I'll Take My Stand in Dixie-Net

In Chapter 7: “I’ll Take My Stand in Dixie-Net” McPherson concludes that Neo-Confederates are attempting to change their identity through the internet and avoid the direct racism that used to be attached to them.

“Prolonged exposure to cyberspace irrevocably produces multiple selves,” (118). Race in relation to these selves has not been emphasized though. A life on the computer or internet allows a virtual reality where origins do not exist. “The internet has the ability to overcome geographical boundaries, and is seen as a yellow brick road leading to a global village,” (118). The neo-Confederate’s work in cyberspace begins with an attempt to make a “self” and their presence. The cybercommunity created by the neo-Confederates avoids race, similar to nearly all others of the like. However, “the neo-Dixie of cyberspace is nothing if not white,” (119). Also, through their sites, race is not forgotten; it is just avoided, which allows an alternate reality that does not have race. The neo-Confederates have their own idea of what would be best for the South. The main ideas of the websites they have are to “preserve the Southern heritage” and offer several links to similar websites (121). The main group that visits these sites is white males. One idea presented of what would be best for the South would be for the South to become its own nation, separate from the rest of the United States and be “Its Own Nation,” (122). Also, the neo-Confederates have visualized a fantasy in which the South would separate from the United States at the same time as black movement to the South is greater than black movement away from the South. What a weird coincidence. It can be discovered that any information showing this imagined South do not offer any insight on the makeup of the South to “avoid” being racist of course (123). The websites avoid being overtly racist and express dismay over the perceptions that protecting the South means that one must be racist (124). “These sites understand that successful publicity now requires an evasion of questions of race and racial representation,” (125). But, these sites are trying to defend a Southern heritage that is undeniably white, and there is a struggle to find new ways of securing the meaning of whiteness (126). The neo-Confederates are not openly and exclusively white, even though they are technically mostly white males. Also, they are not openly racist, even though racism does exist in many of them, it is just being avoided.

“The neo-Confederates own statistics indicate the South’s economic growth and stability during the past few decades,” (126). Why then is this grouping complaining, or wanting changes? Racism? The economy is good, so it must be a social matter. Blacks are increasingly coming to the South, so are they considered the “problem?” Race is a major issue in this question and answer, and for some reason a little difference in skin color can make some people feel so strongly against difference and threatened or something.

I noticed that “white trash” was used in parentheses in this chapter. The author is pretty much attacking a portion of whites, from the South and is most likely racist. I can understand that, but was the white trash phrase placed in there to degrade whites? Hopefully not, however, I do not think it was needed to make a strong argument in the chapter. I know this is a very minute thing, but I thought it was worth mentioning, raising another question.