SCV TELEGRAPH 11/04/2009
Compatriots,
First let me thank you for the overwhelming response you have given this initiative. Remember to use scv.we-care.com when doing your online shopping. Also remember to share this with friends and family members. As I said in the first message, a great many of you already shop on-line, this way you can support the SCV at the same time.
Of course with any new program some Compatriots might have concerns or complaints. I have received two, but I will clear up the confusion for all who might have thought the same but did not write. The SCV is not officially endorsing any business on the mall list. They are there for you to use as you see fit or are able. Certainly if you are already doing business with one of our Compatriots you should continue that and not switch.
The other side of that coin is, this opportunity could actually help a Compatriot's business. Many small businesses have on-line stores through eBay. You can go to eBay through our mall page and then to their store. Then we all win. Additionally, we have already had a member whose business does on-line sales, we are in the process of getting his business listed on the Mall page.
Again, thank you for the support you have shown so far, and when shopping on-line, please do so at scv.we-care.com
Deo Vindice
Chuck McMichael
scvcic72@gmail.com
SCV TELEGRAPH 10/20/2009
Compatriots,
You may remember a few years ago when we had a deal with Amazon where the SCV got a percentage of the money you spent there. Wouldn't it be nice to have places to shop where a portion of your money goes to support the SCV? Now you have that place, a whole mall in fact. A mall with hundreds of stores where each purchase helps the SCV. There you will find all the big name stores that you may already order from. Also there are discounts and coupons available.
We now have the SCV on-line Mall. We have partnered with an organization called We-Care. Their motto is Shop with Purpose. Well we certainly have a purpose!
The link is: http://scv.we-care.com/
Of course this can only be a successful venture if we use it. Please immediately book mark that page. For those who might forget to go there before shopping, you can download a reminder, so that if you go to, for example eBay or Amazon, a box will pop up that asked is you want a portion to got to the SCV, you will of course say yes! You can find the reminder program under the Downloads tab on the Mall page or go to:
http://scv.we-care.com/Downloads/Reminder/
Please go check this out and spread the word. Anyone can shop there! Send the links to all your friends and family. Use it for business purchases. Put in on your social networking sites like facebook. Make it a part of your signature on your emails. Put the link on your personal webpage. Below I have placed a web banner that you can attach the link to. I ask all SCV webmasters to put it on their sites. Notice that I have not used the SCV logo on the banner, that way any of our friends, like the UDC or OCR, can place it on their sites as well!
I truly believe this program will benefit us greatly. Be sure to forward this email to your contacts,and place this information in your newsletters. I hope you all enjoy using this service and I appreciate your efforts.
YOS
Chuck McMichael
CiC SCV
scvcic72@gmail.com
SCV TELEGRAPH 10/19/2009
Compatriots,
On Saturday October 17, 2009 the General Executive Council ( GEC ) held the annual fall meeting met at Elm Springs.
Below is a condensed account of the actions taken at that meeting.
1. Meeting opened at 8:30 AM with prayer, pledge, salute to the Confederate Flag and reading of The Charge.
2. Roll Call of Officers made. Thirteen were present and a quorum was established.
3. The Minutes of the pre and post Convention GEC meetings held at Hot Springs, AR were reviewed and approved.
4. Commander In Chief McMichael announced that an agreement has been reached with the trustees of Mt. Jackson Cemetery in VA regarding the financial support the SCV would provide. A large benefactor of the SCV asked the SCV assist the cemetery with some of the funds he left to the SCV. An agreement regarding this support was agreed to by the SCV and the cemetery trustees.
5. Executive Director Ben Sewell gave a report to the GEC outlining what maintenance work had been completed on Elm Springs. He discussed the increased rate of new membership applications and reinstatments of former members that GHQ has been receiving. He also stated that members have been making donations to the SCV Building Fund when renewing or reinstating their memberships.
6. Adjutant In Chief Simpson reported that the SCV had received two requests for funding of heritage related memorials. One request was deferred pending further discussion with the camp requesting funding. The request that was approved by the GEC will fund the procurement and installation of an historic marker for William Porcher Miles - designer of the St. Andrews Cross pattern Confederate Battle Flag - at the cemetery where he is buried in Monroe, County West Virginia.
7. Lt. Commander In Chief Givens discussed membership growth and the development of a speakers list for each division.
8. The Sam Davis Camp of Brentwood, Tennessee requested the GEC approve their proposed camp articles of incorporation. After discussion the GEC approved the camp incorporating. Note - the SCV Constitution requires any camp that wishes to incorporate to receive the permission of the GEC.
9. The GEC approved two additions to the convention guidelines. The first requires approval of host camps before altering the schedule of events that had previously been approved by the Commander in Chief . The second addition establishes deadlines for reunion host committees to submit convention information to the Convention Planning Committee for review prior to publication in the Confederate Veteran.
10. The GEC approved a policy on the use of the SCV logo. The details of the policy will be published on the SCV Telegraph, SCV Blog and the Confederate Veteran.
11. The GEC approved allowing Dixie Outfitters ( who we have an agreement with to sell shirts bearing the SCV Sesquicentennial logo ) to also sell license plates bearing the Sesquicentennial logo under the same conditions as the shirts are sold.
12. The Hardwick Case in South Carolina was discussed. The Litigation Review Committee will review the case and make a recommendation to the GEC regarding how to proceed.
