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Away down south in the land of traitors
Daniel Decatur Emmett’s Dixie appears to be an apt anthem for what is happening in the United States, as along with the Horst-Wessel-Lied it is embedded in far-right conceptions of history and political beliefs. Dixie and Horst Wessel represent some of the darkest moments in human history, a time when white men decided that those of different races and creeds were unworthy of life and basic human dignity. That their spirts have roared back due to Trump, Musk, and Alternative Fur Deutschland highlights why vigilance is essential to stop the erosion of rights. There is an antithesis to this of course, and that is found in the likes of Union Dixie and The Great Dictator which subvert fascism and are a call to arms to oppose the oppression of men.
Union Dixie reshaped my understanding of the US Civil War, its chorus stating that “each Dixie boy must understand that he must mind his Uncle Sam” reminding us that 160 years ago the North understood that those who cling to tyranny must be brought to understanding, not simply expected to set aside their oppressive actions alone. All great battles against tyranny begin with holding the line, begin with people saying enough! Zelensky’s “The fight is here; I need ammunition, not a ride” stopped dead any Russian attempts at overthrowing Ukrainian democracy, and Trump’s 2025 attempts at subverting that will bear all the hallmarks of a…
