Skip to content
  • Subscribe
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Instagram
  • Email
  • Home
  • News
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment
  • Features
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe to Ray’s Columns
Suburban Chicagoland

Suburban Chicagoland

Original News, Features & Opinion on Chicago, Illinois and America

  • About
    • About
    • Advertise
    • Our Writers
      • Ray Hanania
      • Bill Lipinski
      • Biography: Aaron Hanania
    • Terms of Service
    • Privacy Policy
    • Reach Out
  • Sections
    • Events
    • Opinion
    • News
    • Features
    • Seniors
    • Comic Strip
  • Library
    • “MIdnight Flight” Online Book
      • Midnight Flight Book Overview
      • Midnight Flight Introduction
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 1
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 2
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 3
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 4
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 5
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 6
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 7
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 8
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 9
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 10
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 11
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 12
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 13
    • Villages, Cities & Towns
    • Federal Office Holders
    • County Officials
    • Legislators
  • Subscribe to Ray’s Columns
  • Comment
  • Podcast
    • Ray Hanania on Politics
    • Two Guys on Politics
    • Hanania on Tiktok
  • News Wire
  • Archive 2004-2013
  • Toggle search form
  • Michael Frerichs Illinois Treasurer
    Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs Announces $50 Million Loan Program to Help Federal Workers During Shutdown Economy
  • Kat Abughazaleh 9th DIstrict Congress 2026 candidate democrat
    Federal Grand Jury in Chicago Indicts Six Individuals on Charges of Impeding Federal Agent Engaged in Immigration Enforcement Operations Civil Rights
  • 05-23-25 Jeffery M. Leving
    Little Girl Rescued from Feared Danger and Reunited with Dad News
  • Hastings insurance legislation
    Hastings announces legislation to ensure fair homeowners insurance rates for Illinois families Business
  • Mahnoor Ahmad campaign photo
    Mahnoor Ahmad runs for DuPage County Board seat Democrat
  • Sunday, October 26, the Village of Orland Park formally rededicated its Village Hall in honor of the late former Mayor Fredrick T. Owens
    Village of Orland Park Rededicates Village Hall in Honor of Late Former Mayor Fredrick T. Owens Government
  • Fire at townhome at 13900 block of Berkhansted Court in Orland Park, just before midnight on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025
    Firefighter treated for dehydration battling townhouse fire in Orland Park – no residents injured Fire
  • Firefighters with the Orland Fire Protection District who responded to a fire in an apartment at 15200 block of Al Camino Terrace on Saturday morning said the next day that they did find a kitten that needed respiratory aid that they saved.
    FIRE UPDATE: Fire District releases photos of kitten saved from Orland Park apartment fire Saturday Features
  • two-story apartment building on the 15200 block of El Camino Terrace in Orland Park
    Orland Park apartment fire Saturday morning, no injuries Fire
  • Illinois Senator Michael Hastings addressing the Orland Township Democratic Organization Wednesday Oct. 12, 2022
    Hastings calls for bipartisan action to protect Illinois families from SNAP benefit shutdown Baby Boomers
  • Illinios Industrial Energy Consumers, information ad
    Get information on the Illinois Energy Omnibus Bill in Springfield Business
  • State Senator Mike Porfirio secured over $20 million to support infrastructure improvements and construction in the 11th Senate District.
    Senator Porfirio applauds more than $20 million in infrastructure repairs coming to the 11th District News
  • Dad and daughter reunited Lebving Law firm photo
    Little Girl Recovered and Reunited with Dad After Long Separation Dads' Rights
  • 11-03-25 OFPD Coffee living alone
    Orland Fire hosts meeting on helping Seniors who live alone Nov. 5 Baby Boomers
  • State Senator Michael Hastings introduces law to revive long dormant and degraded Tinley Park Mental Health Center into a Sports Park for the community. Photo courtesy of the State Senate President Don Harmon
    Hastings secures $250,000 grant for Easterseals Academy’s Tinley Park campus Health
Portrait of Gen. Robert E. Lee, officer of the Confederate Army (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Destroying American history because of racial politics

Posted on May 16, 2018November 29, 2019 By Ray Hanania 1 Comment on Destroying American history because of racial politics
SHARE THIS STORY
            
 
  

Destroying American history because of racial politics

The wave of attacks against symbols of the civil war is undermining the history of this nation for political reasons and is driven by a form of reverse racism. Statues and markers recognizing icons of the South from the civil war are being targeted because of reverse racism and a sense of anti-White hatred

By Ray Hanania

My father and uncle are buried at Oak Woods Cemetery on Chicago’s East Side. Christian immigrants from Jerusalem, they both fought honorably during World War II against Nazism, enlisting after Pearl Harbor.

