Day 327
10 hrs 30 .4 kms
Day Totals: 16 hrs, 40.4 kms

Next to it is a plaque that reminds visitors that Virginia is the birthplace of 8 US presidents. In fact, 4 of the first five US presidents were from Virginia. Clearly this had a disproportionately large amount of influence in the founding of this country.

This gets me thinking... could it be that this was a factor in Southern Secession and the Civil War? Could it be that "The South"--particularly Virginia had a lot of power in the early years of this country--and they felt that this power was slipping away from them?

It's a thought. And The South still holds a lot of sway to this day... 4 of the last 6 presidents have been from The South.

Virginia played a pivotal role in the 2008 election of Barack Obama. It was the "tipping point" state that went to Obama, insuring the election of an African America to the White House .

So did the old school Southerners all have a sudden change of heart towards African Americans? Not quite... Virginia went Democrat mainly due to a large population growth around Greater Washington DC--turning this very "Red State" into a polarized state, mainly Democrat in the DC suburbs and mainly Republican in the rest of the state.

Maybe Virginia will need to fight its own internal "Civil War" to sort this all out!

My South Experience

I don't expect anything to change once I enter the south. But, just seconds after I cross the border, a car pulls up. It's an African American, and he offers me a ride. I reluctantly refuse--I hate to turn down such a kind gesture... Then, not 2 minutes later, ANOTHER guy stops and offers me a ride!

Coincidence? Or is there something truly different about culture in The South? A few minutes later a see a white fellow and a black fellow walking side by side along the road through the countryside ...

Of course, there are still quirky throwbacks to the "old days"--like a parking space with a sign "Reserved for Confederates--all others go back North!"

Another thing I notice is the change of landscape. Whereas in the North, the hills and plains are cultivated pretty intensely, with land either used for farming or for homes and businesses. Here it seems people are content to just leave much of their land open pastures. I wonder if it was like this before--the Shenadoah was considered a "breakbasket" back in the day...

And finally, I reach my first Southern town: Berryville

My First Southern Town

Berryville is just a small town, but it's the county seat of Clarke County. A good place to get a glimpse of Southern culture. The first thing I spot is a white guy, black guy and a Latino guy walking side by side ... Looking good. I also notice that almost everybody--including teenagers, gives me a friendly greeting.

But when I reach the county courthouse, I get a bit of a different image: there's a monument which looks fairly recent that reads:

"Dedicated to the Sons of Clarke County who gave their lives in defense of rights of the States and Constitutional Government. Fate denied them success, but they achieved imperishible fame"

hmmm... so this is the Official Government Version of why the Civil War was fought... why do I get the impression that something is missing here? What "States rights" are we talking about here?

Fortunately, the reasons that the South seceded from the Union was clearly documented and is available online, so later on I decide to look it up, the "Declaration of the Immediate Causes Which Induce and Justify the Secession from the Federal Union"

Yep ... when they talk about "states rights", they mean the States Rights to practice slavery unhindered. And when they say "Constitutional Government" their talking about a clause in the constitution, which says escaped slaves should be returned to their masters. In fact, slavery is the central theme of the entire declaration.

When Mississippi drafted their declaration, they made it even more clear: “Our position is thoroughly identified with the institution of slavery — the greatest material interest of the world, Its labor supplies the product which constitutes by far the largest and most important portions of the commerce of the earth. . . . A blow at slavery is a blow at commerce and civilization"

Destroying slavery is equal to destroying civilization. Wow. These guys were pretty messed up in their heads.

When the truth is so obvious, and available with minimal research, why does the government of Clarke County try to make the Southern struggle some sort of noble venture of "defending their rights" and imply that it was a tragedy that they didn't "succeed"? I mean, this isn't some Old Southern Boys Nostalgia Club--this is the county government! I mean, how do local black people here feel when they read this? (the few that are left--the black population went from 55% to 7% after the Civil War) .

Why is it so hard to just come out and say it: Southern society and culture was really, really screwed up. This wasn't just a matter of there being an oppressed underclass... this was a matter of a large portion of the population being treated worse than animals. Things had to change and the Southern "way of life" needed to come to an end. We wish this change had taken place in a more peaceful way--but it did need to take place. It was not a noble venture to defend this way of life.

But then, on the other hand, considering the cruel, deliberate destruction the North inflicted on this Valley in the latter days of the Civil War, I could certainly understand why people here would have a hard time seeing themselves as the "bad guys".

As I walk through the streets, waving to an elderly African American lady on one side and a young white father with his children on the other... I wonder ... what sort of monument should there be for those who fought in Civil War?

I don't think there needs to be an explanation... nor a deceptive attempt to justify it as a "good cause". Just something like "In memory of those who lost their lives in this tragic war. And the widows and children they left behind"...

Actually I don't think this should be the central monument at all. Why not a monument to the builders, designers, architects, businessmen, farmers who struggled to clear the land, build homes and shops, lay out roads create a functioning civilization and society here in Clarke County? Shouldn't those be the heroes who really get the attention here? I'm sure some of them died as well in the line of duty!

I continue to ponder this as I leave town, pausing to watch the high school band practice in preparation for the football season... then on across the countryside, as sunlight fades, and I reach the city of Winchester... and call it a day.