SC Division Commander's Statement
If you are visiting our web site for the first time, or you’re wanting to know more about the Sons of Confederate Veterans, then please read on.
The citizen-soldiers who fought for the Confederacy personified the best qualities of America. The preservation of liberty and freedom was the motivating factor in the South's decision to fight the Second American Revolution. The tenacity with which Confederate soldiers fought underscored their belief in the rights guaranteed by the Constitution. These attributes are the underpinning of our democratic society and represent the foundation on which this nation was built.
Today, the Sons of Confederate Veterans is preserving the history and legacy of these heroes, so future generations can understand the motives that animated the Southern Cause.
The SCV is the direct heir of the United Confederate Veterans, and the oldest hereditary organization for male descendents of Confederate soldiers. Organized at Richmond, Virginia in 1896, the SCV continues to serve as a historical, patriotic, and non-political organization dedicated to ensuring that a true history of the 1861-1865 period is preserved.
Now, nearly 150 years from the time of Secession (December 1860), contemporary American understanding and perception of the time is mostly vague and unclear. To the men of the Sons of Confederate Veterans (SCV) it is just the opposite. While some men re-enact the battles and participate in “living histories” of the 1860 period, many members do not. But whether we re-enact or not, we are all bound together by a common interest and unique bond that clearly defines who we are and what motivates us today. The following statement, in part, explains who we are.
October 15, 2010
In response to a news story regarding the Confederate Flag flown at a private residence in Summerville, SC, the following statement has been prepared for public release from the Commander, South Carolina Division, Sons of Confederate Veterans:
The Sons of Confederate Veterans is a historical, benevolent, patriotic and nonpolitical organization committed to preserving the history and legacy of the American Confederate soldier who served from 1861 – 1865.
Furthermore, the SCV supports the right of free speech for all Americans in accordance with the United States Constitution, including the right to display symbols of culture and heritage embraced by its citizenry provided there is no violation of any State or local laws.
As to the Confederate Flag and other symbols of Southern Heritage, we believe behavior that fails to exemplify the principles of tolerance and respect is unacceptable. Therefore we encourage all Americans to study their history in order to understand the motives that eventually brought about secession and the War for Southern Independence.
Finally, it is our shared hope that all Americans, regardless of culture, race, religion or ethnic origin, appreciate and respect differing views thus striving for better understanding and tolerance within our communities. We believe that all people are worthy of respect and we celebrate the diversity that exists among peoples of these United States of America.
Charge to the Sons of Confederate Veterans:
"To you, Sons of Confederate Veterans, we will commit the vindication of the cause for which we fought. To your strength will be given the defense of the Confederate soldier's good name, the guardianship of his history, the emulation of his virtues, the perpetuation of those principles which he loved and which you love also, and those ideals which made him glorious and which you also cherish."
- Lt. General Stephen Dill Lee, Commander General
United Confederate Veterans,
New Orleans, Louisiana, April 25, 1906.
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