.....Something happened a while back where someone kept pushing at me, kept assuming things about me, even though I had been intentionally avoiding and not responding to this person over a period of months. Those of us who keep getting friend requests from people we do not know and who have never interacted with us publicly - not even a like here and there, to become known - may understand this phenomenon. (I've been sitting on this; but it sticks in my craw, so I am gonna say it. It's a difficult topic because - like profanity - some people use it amongst their familiar circles. What other people do is up to them and you - but this is what it signifies to me. Those seeking to watch their rhetoric and communicate to a wide group shall note it. Those who wish to dislike me for it can choose to do so. In fact, BRING IT. Show yourselves.)

.....MOST of the time, in my experience, when people have called me "sister" without a discussion on whether or not it's an appropriate term, they have meant me harm and deception. When I first got involved in heritage here in South Carolina, I was told "we are family" - by people who were lying to me and setting me up. Far worse were the people I grew up around, who constantly speak and spoke about our "____ _____ family." Those people, covering for pedophiles (convicted and not-yet convicted) and other exploiters of the young and vulnerable, enjoy the sense of trust that such terms can evoke.

.....I have a sister. It's a problematic relationship. In many ways she saved my life growing up and cared for me like no one else. But she was much hurt, by blood family through strangers. After decades, she became an unsafe person - just like those who had been members of my "____ _____ family."

.....I can more easily dismiss the usage amongst those people who call everyone sister, sweetie, dearie and such. But for politically-active people like heritage fighters ALL must be in this world, the use of such terms is suspect. When the users of such terms are clearly ignoring what I actually say and do (and don't say and do), alarm bells go off. It's an imprecise usage that neglects the individual and veers into identity politics - particularly when users aren't very good at distinguishing between descendants and non-descendants (both valuable), haters and non-haters (NOT equivalent in value - and make no mistake, the haters seek to eliminate the non-haters in order to "own the assets").

.....I have been online and "in heritage" for a good seven years. My experience is that I am still treated like someone with a target on my back for daring to be honest about what I feel. I *have* people and groups I have been in that have NEVER made me feel that way. But such groups are either non-controversial, or the entrance or maintenance requirements are such that they are difficult to become a part of. Such is a necessary reality of any group such as ours - where we are under attack, and where those people who pretend to be a part of heritage are actually more interested in the OTHER THINGS they care about.

.....I have been fortunate in that I have made associations online via Facebook and social media platforms that have perfectly translated into real life (and there are more such people which I have not met as yet, but whom I believe shall be the same - and y'all ought to know whom you are). These are people who are precise about their words amongst all audiences, and do not change according to different groups and surroundings. These are people who do not presume to use terms which signify different things to different people, nor portray themselves as something they are NOT. These are people who recognize the realities, who aren't afraid to say "i don't know."

.....I realize that it is fashionable amongst some to call themselves "brethren and sistern" (as we used to joke), as people call themselves brothers and sisters in Christ. But online, we must be careful - to take care that we are not casting THE MOST VULNERABLE AMONGST US to demons by exciting hopes which may be exploited, as pedophiles (and California Democrats), conmen and other liars and manipulators have oft-done.

.....We do not know people's hearts and can only judge by what we see. No one is providing anyone with any guarantees on anything. Trust is earned, and CONTINUALLY re-earned. In a world wherein GENERAL ROBERT E. LEE & JEFFERSON DAVIS get thrown under the bus regularly, there is NO work and NO resume credit that gets anyone anything amongst all audiences. We SERVE and SERVE again, and just accounting shall only be made in Heaven by Our Lord who sees hearts and judges fairly.

.....Finally, I have a responsibility to ensure that people who are out there calling themselves my brother and my sister because they carry a Battle Flag know that I have my eye on them as well. Yes, I see the power in having a big group working together. But until we ensure that the HATERS and USERS - which have been organized within us FOR A CENTURY, and whose legacy is STILL NOT OWNED - we have few rights in judging others and exempting ourselves. I shall not be a hypocrite in this area, particularly when I have more than one direct, real-life experience of being targeted by such, and know that OTHERS ARE STILL BEING USED, TARGETED AND DEGRADED by many of the same people.

....As long as many of my (and others') posts and pages get blocked, and suspended from FB, for attempting to speak truth, and seeing "my family" go after the truth whilst PRETENDING many things, we have BIG issues. I shall not stand by for people whom I do not know what all their "hard work" that cannot be plainly understood and explained means.

.....There are far too many people who care more about their "power" and "award-winning" "clever" strategems than about being open amongst all audiences. There are far too many people who, rather than going out, leading through doing (being thankful for what others can and choose to do) and inspiring others to follow, insist on berating and blaming other people who won't get into lock-step, nor give money they do not have (as though Southrons and Our Lord measured a man's worth by the money they have). If you are my brother and sister, pay my share for me. Take care of it, without complaint (this is sarcasm, to critique the difference - and those who ARE leading in the correct, healthy ways, GOD BLESS YOU).

.....There's a common exploitive technique that I fought for decades - of the people who are PRETENDING to be nice, who are forcing me to either be quiet as they go on and on about how great and friendly they are, EXPLOITING ME and whatever little mites I have contributed, in work or good will, counting on the fact that my choices are two: 1) to stay silent, and allow them to use me; or 2) for me to speak up on what I see that I do not like, which makes ME the target. It's a "win-win", and it is Leftist Manipulation 101. Of course, they whine and complain, and manipulate those who like them into coming to their defense - when they have manipulated the whole thing to start with. This is how groups are destroyed, and I have seen it TIME AND TIME AGAIN.

....Forewarned is forearmed. God bless anyone reading this through. It's not merely the history of the Confederacy - whether our Ancestors, our Fathers, or the Men we have chosen to honor - that we need to educate each other about, but how the devil and those who serve him (intentionally and unintentionally) attack.