon, Jordan. Those are unfair comparisons.”

Jordan: “What’s unfair about the comparisons? Why should the US erect monuments on public property to those who tried to secede or overthrow the government? Erecting a monument to a bunch of rebels makes no sense.”

Ms.: “I’ll be honest. I never thought about the Confederacy as a terrorist organization. I see your point. Why should a country honor those who tried to overthrow it?”

Jordan: “If you can understand the logic…and aren’t you, or at least were a member of the Daughters of the Confederacy…”

Ms.: “…and Daughters of the American Revolution…”

Jordan: “If you can understand the logic with all that history behind you, then how do we convey the same message to general public?”

Ms.: “You talking about just folks in the south or all the US?”

Jordan: “All the US but primarily the south. Growing up in the north, the Civil War was a bit of history but really a non-issue. Few people talked about it and no one was obsessed with it.”

Ms.: “I think the message needs to be just as you described to me. Honor the dead…but privately. The general message needs to be forthright, including asking the public why there should me memorials to terrorists? Don’t mince words.”

Jordan: “What about including comparisons to attitudes in France and Belgium about monuments to Hitler?”

Ms.: “The question about how the English view the colonists is really what changed my mind. You need to point out those examples.”

Jordan: “Anything else?”

Ms.: “You might want to add one more example, although I’m not sure you need it.”

Jordan: “What’s that?”

Ms.: “Never mind.”

Jordan: “What is it?”

Ms.: “Displaying the Confederate Battle Flag on government property is like asking Jews to display the swastika.”

Jordan: “You’re right. That one is over the top…and way to controversial. The discussion would go sideways immediately.”

Ms.: “Glad you agree.”

Jordan: “Who do we get to be the spokesperson for the campaign? Really we’re trying to put the actions of the Confederacy in the proper context and move on to more important topics?”

Ms.: “I understand…and agree with the logic about not honoring terrorists. Getting the message worded correctly might take some time. Let me think about that for a couple of days.”

Jordan: “Alright. Talk later. Thanks.

Ms.: “You’re welcome. And you can call me directly next time. Bye, Jordan.”

(Continued soon.)

Ebook format of recent series of entries on Federal Budget.  15 05 23 Do They Really Understand Entries #121-#130