One day before these accusations, Wachovia Corporation apologized for its ties to slavery after disclosing that two of its historical predecessors owned slaves and accepted them as payment.

Do these efforts to denounce forced servitude seem noble to you? Secretary of State Rice furnished a long list but it was odd that Libya was not on it - a country that has long been notorious in the traffic of human flesh. When you consider the leader of that country, Muammar Kadafy, is a friend of Black Muslim leader Louis Farrakhan it makes you wonder what gives with those two.

And Wachovia Corporation … what sense does it make to apologize for something you had nothing to do with? No one living had anything to do with something that happened 150 years ago - I am sorry - I just cannot and will not accept that premise. You would almost think the leadership of this banking company to be complete idiots until you consider that the admission of guilt was not a sincere request for forgiveness.

Consider, if you will, recent developments in the legal and business community. Lawsuits have been filed over the last decade by the descendants of slaves seeking reparations from companies for their ties to slavery. Those bringing these bogus lawsuits have realized, probably from the huge suits brought against the tobacco companies, that these large corporations are easy marks and they have the big bucks. They do not dare level these reparations at the white population of America for fear of stirring a national revolt that would make the American Civil War look like a fist fight.

Consider as well, that a handful of American cities (like Chicago, Richmond, Philadelphia and Los Angeles) have recently passed measures that require companies that do business within their respective city limits to document and disclose financial ties with slavery. The City of Berkley wants to go so far as to stop doing business with companies that do not confess and beg forgiveness.

So, is the move by Wachovia out of their kind and guilty hearts or just a calculated business alignment?

If I may, I would like to conclude with a small reminder of historical facts that are skillfully omitted from most history books.

Traditionally, the [American] South has been blamed for slavery like no other section of humanity in times past. However, I challenge anyone to find documentation of an American slave ship that flew a banner other than the flag of the United States of America or which sailed from a Southern port. The slave trade practically built the great commerce areas of New York, Boston, Hartford and Providence.

Consider, too, that as the American Civil War approached that the very Constitution of the Confederate States of America outlawed the slave trade in March 1861. Only about one in ten Southerners even owned a slave and the Confederate icons of Lee and Jackson opposed slavery.

Consider, too, that these recent contortions about slavery are clearly and simply extortion - Corporate America is being played for a fool over this issue and there is plenty of hypocrisy to spread around.

Wayne Dobson is a member of the Lt. James T. Woodward Camp 1399, Sons of Confederate Veterans, who lives in Macon. He is a member of the musical group, Simple Heritage.