13. Heritage Defense Chief Frank Earnest discussed the offer of a donation of land located on Interstate I-95 near the North Carolina / Virginia state line to the SCV.
14. Rev. Fayard discussed plans for the ground breaking for the new Jefferson Davis Presidential Library at Beauvior. The ground-breaking will be on Sunday December 6, 2009 -the anniversary of the death of President Davis. More details will soon be forthcoming.
15. The GEC voted to establish the rules that would govern the SCV's Bicentennial Endowment Fund.
16. The GEC voted to allow non-SCV members to join the Sesquicentennial Society.
17. An executive session was held dealing with SCV employee compensation and one disciplinary case.
18 The Commander In Chief announced that the SCV had established a relationship with an on-line mall. SCV members who purchase items thru the mall will generate funds for the SCV. Details to be soon announced.
19.Commander in Chief. McMichael announced the next meeting of the GEC would be on Saturday March 13, 2010 at Elm Springs.
20. The meeting ended with a closing prayer and the singing of DIXIE!
Preppared by:
Chuck Rand
Chief of Staff
chuckrand3@gmail.com
ARMY OF TENNESSEE
October 2009 Newsletter
Requires
SCV TELEGRAPH 09/29/2009
THE CIVIL WAR COURIER and SCV Cooperate in Publicizing Events:
Compatriots, I have spoken to Connie Payne, an editor of the Civil War Courier, Camp Chase Gazette and the Citizens Companion, regarding having SCV news and event information in these publications. We are being offered the opportunity to send our event announcements and / or post event reports for publication. This is a great opportunity to have your Division and Camp news reach a greater audience. Below you will find information on when / how information should be submitted for publication.
Notices should be sent to Connie Payne at companioneditor@gmail.com
Lets take advantage of this chance to get the word out to "keep the skeer on!"
Chuck Rand
Chief of Staff
chuckrand3@gmail.com
FORMAT:
All press releases, articles or other written items should be submitted as a MS WORD document. There is no word limit.
All photographs to accompany such articles should be submitted as jpgs, preferably in raw files. Photos will be cropped and resized as needed so as to not lose resolution and print quality. If the contributor prefers to crop and size at home, a standard image is 4x6 or 5x7 at 300 dpi.
Photographs must include a caption which clearly explains the image, as well as the photograph's namer to ensure that proper credit is given. Charts, spreadsheets or graphs can be submitted as jpgs, or as pdfs
DEADLINES:
The Civil War Courier generally deadlines runs 4-6 weeks "out" from the date on the magazine or newspaper. For example, the October edition of the Camp Chase Gazette has a deadline to submit event or other notices of August 25th for inclusion in the October issue. That being said, here are the deadlines for each issue for the coming year.
DEADLINES FOR THE CIVIL WAR COURIER:
Civil War Newspaper - Printed monthly, 12 times per year
November, 2009 edition: Deadline for submission September 25th, 2009
December, 2009 edition: October 25
January 2010 edition: November 25
February 2010 edition: December 25, 2009
March 2010 edition: January 25, 2010
April 2010 edition: February 25
May 2010 edition: March 25
June 2010 edition: April 25
July 2010 edition: May 25
August 2010 edition: June 25
September 2010 edition: July 25
October 2010 edition: August 25
November 2010 edition: September 25, 2010
DEADLINES FOR THE CAMP CHASE GAZETTE AND THE CITIZENS' COMPANION:
Reenactor military & Civilian magazines:
Combined November/December, 2009 edition: Deadline is September 25th, 2009
Combined January/February, 2010 edition: Deadline is November 25th
*MARCH - OCTOBER EDITIONS ARE MONTHLY, AND HAVE THE SAME DEADLINES AS THE COURIER LISTED ABOVE
SCV TELEGRAPH 09/25/2009
Compatriots,
In an message earlier this week I reported to you about the attacks we have encountered over the (Rep.) Joe Wilson "You Lie" incident and all we had done up to that point to counteract these attacks. I made mention of one step we would be taking in this regard that I will report on now.
In that earlier message I wrote of our efforts to be heard by the "big money" media and how they were unresponsive to us. We had a senior staff teleconference and decided to go around the big money media to communicate with those who may not be familiar with the SCV ,but might be receptive to our message. We engaged the services of a professional political public relations firm in Washington D. C. and this is what we all came up with. We have issued what is referred to as an email blast. We have sent a message prepared by the SCV to an existing list of known conservative activists. This service costs $10,000 which was paid for out of our emergency Heritage Defense Fund.
This is what we received: The emails were sent to known to be conservative activists whose email address are all good and current. The large majority of those on the list are middle age males and are mostly in RED States. This list goes out to about One Million (1,000,000) people! On top of that, all email addresses that respond or click on one of the links in the blast will be collected for our future use.
In the message we sent we have links asking for donations and directing recipients to our recruiting video. The main objective is to educate this target audience, but we expect some will join the SCV or make donations. Any money raised by the message will be put back into the Heritage Defense Fund.
If you or you camp would like to donate to the Heritage Defense Fund to off set some of the cost of this initiative it would be appreciated.
Below you will find a copy of the email blast. I hope it meets with your approval.
Deo Vindice
Chuck McMichael
CiC
scvcic72@gmail.com
A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF
Dear Sir or Madam,
I write you today with a heavy heart. In recent days the mainstream media and prominent politicians have reintroduced race into American Politics as a weapon intended to harm opponents and as a device intended to distract from the issues at hand. Their purpose is to distract from the real issues and in bury the facts.
