I couldn’t wait. When I received my copy of the Aug. 20-Sept. 2, 2025, issue of the UPSTATE S..C. DAILY PLANET, I hurriedly began recording my thoughts regarding three (3) articles on Page A1, as if anyone cared, sans myself.

South Carolina’s Lt. Governor Pamela Evette and Greenwood Mayor Brandon (karma karma) Smith clash over the renaming of the annual Christmas Parade in Greenwood, S.C. 

S.C. Lt. Governor Evette much prefers to leave it (the parade’s theme) as is, thus continuing the honoring of America’s history; the other wants to change it because it “evoked emotional pain.”

He (Greenwood’s mayor) omitted naming names (most likely, intentional), but it has to do with America phobias. 

My response: “Put your heart and faith 100 percent in America or get your rear 100 percent elsewhere, and take Mayor BRANDON  Smith with you.”

Many of today’s politicians are but poltroons — unwilling to defend America’s history hoping to get a free ride in their next election, thus avoiding all issues that would expose their true character. However, voters (lovers of America) will know; “Res Ispa Loquitor” (“Things speak for themselves”). 

Most Americans are patriots, and are proud of the greatest nation God ever instituted on planet Earth, standing for the flag, singing spiritual hymns, attending parades, saying thanks to veterans, etc.  

Mayor Smith, a poltroon, on the other hand mollycoddling phobic residents (legals and illegals) when he should be telling them to take a long walk on a short pier. 

I have included a copy of what befell the Framers of our Constitution. I hope you can include it in this epistle. These pained little wimps need to learn and understand what real pain is.

Paraphrasing Sir Winston Churchill: “Democracy is the worse form of government there is, except for all the rest.”

I’ll bet the farm that those emotional wimps are ignorant of America’s motto: “E Unum Pluribus.” (“FROM MANY ONE”).  If they don’t want to be included in the “one,” why are they here?

We’re one nation under (one) God with one goal, MAGA, and keep it so for all future ages.  

If the pained little ones can’t abide that, the only option that I see for them is to self-deport. 

We, the law-abiding citizens, will be demanding that our elected officials stop all who would attempt the destruction of our once beautiful cities. Take heed folks — bad behavior is out of favor. For such, consequences will not be liked.

Now for Spartanburg Mayor Jerome Rice and “Gun Violence.”

I spent six (6) years (from July 17, 1950-Oct. 12, 1956) in the Army. enlisting at 16 years of age. I was in the Armored Corps. I fired weapons so much and instructed others how to use them that my hearing was gone after the first three (3) years. 

I never once witnessed a gun firing itself.

We must stop allowing the weak on crime to define/describe problems. They (those who are weak on crime) coin terms such as “Gun Violence” to redirect the real cause of problems away from themselves.

“Gun Violence” sounds more ominous and garners more public interest, than “public officials malfeasance in office” or “dereliction of duty” — and it is. 

However,  it lets those responsible for the rampant street crime off the hook. Voters must take responsibility for allowing that to continue.

Incompetent, uncaring elected officials must be replaced AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

If “RECALL” is not possible, then the next election.

A free-but-fair press could — and should be — so unceasingly publicizing such malfeasance that many will resign, but will they?

There is no such thing as “Gun Violence,” only Bad People Violence, Gang Violence, Thug Violence, Crook Violence, and the list goes on and on —  ad Infinitum to ad nauseam.  

However, “Gun Violence” in and of itself is not possible.

I would suggest that Spartanburg’s  Mayor Jerome Rice start by following President Donald Trump’s lead.

Clean up Spartanburg. Put offenders in the slammer on first conviction.  

I know, I know, the courts say you can’t make them work, but you can darn sure make them wish they had.

Require those eligible to do so... to return to school under strict supervision.

Mayor Rice: Unpunished bad behavior only guarantees more bad behavior.

Fix it while its still fixable, or you will soon be swamped with adult criminals — an alternative that is much more difficult to fix — not to mention the expense of fixing.

NOW FOR AMERICA’S GREATEST MISTAKE ON PAGE #A7:  Mr. (Manuel) Ybarra Jr. — I just wanted to thank you for your excellent letter to the Daily Planet.

The leaders and members of Save Southern Heritage felt that his speech could be an inclusive cornerstone of what had taken place at Arlington. 

I must confess that it was not until I had heard and seen the message given to the public in a media interview by the secretary of defense, the Honorable Peter Hegseth, with Governor Youngkin by his side, that those who said that some form of thanks should be expressed to the governor on his visit to South Carolina... and I would concur. 

And so, with a large banner of his likeness and a group of us in attendance at the front door of the Convention Center, we would shout “Thanks Governor Youngkin!” — with three cheers to boot — to the throngs entering the center dressed in their finery, like my dear friend the Honorable Ms. Katie Hall, who was a candidate for District 39 House of  Representatives. 

Watching and listening to Secretary Hegseth’s message was spot-on for me and “my babies” who we could now conclude that the “men of Trump” had now affirmed that the return of the Confederate Reconciliation Memorial was all that was needed to support the affirmation of the declaration of President Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Hegseth had undone what Warren, Sidule and those who voted to end reconciliation between the North and South had done with the removal of the symbol of reconciliation that President William McKinley had bent a knee before the women of the South to build.

And, supported by the men of the Union Army who watched the former Confederates’ heroic performance in Cuba during the Spanish-American War, which would include that of the 5th Georgia Regiment of former black Confederates (so-called “the Immunies” because of their high immune to smallpox and yellow fever), who remained on the field of battle after the president had removed all of the white soldiers who were deemed unfit to serve because of the disease. 

My hurrahs go not only to President McKinley for calling for a symbol of reconciliation with this shrine and something asked for by the Honorable General Robert E. Lee of his men, but also to the women of the South, who finally relented with the memories fresh in their minds of the Union army that carried out the field orders of Lincoln and executed by Sherman, Grant and the likes of Turchin, as they forged through the South, burning, looting, murdering and raping defenseless old men, women and children. 

And let’s not forget the 12-year period of so-called Reconstruction — and the evils of the Union League. 

Someone would ask of me before the rendering of this report: How do you feel after hearing the message given by Ty Sidule about Secretary Hegseth? 

My answer would be: I could care less about anything that the liars Sidule or Warren have to say — and neither speak for black folk. Any man who proclaims to be Southern and would trash the Honorable General Robert E.Lee in a supposed book — like he did — merits my disdain, disgust... and being ignored. 

And just like the white Yankee who asked the black woman to get up and go to the back of the bus in Montgomery, Ala., and the thousands of Yankees who donned the regalia of the Ku Klux Klan on the Capitol Mall in 1925 carrying the Stars and Stripes, they (some Yankees) have a history of pretending to be Southern whites and committing all kinds of atrocities against blacks with the intent of dividing and separating us. 

I shall do like the Pole Bearers Association and the 100 Black Men of Savannah Inc. championed: ”We shall do all that we can to regain and retain the loving relations and relationships with the Southern white man and shall never ever be duped by anyone not of the Southern soldier!”

The United States Congress ought to regain its honor by not only censoring Warren and Sidule, but it also should rescind everything from that so-called Renaming Commission. God bless you!                                                             

H.K. EDGERTON

Asheville

Chairman, Board of Advisors Emeritus Southern Legal Resource Center 

Member, Save Southern Heritage Florida 

Co-founder ,Veterans to Defend the Arlington National Cemetery Reconciliation Memorial Cenotaph Shrine 

Honorary Life Member, Jackson Rangers Camp 1917 Sons of Confederate Veterans