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Our Mission Statement
Dixie Outfitters is proud to be Southern and proud of our ancestors
who fought and died in the War for Southern Independence.
We believe various groups have distorted the real meaning of
the Confederate Flag for their own purposes. We strive to feature
the Confederate Flag in the context of history, heritage, and
pride in the Southern way of life.
The Confederate Battle Flag represents all Southern, and even
Northern, Confederates regardless of race or religion and is the
symbol of less government, less taxes, and the right of the people
to govern themselves. It is flown in memory and honor of our Confederate
ancestors and veterans who willingly shed their blood for Southern
independence.
A Short History Lesson
Just as the War for American Independence of 1776, the War for
Southern Independence of 1861 was fought over "taxation without
representation." The North was constantly trying to raise
taxes on Southerners through high tariffs on imported goods in
order to protect the inefficient big businesses in the North.
These big businesses could not compete with manufactured goods
from England and France with whom the South traded cotton. The
South did not have factories and had to import most finished products.
The Industrial Revolution allowed England and France to produce
and ship across the Atlantic products that were cheaper than the
products of Northern manufacturers.
When Lincoln was elected President, he and the U.S. Congress immediately
passed the Morrill Tariff (the highest import tax in U.S. history),
more than doubling the import tax rate from 20% to 47%. This tax
served to bankrupt many Southerners. Though the Southern states
represented only about 30% of the U.S. population, they paid 80%
of the tariffs collected. Oppressive taxes, denial of the states'
rights to govern their states, and an unrepresentative federal
government pushed the Southern states to legally withdraw from
the Union.
Since the Southerners had escaped the tax by withdrawing from
the Union, the only way the North could collect this oppressive
tax was to invade the Confederate States and force them at gunpoint
back into the Union.
It was to collect this import tax to satisfy his Northern industrialist supporters that Abraham Lincoln invaded our South. Slavery was not the issue. Lincoln's war cost the lives of 600,000 Americans.
The truth about the Confederate Flag is that it has nothing to
do with racism or hate. The Civil War was not fought over slavery
or racism.
We at Dixie Outfitters are trying to tell the real truth via our
art and products in regards to the Confederate Flag. We hope to
educate people about the Confederate Flag and stop the divisiveness
caused by ignorance and emotion.
Best Regards,
Dixie Outfitters
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