But we want you to know the truth.
When Congressman Joe Wilson shouted "You lie!" during President Barack Obama's health care speech September 9, 2009 he drew a firestorm of criticism from the Left. Rep. Wilson apologized to the President for his outburst and it should have ended there.
Unfortunately, several prominent politicians, could not resist the lure of trying to make the simple statement "You Lie" into a racial issue. These liberal politicians and almost the entire mainstream media have piled on, attempting to portray Rep. Wilson's shout as being racially motivated.
Ordinarily, we don't take notice of politicians but in this case, the politicians took notice of us. You see, in an attempt to smear Rep. Wilson, these media mouthpieces and Washington pundits seized on the fact that Rep. Wilson was once a member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans (SCV).
Is that really all it takes to levy such a hateful, hurtful, and mean-spirited accusation?
They certainly ought to know better and probably do. They just don't care.
But we believe the truth matters.
The SCV was organized nearly a century and a quarter ago for the sole purpose of "defending the Confederate soldier's good name." The SCV is a non-profit, non-political organization dedicated to honoring those Southern men who defended their homes, families, and states from invasion. Our membership is open to men of all walks of life regardless of race, religion, or ethnic origin.
Our purpose is to honor and remember our country's heritage and these men. And by the way, these men aren't just history for us, they are our family. They are men like Robert E. Lee whom Pres. Dwight Eisenhower called, "One of my great heroes of American history," and who was also described as "...a great American who knew the extremes of hope and despair," by Ronald Reagan.
The SCV has consistently and repeatedly disavowed and rebuked hate groups who misuse Southern symbols and abuse the memory of these men and publicly stood up against those who want to malign our history. You can read the actual statements on our web page http://www.scv.org/documents.php.
That's why I'm writing to you.
In an effort to score quick political points and bash their opponents, the liberal elites in New York and Washington are smearing a worthwhile organization solely due to political disagreements.
If you agree that the truth of American history deserves to be preserved, please support the SCV and help us fight these assaults. https://scv.secure-sites.us/donation.php
It is unfair to the members who may be your neighbors. Family members.
Thank you for considering this message.
Charles E. McMichael
Sons of Confederate Veterans
P.O. Box 59 Columbia, Tennessee 38402-0059
P.S. Please Click Here to see a brief video explaining what the SCV is all about.
SCV TELEGRAPH 09/20/2009
Compatriots,
For well over a week now, we have been fully engaged, nonstop, combating the recent smearing of the SCV in the big money media. I am pleased to be able to update each of you, my compatriots, with this important posting and relative pertinent background.
As you all are probably aware, during a recent speech by President Obama, Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) shouted out, "You Lie" and predictably a fire storm erupted. In the days following, Maureen Dowd, the left-wing bomb thrower at the NY Times, wrote a column stating that Rep. Wilson did this because he is a racist. What did she offer as proof? In her own words, "The congressman, we learned, belonged to the Sons of Confederate Veterans, led a 2000 campaign to keep the Confederate flag waving above South Carolina's state Capitol " On top of that, she included, "But, fair or not, what I heard was an unspoken word in the air: You lie, boy! "
To further attempt making her false point, she dragged up the trash the SPLC wrote about us some 5 to 7 years ago. This column was mentioned on one of the shows on MSNBC. To set the record straight, we sent out a press release to all major media outlets. That release can be read on the SCV blog. Fortunately, our release was picked by several news search engines. I made the attempt to get myself or some other SCV spokesman on one of the MSNBC shows, but was not successful. Soon after, it was twice mentioned on Fox. First on the Morning Show, at which time, I immediately sent an email rebuking this statement and requested the opportunity to rebut. Sadly, they did not respond. Probably the most egregious was when Juan Williams cited the NY Times column on the O'Reilly Factor. I immediately sent an email to the show explaining the absolute injustice, and pointed out if they wanted to be fair, they should at the very least read my letter or allow someone on the show to speak for us. Again, no response, therefore, I directed the Chairman of our PR and Media team, Jeff Davis, to call the producers of the show to make our case. They were non-compliant. No wonder, we have since found a You Tube video of Bill O'Reilly denigrating the Confederacy and the Flag.
Of course the far left blog went wild, each repeating the charge and adding their own embellishment. I, and a few others, have spent countless hours on these blogs refuting this claim and getting our message on their sites. I was pleased to find that some of our posting has been picked up by various search engines. We continue to fight this trench warfare.
The big money media is not interested in what we have to say. In fact they probably wish to suppress it. We have only had one inquiry from any media source, CBS; they wanted to know if in fact Joe Wilson was a member. Our staff told them that our member data base is not public record and it was none of their business.
So what now? Unable to get any traction with the big money media, we have decided to go around them to citizens who would be receptive to our message. Last Tuesday we began working with a professional political PR firm based in DC. Our presentation through them will be rolling out today or the next day. I will post details to that as soon as it is out.
Myself and members of the staff have been on this, working every viable angle constantly. Those who have seen these lies, for the most part, hate us anyway. Yet still there are many who have seen them and do not believe them because of the source; good for them. We will do our best to reach those who were unaware of us and who might be supportive through the latest initiative.