My uncle died when I was four and my father died when I was 17. When they died and were buried, Oak Woods cemetery was a safe place to visit.

Back in the 1970s, I would go their often to visit their graves and the graves of my grandmother and cousins. But over the years, I don’t feel safe driving there because of my race.

I limit my trips there to once a year, and when my mother died, instead of burying her there next to my father, I felt it was safer to bury her in the west suburbs where I didn’t have to put up with the reverse racism that we’re not supposed to talk about.

Portrait of Gen. Robert E. Lee, officer of the Confederate Army (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Portrait of Gen. Robert E. Lee, officer of the Confederate Army (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I do remember driving through Oak Woods in the 1970s and, being a history buff, roaming through the southern section of the cemetery where several thousand Confederate soldiers were buried. The Confederate soldiers were not from Illinois but had been imprisoned nearby at Camp Douglas beginning in 1862 during the Civil War. They died during their imprisonment and some historians argue they were mistreated while at Camp Douglas in Chicago, one of the largest Civil War prisons in the country at the time.

Years later, a statue of the Confederate soldiers was erected near their graves, many of which have been desecrated and vandalized during recent years.

Last month, a group of protestors denouncing “racism,” demanded that the statue be removed. They claimed that the statue symbolized racism in much the same way that the Confederate or Rebel Flag symbolizes racism.

I guess if I were alive in the 1860s, I would have enlisted and fought with the Union to fight the Confederate rebel soldiers in part to keep the young America undivided and in part to oppose slavery and racial discrimination. I enlisted during the Vietnam War, even though I didn’t agree with the American war policy there, and even though I was disgusted by reports of American soldiers massacring Vietnamese civilians out of anger and revenge for the killing of their comrades. I enlisted because I was about to be drafted, so I decided to make a choice to serve in the U.S. Air Force rather than go into the Army.

I also know many I served with in the military didn’t agree with the war or with America’s foreign polices. But, we all served anyway.

I imagine, many of the Confederate soldiers imprisoned at Camp Douglas, felt the same about the Civil War. It wasn’t about slavery or the North versus the South. They were drafted in to service based on where they lived.

So why punish the Confederate soldiers buried at Oak Woods Cemetery? The statue, called “The Confederate Mound,” lists the names of all of the Confederate soldiers who are buried there. It’s a part of American history and it should remain as a reminder of a war that tore this country apart.

Let’s be honest, slavery wasn’t just an immoral American industry. It was practiced in Europe, the Middle East, and even by warring tribes in Africa.

And let’s be honest even more. Racism isn’t a one-way street anymore. It’s a two-way street. And oftentimes, White people are victims of racism, too.

Why tear down history? Tearing down and erasing history is bad politics. Instead of erasing racism, it feeds racism. It feeds distrust. It empowers segregation of our minds.

It’s not an easy subject to talk about, but we should talk about it. Instead of exploiting race to support or oppose extremists on either side, we should come together and recognize the unique history that created this country and be grateful, not angry, for what we have.

(Ray Hanania is an award-winning columnist, author and former Chicago City Hall reporter. Email mail him through his personal website at www.Hanania.com or at [email protected].)

newswire info
  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Ray Hanania
Ray Hanania
Ray Hanania is an award-winning opinion columnist, author & former Chicago City Hall reporter (1977-1992). A veteran who served during the Vietnam War and the recipient of four SPJ Peter Lisagor Awards for column writing, Hanania writes weekly opinion columns on mainstream American & Chicagoland topics for the Southwest News-Herald, Des Plaines Valley News, the Regional News, The Reporter Newspapers, and Suburban Chicagoland.  

His award winning columns can be found at www.HANANIA.COM Subscribe FREE today

Hanania also writes about Middle East issues for the Arab News, and The Arab Daily News criticizing government policies in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Hanania was named "Best Ethnic American Columnist" by the New America Media in November 2007, and is the 2009 recipient of the SPJ National Sigma Delta Chi Award for column writing.

Email Ray Hanania at [email protected].

Follow RayHanania at Twitter
Ray Hanania
Latest posts by Ray Hanania (see all)
  • Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs Announces $50 Million Loan Program to Help Federal Workers During Shutdown - October 30, 2025
  • Federal Grand Jury in Chicago Indicts Six Individuals on Charges of Impeding Federal Agent Engaged in Immigration Enforcement Operations - October 30, 2025
  • Little Girl Rescued from Feared Danger and Reunited with Dad - October 30, 2025
NPV: 48
  • Tweet

SHARE THIS STORY
            
 
  
 
 
 
           
Baby Boomers, Chicago, Commentary, General Topics, National, Opinion, Orland Park, Politics, Racism, rayhanania, Suburban Chicagoland Tags:cemeteries, civil war, Confederate Soldiers, Confederates, General Robert E. Lee, graves, Oak Woods Cemetery, reverse racism, South, statues

