<html>
Greetings:<br><br>
I've been wanting to write something about Iverson's column for some time
and this is the result.<br><br>
<x-sigsep><p></x-sigsep>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times">To the Editor:<br><br>
I was shocked to learn that the <i>Daily News</i> has given Ed Iverson,
someone closely associated with Douglas Wilson, a biweekly column.
<br>
I was hoping that Iverson and I could have some personal exchanges about
a number of issues, but he answered that this would not be possible
because I’ve called his colleagues “neo-Nazis.”<br>
I was upset when the <i>Idaho Statesman</i> did not use my title on my
August 12 column, but chose instead to call Wilson & Co. “neo-Nazi
Christians.” Most of this column was first posted on Moscow’s
Vision2020 (1/13/04), and it is significant that none of the Christ
Church people objected at the time.<br>
In December, 2003, when 1200 Palousians signed a petition condemning
Wilson’s views on slavery, homosexuality, and women, I’m sure that they
concerned that Northern Idaho’s repetition would again be tarnished by
extremist views. In my column I drew a parallel, <i>not an
identity</i>, between neo-Confederates and neo-Nazis.<br>
Since the beginning of Wilson controversy, no one in Moscow has called
Wilson a “neo-Nazi.” I’ve also accepted Wilson’s own disavowal of
racism, but he cannot say that he is not a “neo-Confederate” for the
following reasons:<br>
</font><font face="Symbol">·</font><font face="Times New Roman, Times">Robert
E. Lee’s portrait is proudly displayed in Wilson’s Logos School and the
Confederate flag has been displayed at its social functions. <br>
</font><font face="Symbol">·</font><font face="Times New Roman, Times">Wilson
wrote an editorial supporting the right of states to leave the Union.
<br>
</font><font face="Symbol">·</font><font face="Times New Roman, Times">Wilson
has spoken at neo-Confederate Southern Heritage conferences and has
written four articles for the neo-Confederate journal <i>Chronicles</i>.
The last article appeared together with an ad announcing a conference in
which Lincoln would be condemned and the right of secession would be
defended.<br>
•Wilson is contributing editor for <i>The War Between the States:
America's Uncivil War </i>(Bluebonnet Press, 2005). Historian Ed Sebesta
claims that "this book seems to incorporate every 'Lost Cause' and
modern Neo-Confederate idea." <br>
I wonder how many of Wilson’s pet ideas we will read every two weeks from
Ed Iverson’s pen?<br>
Nick Gier, Moscow<br>
</font><font size=2>"The god you worship is the god you
deserve." ~~ Joseph Campbell<br>
</font></html>