I ask that you all keep the SCV and those in the trenches in your prayers.
Deo Vindice
Chuck McMichael
CiC
scvcic72@gmail.com
SCV TELEGRAPH 08/20/2009
Compatriots,
It is my sad duty to inform you of the passing of Ben Eble,Sr. Ben was a long time member of Beauregard Camp 130 in New Orleans and was a Past Commander in Chief of the SCV. Many of us here in Louisiana had the pleasure of knowing Commander Eble, and those that did knew him to be a fine Southern Gentleman. He will be missed. The funeral will be out of Jacob Schoen's on Canal Street and will probably be either Saturday or Monday.
Our prayers are with Ben, Jr and the rest of his family.
Deo Vindice
Chuck McMichael
scvcic72@gmail.com
SCV TELEGRAPH 08/14/2009
Greetings Compatriots,
I hope you are all well. My last post on the Telegraph generated a great deal of email and telephone activity at my house. I reported to you the success of the SCV race car and how it placed third at the Hickory race on July 25th. I also told you about the truck that was in Hot Springs courtesy of James Hylton Motorsports.
I have received a great many emails and a number of telephone calls concerning this project. All of these remarks have been positive and most have expressed interest in our continued efforts in this sort of venue. I welcome any comments on any projects that the SCV involves ourselves with. I would like to share one of the communications with you here.
Notice the comment by the TV producer about instructing the cameraman to get good shots of the car. When I was dealing with NASCAR, I was told that if our car ran it would never be seen on TV. My response was, "What if we are winning?"
I think we are winning.
For more photos of SCV cars and documents pertaining to the speakers' list project mentioned in my last Confederate Veteran article, please visit my website at: http://givens-scv.com/index.htm You will see the tab with the car and go to the "articles" tab for the documents.
Lt. Commander Givens,
I just wanted to send you an email and congratulate you and our organization for getting the USAR car sponsorship. I will be honest. I have been a bit skeptical of this project, but it sounds as if it has gone off without a hitch.
I will also say that I work as a non-linear editor for the television production company that got the deal to get the USAR series on television. I personally don't have much to do with that series, but the other day one of our producers came to me and said that there was a car that was in the particular show he was working on that had the same logo as the logo on my truck. I immediately went to the room where that show was being worked on to see the footage and was extremely pleased to see it. One of our other producers who knows about the SCV and how active I am in it was working at that race as a field producer and told me that he made sure that the camera operator got some good shots of the car before the race. I don't know how much if any will make it in the show, but it will air August 23rd on Fox Sports Net. Many areas have more than one Fox Sports Net channel, so it may take a bit to find it when it airs.
In Their Memory,
Stephen Campbell Schneider
Commander - Lt. Robert D. Powel, #1817
I wish you all the best and thank you Commander Schneider for the kind letter.
Michael Givens
Lt. Commander-in-Chief
Sons of Confederate Veterans
Givens.scv@gmail.com
(931) 442-1831
SCV Sesquicentennial Society
The Sesquicentennial (150th Anniversary) of the Cause for Southern Independence is upon us! The Sons of Confederate Veterans has established a unique way you can show support for our efforts and build a legacy for the future. It is the SCV Sesquicentennial Society! By joining this prestigious group you will help in supporting two projects very important to the future.
First - the General Executive Council made the commitment in October of 2008 to start the process to erect a new building on our property at Historic Elm Springs. One of the uses of this new building is to give us office space and return Elm Springs to its original grandeur. However the main function is to house The Confederate Museum. We are planning a museum that will tell the truth about what motivated the Southern people to struggle for many years to form a new nation. It will give an accurate portrayal of the Confederate soldier, something that is lacking in most museum and in the media.
75 % of the money received through this effort goes to that building fund.
Second - we need to leave a legacy for our Compatriots who will be the members and leaders of the SCV when the Bicentennial of the Cause for Southern Independence arrives 50 years from now. One can only guess at the obstacles they will have to face in putting forth an accurate commemoration.
25% of the money will go into a fund to be used by the SCV at that point in time.
Here is how you can take part. To join it is a minimum payment of $200.( You can give more if you wish!) You will receive a handsome SCV Sesquicentennial Society Medal and Certificate. This program will end at at the close of the Sesquicentennial. You may pay all at once or you can make non-refundable installments of $50 ( you will receive the medal and certificate when paid in full).
Send a check to:
Sons of Confederate Veterans
c/o Sesquicentennial Society
P.O. Box 59
Columbia, TN 38402
Or you can call 1-800-MY-DIXIE to pay by credit card.
You may also use the on-line donation page by clicking HERE
At this time the on-line page does not have a $200 option. You can select $250 (donating an extra $50) or you can donate $100 twice. If you choose to pay by installment there is $50 option. Be sure to put Sesquicentennial Society in the box marked purpose of payment.
We hope that all Compatriots will take advantage of this opportunity to make a stand for the future. You can proudly wear your medal and display your certificate as a symbols of your commitment to teaching the true history of the South to future generations.
SCV TELEGRAPH 07/29/2009
Dear Compatriots,
I hope this post finds you well. I am writing you today to update you on the SCV race car project. I am pleased to report that after a long and at times, difficult journey, the SCV finally had its' day on the track.
Saturday, July 25th, 2009, in Hickory, North Carolina, the SCV race car was driven by Brandon Ward of Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Brandon is one of the top drivers in the USAR Pro Series circuit.