Post navigation

Previous Post: Stage 773 hosts 6th Annual Chicago Nerd Comedy Festival May 17-20
Next Post: Rauner puts focus back on residents, not criminals

Related Posts

  • The Political Pundit Comic Strip 07-27-20 Mayor Lori Lightfoot hypocrisy, attacks FOP, Ald. Lopez and then calls for civility
    Chicago Families Demand Senate President Don Harmon and Mayor Lori Lightfoot Stop Standing in the Way of Chicago Voters & Families  Chicago
  • US Declaration of Independence, courtesy of the US Government. Archives.gov
    Right from the Middle: Extremist political views challenge the religious freedoms of Americans Bill Lipinski
  • Bridgeview may improve range News
  • US Marine Saluting. Photo courtesy of Jerry Field
    Send in the Civilians … The Marines need a little support General Topics
  • Ray Hanania joins Thom Serafin on The Crisis Cast Podcast this week discussing presidential politics, journalism and how to understand Trump's reality TV persona style
    Podcast: Musk vs Trump and the impact of media distortion on news Commentary
  • Illinois House Speaker Michael J. Madigan. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia
    House moves Rauner/Madigan-Backed procurement reforms News

More Related Articles

Mansour Tadros, who died on March 28, 2020. Photo courtesy of the Tadros family Mansour Tadros mourned by Arab American community Chicago
OFPD Open House June 28 2025 Orland Fire Protection District hosts Open House June 28 Education
The Mart, formerly the Merchandise Mart. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia “One of a Kind Spring Show” at The Mart shares gift ideas Business
Ricardo Soto Lyons suspect in shooting at police during traffic stop. Mugshot courtesy of the Lyons Police Armed suspect arrested in gun related traffic stop in Village of Lyons breaking news
Ray Hanania and family Easter 1957. Midnight Flight: Online book on Race in Chicago Baby Boomers
Mara Candelaria Reardon Indiana Candidate for Congress, Democrat Marie Newman endorses Mara Candelaria Reardon for Congress in Indiana’s 1st Congressional District elections

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Login with your Social ID
  • OPINION
  • Cook County Treasurer Maria Papas
    Your Mortgage Company May Pay Your Taxes — But You Still Need to Watch
    October 17, 2025
  • Mohammed Faheem The Lightning Strike Radio Show small
    The Politicization of the Nobel Peace Prize — and Trump’s Fury Over Losing Again
    October 11, 2025
  • 06-04-25 Two Guys on Politics Background Zoom LOGO with images
    Video Podcast: Trump Kimmel Kirk Great American Divide Illegal Aliens polling and Illegal Aliens and ICE
    September 20, 2025
  • Illinois House Speaker Emanuel "Chris" Welch speaking at a West Side affordable housing dedication
    Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, one of the best candidates to become Illinois Governor
    September 7, 2025
  • Cook County Treasurer Maria Papas
    What You’re Missing on Your Property Tax Bill
    September 5, 2025
Subscribe to Ray Hanania's column graphic

Enter Your Email to Subscribe to Ray Hanania’s Columns

  • The-Kings-Pawn-Book-300-x-300.png

Mohammed Faheem The Lightning Strike Radio

  • NEWS
  • Michael Frerichs Illinois Treasurer
    Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs Announces $50 Million Loan Program to Help Federal Workers During Shutdown
    October 30, 2025
  • Kat Abughazaleh 9th DIstrict Congress 2026 candidate democrat
    Federal Grand Jury in Chicago Indicts Six Individuals on Charges of Impeding Federal Agent Engaged in Immigration Enforcement Operations
    October 30, 2025
  • 05-23-25 Jeffery M. Leving
    Little Girl Rescued from Feared Danger and Reunited with Dad
    October 30, 2025
  • Hastings insurance legislation
    Hastings announces legislation to ensure fair homeowners insurance rates for Illinois families
    October 29, 2025
  • Mahnoor Ahmad campaign photo
    Mahnoor Ahmad runs for DuPage County Board seat
    October 29, 2025
John Kass Columns

Order the book PoweR PR; Ethnic Activists Guide to Strategic Communications

YOUTUBE VIDEOS

CLICK TO SUBSCRIBE TO RAY HANANIA'S YOUTUBE VIDEOS


Click here to view the video on YouTube or use the widget below.

Follow Ray Hanania at
Twitter
Facebook
TitkTok
BlueSky
RayHanania Columns

Creative Commons License
All works on this website is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Do not edit original work. Give credit to the original source.

Categories

Copyright © 2022 Suburban Chicagoland & Urban Strategies Group

Powered by PressBook Premium theme