Sam,

BTW, welcome to the message boards and I also want to acknowledge the Lincoln Studies group and your valuable website.

We recently had a discussion, I was probably the instigator, about terms, such as, "Neo-Con", "Neo-Conservative", "Neo-Confederate" and concerns that the origins of these terms were creations of antagonists of Conservatism or in the case of "Neo-Confederate" was anti-Southern in its origins. The connection with the term "neo-Nazis", which is the first exposure many of us had to this prefix describing modern day white supremacists and skinheads is uncomfortable, to say the least. As a lifelong Conservative and Republican, I do not use the term "neo-Con" to describe myself, nor do I appreciate its use to label, Reagan Democrats or more socially conservative Democrats who have joined the Republican Party. I guess I'd have to ask myself, why use a term coined by my political opponents?

The term neo-Confederate, also appears to be a creation of those who wish to label Southerners who honor or revere or promote their Confederate heritage. I do not believe it is a complimentary description, but is an attempt to demean, minimalize or categorize Southerners, as holding on to the worst aspects of Southern heritage, not the best. What is your definition of neo-Confederate?

I don't think you mean disrespect or insult by using the term. Neo-Confederate is used regularly by the media and others to describe members of Confederate heritage groups, reenactors, or supporters of the display of Confederate emblems. I think George Purvis takes issue with the "comfortable" use of the term and many on this board choose not to be identified by this term. This may seem petty, but think about how you would like to be categorized as a neo-Unionist or neo-Abolitionist.

Please don't be taken aback by the response to your post. As I said, we have just had a discussion about these terms within the last couple of weeks.

Just so you know, I'm a half-breed with an equal number of Confederate and Union ancestors. I honor them equally, but I was raised in the South, so culturally I'm Southern.

Glad you're here.

Jim Martin