Compatriots,
First let me thank you for the overwhelming response you have given this initiative. Remember to use scv.we-care.com when doing your online shopping. Also remember to share this with friends and family members. As I said in the first message, a great many of you already shop on-line, this way you can support the SCV at the same time.
Of course with any new program some Compatriots might have concerns or complaints. I have received two, but I will clear up the confusion for all who might have thought the same but did not write. The SCV is not officially endorsing any business on the mall list. They are there for you to use as you see fit or are able. Certainly if you are already doing business with one of our Compatriots you should continue that and not switch.
The other side of that coin is, this opportunity could actually help a Compatriot's business. Many small businesses have on-line stores through eBay. You can go to eBay through our mall page and then to their store. Then we all win. Additionally, we have already had a member whose business does on-line sales, we are in the process of getting his business listed on the Mall page.
Again, thank you for the support you have shown so far, and when shopping on-line, please do so at scv.we-care.com
Deo Vindice
Chuck McMichael
scvcic72@gmail.com
SCV TELEGRAPH 10/20/2009
Compatriots,
You may remember a few years ago when we had a deal with Amazon where the SCV got a percentage of the money you spent there. Wouldn't it be nice to have places to shop where a portion of your money goes to support the SCV? Now you have that place, a whole mall in fact. A mall with hundreds of stores where each purchase helps the SCV. There you will find all the big name stores that you may already order from. Also there are discounts and coupons available.
We now have the SCV on-line Mall. We have partnered with an organization called We-Care. Their motto is Shop with Purpose. Well we certainly have a purpose!
The link is: http://scv.we-care.com/
Of course this can only be a successful venture if we use it. Please immediately book mark that page. For those who might forget to go there before shopping, you can download a reminder, so that if you go to, for example eBay or Amazon, a box will pop up that asked is you want a portion to got to the SCV, you will of course say yes! You can find the reminder program under the Downloads tab on the Mall page or go to:
http://scv.we-care.com/Downloads/Reminder/
Please go check this out and spread the word. Anyone can shop there! Send the links to all your friends and family. Use it for business purchases. Put in on your social networking sites like facebook. Make it a part of your signature on your emails. Put the link on your personal webpage. Below I have placed a web banner that you can attach the link to. I ask all SCV webmasters to put it on their sites. Notice that I have not used the SCV logo on the banner, that way any of our friends, like the UDC or OCR, can place it on their sites as well!
I truly believe this program will benefit us greatly. Be sure to forward this email to your contacts,and place this information in your newsletters. I hope you all enjoy using this service and I appreciate your efforts.
YOS
Chuck McMichael
CiC SCV
scvcic72@gmail.com
SCV TELEGRAPH 10/19/2009
Compatriots,
On Saturday October 17, 2009 the General Executive Council ( GEC ) held the annual fall meeting met at Elm Springs.
Below is a condensed account of the actions taken at that meeting.
1. Meeting opened at 8:30 AM with prayer, pledge, salute to the Confederate Flag and reading of The Charge.
2. Roll Call of Officers made. Thirteen were present and a quorum was established.
3. The Minutes of the pre and post Convention GEC meetings held at Hot Springs, AR were reviewed and approved.
4. Commander In Chief McMichael announced that an agreement has been reached with the trustees of Mt. Jackson Cemetery in VA regarding the financial support the SCV would provide. A large benefactor of the SCV asked the SCV assist the cemetery with some of the funds he left to the SCV. An agreement regarding this support was agreed to by the SCV and the cemetery trustees.
5. Executive Director Ben Sewell gave a report to the GEC outlining what maintenance work had been completed on Elm Springs. He discussed the increased rate of new membership applications and reinstatments of former members that GHQ has been receiving. He also stated that members have been making donations to the SCV Building Fund when renewing or reinstating their memberships.
6. Adjutant In Chief Simpson reported that the SCV had received two requests for funding of heritage related memorials. One request was deferred pending further discussion with the camp requesting funding. The request that was approved by the GEC will fund the procurement and installation of an historic marker for William Porcher Miles - designer of the St. Andrews Cross pattern Confederate Battle Flag - at the cemetery where he is buried in Monroe, County West Virginia.
7. Lt. Commander In Chief Givens discussed membership growth and the development of a speakers list for each division.
8. The Sam Davis Camp of Brentwood, Tennessee requested the GEC approve their proposed camp articles of incorporation. After discussion the GEC approved the camp incorporating. Note - the SCV Constitution requires any camp that wishes to incorporate to receive the permission of the GEC.
9. The GEC approved two additions to the convention guidelines. The first requires approval of host camps before altering the schedule of events that had previously been approved by the Commander in Chief . The second addition establishes deadlines for reunion host committees to submit convention information to the Convention Planning Committee for review prior to publication in the Confederate Veteran.
10. The GEC approved a policy on the use of the SCV logo. The details of the policy will be published on the SCV Telegraph, SCV Blog and the Confederate Veteran.
11. The GEC approved allowing Dixie Outfitters ( who we have an agreement with to sell shirts bearing the SCV Sesquicentennial logo ) to also sell license plates bearing the Sesquicentennial logo under the same conditions as the shirts are sold.
12. The Hardwick Case in South Carolina was discussed. The Litigation Review Committee will review the case and make a recommendation to the GEC regarding how to proceed.
