Column demonstrates ignorance of U.S. history

This is in response to the column by Nick Christie, "Attacking the beloved South."

Nick, I'm sorry you feel the way you do about the South and Southerners. I wonder if you have any friends there at Duke. The last time I looked at a map it was still in the South.

So you will know where I am coming from, I am white, 66 years of age, college- educated, former Navy Fighter Pilot, retired airline pilot and Southern through and through. All of my ancestors came to this country during the colonial period.

Throughout my lifetime I have seen and heard the likes of you who complain about and condemn Southerners and their heritage. It doesn't make any difference what the subject is. "Your kind" feels disenfranchised and you attack the South and it's heritage because you are not a part of it and because you are so full of hatred.

You cannot see that the miniscule number of events you focus on do not represent the values and culture of the beloved South. I will not defend any crime or injustice committed anywhere in this country at any time or place, but I will remind you that the South has a wonderful, rich heritage that you can not and never will know about and experience until you take off your blinders.

I have been fortunate enough in my lifetime to have traveled to many parts of this world in the past forty years and have witnessed enough to convince me that living in the South is the best place to be, Durham included.

I love history. It is one of my hobbies, especially American history. I suppose you have no knowledge of murders, hangings, etc., in other parts of this country. It has happened in all parts of this country and the world. Do you know about the race riot in New York City during the American Civil War during which blacks were beaten, burned and hung? But we do not condemn entire regions and cultures because of past injustices that occurred there. You need some education in the history of this country that you obviously are not getting at Duke.

Until then, it is probably best that you stay with reporting sports.