13. Heritage Defense Chief Frank Earnest discussed the offer of a donation of land located on Interstate I-95 near the North Carolina / Virginia state line to the SCV.
14. Rev. Fayard discussed plans for the ground breaking for the new Jefferson Davis Presidential Library at Beauvior. The ground-breaking will be on Sunday December 6, 2009 -the anniversary of the death of President Davis. More details will soon be forthcoming.
15. The GEC voted to establish the rules that would govern the SCV's Bicentennial Endowment Fund.
16. The GEC voted to allow non-SCV members to join the Sesquicentennial Society.
17. An executive session was held dealing with SCV employee compensation and one disciplinary case.
18 The Commander In Chief announced that the SCV had established a relationship with an on-line mall. SCV members who purchase items thru the mall will generate funds for the SCV. Details to be soon announced.
19.Commander in Chief. McMichael announced the next meeting of the GEC would be on Saturday March 13, 2010 at Elm Springs.
20. The meeting ended with a closing prayer and the singing of DIXIE!
Preppared by:
Chuck Rand
Chief of Staff
chuckrand3@gmail.com
ARMY OF TENNESSEE
October 2009 Newsletter
Requires
SCV TELEGRAPH 09/29/2009
THE CIVIL WAR COURIER and SCV Cooperate in Publicizing Events:
Compatriots, I have spoken to Connie Payne, an editor of the Civil War Courier, Camp Chase Gazette and the Citizens Companion, regarding having SCV news and event information in these publications. We are being offered the opportunity to send our event announcements and / or post event reports for publication. This is a great opportunity to have your Division and Camp news reach a greater audience. Below you will find information on when / how information should be submitted for publication.
Notices should be sent to Connie Payne at companioneditor@gmail.com
Lets take advantage of this chance to get the word out to "keep the skeer on!"
Chuck Rand
Chief of Staff
chuckrand3@gmail.com
FORMAT:
All press releases, articles or other written items should be submitted as a MS WORD document. There is no word limit.
All photographs to accompany such articles should be submitted as jpgs, preferably in raw files. Photos will be cropped and resized as needed so as to not lose resolution and print quality. If the contributor prefers to crop and size at home, a standard image is 4x6 or 5x7 at 300 dpi.
Photographs must include a caption which clearly explains the image, as well as the photograph's namer to ensure that proper credit is given. Charts, spreadsheets or graphs can be submitted as jpgs, or as pdfs
DEADLINES:
The Civil War Courier generally deadlines runs 4-6 weeks "out" from the date on the magazine or newspaper. For example, the October edition of the Camp Chase Gazette has a deadline to submit event or other notices of August 25th for inclusion in the October issue. That being said, here are the deadlines for each issue for the coming year.
DEADLINES FOR THE CIVIL WAR COURIER:
Civil War Newspaper - Printed monthly, 12 times per year
November, 2009 edition: Deadline for submission September 25th, 2009
December, 2009 edition: October 25
January 2010 edition: November 25
February 2010 edition: December 25, 2009
March 2010 edition: January 25, 2010
April 2010 edition: February 25
May 2010 edition: March 25
June 2010 edition: April 25
July 2010 edition: May 25
August 2010 edition: June 25
September 2010 edition: July 25
October 2010 edition: August 25
November 2010 edition: September 25, 2010
DEADLINES FOR THE CAMP CHASE GAZETTE AND THE CITIZENS' COMPANION:
Reenactor military & Civilian magazines:
Combined November/December, 2009 edition: Deadline is September 25th, 2009
Combined January/February, 2010 edition: Deadline is November 25th
*MARCH - OCTOBER EDITIONS ARE MONTHLY, AND HAVE THE SAME DEADLINES AS THE COURIER LISTED ABOVE
SCV TELEGRAPH 09/25/2009
Compatriots,
In an message earlier this week I reported to you about the attacks we have encountered over the (Rep.) Joe Wilson "You Lie" incident and all we had done up to that point to counteract these attacks. I made mention of one step we would be taking in this regard that I will report on now.
In that earlier message I wrote of our efforts to be heard by the "big money" media and how they were unresponsive to us. We had a senior staff teleconference and decided to go around the big money media to communicate with those who may not be familiar with the SCV ,but might be receptive to our message. We engaged the services of a professional political public relations firm in Washington D. C. and this is what we all came up with. We have issued what is referred to as an email blast. We have sent a message prepared by the SCV to an existing list of known conservative activists. This service costs $10,000 which was paid for out of our emergency Heritage Defense Fund.
This is what we received: The emails were sent to known to be conservative activists whose email address are all good and current. The large majority of those on the list are middle age males and are mostly in RED States. This list goes out to about One Million (1,000,000) people! On top of that, all email addresses that respond or click on one of the links in the blast will be collected for our future use.
In the message we sent we have links asking for donations and directing recipients to our recruiting video. The main objective is to educate this target audience, but we expect some will join the SCV or make donations. Any money raised by the message will be put back into the Heritage Defense Fund.
If you or you camp would like to donate to the Heritage Defense Fund to off set some of the cost of this initiative it would be appreciated.
Below you will find a copy of the email blast. I hope it meets with your approval.
Deo Vindice
Chuck McMichael
CiC
scvcic72@gmail.com
A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF
Dear Sir or Madam,
I write you today with a heavy heart. In recent days the mainstream media and prominent politicians have reintroduced race into American Politics as a weapon intended to harm opponents and as a device intended to distract from the issues at hand. Their purpose is to distract from the real issues and in bury the facts.
But we want you to know the truth.
When Congressman Joe Wilson shouted "You lie!" during President Barack Obama's health care speech September 9, 2009 he drew a firestorm of criticism from the Left. Rep. Wilson apologized to the President for his outburst and it should have ended there.
Unfortunately, several prominent politicians, could not resist the lure of trying to make the simple statement "You Lie" into a racial issue. These liberal politicians and almost the entire mainstream media have piled on, attempting to portray Rep. Wilson's shout as being racially motivated.
Ordinarily, we don't take notice of politicians but in this case, the politicians took notice of us. You see, in an attempt to smear Rep. Wilson, these media mouthpieces and Washington pundits seized on the fact that Rep. Wilson was once a member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans (SCV).
Is that really all it takes to levy such a hateful, hurtful, and mean-spirited accusation?
They certainly ought to know better and probably do. They just don't care.
But we believe the truth matters.
The SCV was organized nearly a century and a quarter ago for the sole purpose of "defending the Confederate soldier's good name." The SCV is a non-profit, non-political organization dedicated to honoring those Southern men who defended their homes, families, and states from invasion. Our membership is open to men of all walks of life regardless of race, religion, or ethnic origin.
Our purpose is to honor and remember our country's heritage and these men. And by the way, these men aren't just history for us, they are our family. They are men like Robert E. Lee whom Pres. Dwight Eisenhower called, "One of my great heroes of American history," and who was also described as "...a great American who knew the extremes of hope and despair," by Ronald Reagan.
The SCV has consistently and repeatedly disavowed and rebuked hate groups who misuse Southern symbols and abuse the memory of these men and publicly stood up against those who want to malign our history. You can read the actual statements on our web page http://www.scv.org/documents.php.
That's why I'm writing to you.
In an effort to score quick political points and bash their opponents, the liberal elites in New York and Washington are smearing a worthwhile organization solely due to political disagreements.
If you agree that the truth of American history deserves to be preserved, please support the SCV and help us fight these assaults. https://scv.secure-sites.us/donation.php
It is unfair to the members who may be your neighbors. Family members.
Thank you for considering this message.
Charles E. McMichael
Sons of Confederate Veterans
P.O. Box 59 Columbia, Tennessee 38402-0059
P.S. Please Click Here to see a brief video explaining what the SCV is all about.
SCV TELEGRAPH 09/20/2009
Compatriots,
For well over a week now, we have been fully engaged, nonstop, combating the recent smearing of the SCV in the big money media. I am pleased to be able to update each of you, my compatriots, with this important posting and relative pertinent background.
As you all are probably aware, during a recent speech by President Obama, Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) shouted out, "You Lie" and predictably a fire storm erupted. In the days following, Maureen Dowd, the left-wing bomb thrower at the NY Times, wrote a column stating that Rep. Wilson did this because he is a racist. What did she offer as proof? In her own words, "The congressman, we learned, belonged to the Sons of Confederate Veterans, led a 2000 campaign to keep the Confederate flag waving above South Carolina's state Capitol " On top of that, she included, "But, fair or not, what I heard was an unspoken word in the air: You lie, boy! "
To further attempt making her false point, she dragged up the trash the SPLC wrote about us some 5 to 7 years ago. This column was mentioned on one of the shows on MSNBC. To set the record straight, we sent out a press release to all major media outlets. That release can be read on the SCV blog. Fortunately, our release was picked by several news search engines. I made the attempt to get myself or some other SCV spokesman on one of the MSNBC shows, but was not successful. Soon after, it was twice mentioned on Fox. First on the Morning Show, at which time, I immediately sent an email rebuking this statement and requested the opportunity to rebut. Sadly, they did not respond. Probably the most egregious was when Juan Williams cited the NY Times column on the O'Reilly Factor. I immediately sent an email to the show explaining the absolute injustice, and pointed out if they wanted to be fair, they should at the very least read my letter or allow someone on the show to speak for us. Again, no response, therefore, I directed the Chairman of our PR and Media team, Jeff Davis, to call the producers of the show to make our case. They were non-compliant. No wonder, we have since found a You Tube video of Bill O'Reilly denigrating the Confederacy and the Flag.
Of course the far left blog went wild, each repeating the charge and adding their own embellishment. I, and a few others, have spent countless hours on these blogs refuting this claim and getting our message on their sites. I was pleased to find that some of our posting has been picked up by various search engines. We continue to fight this trench warfare.
The big money media is not interested in what we have to say. In fact they probably wish to suppress it. We have only had one inquiry from any media source, CBS; they wanted to know if in fact Joe Wilson was a member. Our staff told them that our member data base is not public record and it was none of their business.
So what now? Unable to get any traction with the big money media, we have decided to go around them to citizens who would be receptive to our message. Last Tuesday we began working with a professional political PR firm based in DC. Our presentation through them will be rolling out today or the next day. I will post details to that as soon as it is out.
Myself and members of the staff have been on this, working every viable angle constantly. Those who have seen these lies, for the most part, hate us anyway. Yet still there are many who have seen them and do not believe them because of the source; good for them. We will do our best to reach those who were unaware of us and who might be supportive through the latest initiative.
I ask that you all keep the SCV and those in the trenches in your prayers.
Deo Vindice
Chuck McMichael
CiC
scvcic72@gmail.com
SCV TELEGRAPH 08/20/2009
Compatriots,
It is my sad duty to inform you of the passing of Ben Eble,Sr. Ben was a long time member of Beauregard Camp 130 in New Orleans and was a Past Commander in Chief of the SCV. Many of us here in Louisiana had the pleasure of knowing Commander Eble, and those that did knew him to be a fine Southern Gentleman. He will be missed. The funeral will be out of Jacob Schoen's on Canal Street and will probably be either Saturday or Monday.
Our prayers are with Ben, Jr and the rest of his family.
Deo Vindice
Chuck McMichael
scvcic72@gmail.com
SCV TELEGRAPH 08/14/2009
Greetings Compatriots,
I hope you are all well. My last post on the Telegraph generated a great deal of email and telephone activity at my house. I reported to you the success of the SCV race car and how it placed third at the Hickory race on July 25th. I also told you about the truck that was in Hot Springs courtesy of James Hylton Motorsports.
I have received a great many emails and a number of telephone calls concerning this project. All of these remarks have been positive and most have expressed interest in our continued efforts in this sort of venue. I welcome any comments on any projects that the SCV involves ourselves with. I would like to share one of the communications with you here.
Notice the comment by the TV producer about instructing the cameraman to get good shots of the car. When I was dealing with NASCAR, I was told that if our car ran it would never be seen on TV. My response was, "What if we are winning?"
I think we are winning.
For more photos of SCV cars and documents pertaining to the speakers' list project mentioned in my last Confederate Veteran article, please visit my website at: http://givens-scv.com/index.htm You will see the tab with the car and go to the "articles" tab for the documents.
Lt. Commander Givens,
I just wanted to send you an email and congratulate you and our organization for getting the USAR car sponsorship. I will be honest. I have been a bit skeptical of this project, but it sounds as if it has gone off without a hitch.
I will also say that I work as a non-linear editor for the television production company that got the deal to get the USAR series on television. I personally don't have much to do with that series, but the other day one of our producers came to me and said that there was a car that was in the particular show he was working on that had the same logo as the logo on my truck. I immediately went to the room where that show was being worked on to see the footage and was extremely pleased to see it. One of our other producers who knows about the SCV and how active I am in it was working at that race as a field producer and told me that he made sure that the camera operator got some good shots of the car before the race. I don't know how much if any will make it in the show, but it will air August 23rd on Fox Sports Net. Many areas have more than one Fox Sports Net channel, so it may take a bit to find it when it airs.
In Their Memory,
Stephen Campbell Schneider
Commander - Lt. Robert D. Powel, #1817
I wish you all the best and thank you Commander Schneider for the kind letter.
Michael Givens
Lt. Commander-in-Chief
Sons of Confederate Veterans
Givens.scv@gmail.com
(931) 442-1831
SCV Sesquicentennial Society
The Sesquicentennial (150th Anniversary) of the Cause for Southern Independence is upon us! The Sons of Confederate Veterans has established a unique way you can show support for our efforts and build a legacy for the future. It is the SCV Sesquicentennial Society! By joining this prestigious group you will help in supporting two projects very important to the future.
First - the General Executive Council made the commitment in October of 2008 to start the process to erect a new building on our property at Historic Elm Springs. One of the uses of this new building is to give us office space and return Elm Springs to its original grandeur. However the main function is to house The Confederate Museum. We are planning a museum that will tell the truth about what motivated the Southern people to struggle for many years to form a new nation. It will give an accurate portrayal of the Confederate soldier, something that is lacking in most museum and in the media.
75 % of the money received through this effort goes to that building fund.
Second - we need to leave a legacy for our Compatriots who will be the members and leaders of the SCV when the Bicentennial of the Cause for Southern Independence arrives 50 years from now. One can only guess at the obstacles they will have to face in putting forth an accurate commemoration.
25% of the money will go into a fund to be used by the SCV at that point in time.
Here is how you can take part. To join it is a minimum payment of $200.( You can give more if you wish!) You will receive a handsome SCV Sesquicentennial Society Medal and Certificate. This program will end at at the close of the Sesquicentennial. You may pay all at once or you can make non-refundable installments of $50 ( you will receive the medal and certificate when paid in full).
Send a check to:
Sons of Confederate Veterans
c/o Sesquicentennial Society
P.O. Box 59
Columbia, TN 38402
Or you can call 1-800-MY-DIXIE to pay by credit card.
You may also use the on-line donation page by clicking HERE
At this time the on-line page does not have a $200 option. You can select $250 (donating an extra $50) or you can donate $100 twice. If you choose to pay by installment there is $50 option. Be sure to put Sesquicentennial Society in the box marked purpose of payment.
We hope that all Compatriots will take advantage of this opportunity to make a stand for the future. You can proudly wear your medal and display your certificate as a symbols of your commitment to teaching the true history of the South to future generations.
SCV TELEGRAPH 07/29/2009
Dear Compatriots,
I hope this post finds you well. I am writing you today to update you on the SCV race car project. I am pleased to report that after a long and at times, difficult journey, the SCV finally had its' day on the track.
Saturday, July 25th, 2009, in Hickory, North Carolina, the SCV race car was driven by Brandon Ward of Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Brandon is one of the top drivers in the USAR Pro Series circuit.
