Confederaphobia: An American Epidemic

by Paul C. Graham

Book Description: For 150 years Confederate monuments and other memorials dotted the American landscape. Few people objected. After all, a third of the American people are descended from Confederate soldiers and Congress has officially and legally declared Confederates to be “American veterans.” That time has passed. There is an epidemic of hate and fear sweeping the land; a wave of hostility and intolerance that shows no sign of slowing or stopping; its fury is directed at Southern symbols—flags, monuments, and other displays—in fact everything Southern now appears to be a target. Paul C. Graham has courageously examined this case of mass hysteria; a condition he has aptly dubbed “Confederaphobia.” “It’s one thing,” writes Graham, “to acknowledge that the meaning of symbols is one of perspective. It’s quite another thing to have the meaning dictated by ideologues who are not participants in the cultural tradition . . . . Southern symbols mean to the Southerner exactly what they say that they do . . .speak for those people for whom Southern identity is a living reality.” Southern people are growing weary of the ongoing demonization; of being bullied and harassed; and have begun to realize that Confederaphobia is not a matter of monuments, but a campaign to expunge their identity. If you are a self-identified Southerner, you are a potential target!It’s not too late to inoculate yourself from the dangerous effects of this disease, but this is only possible if you recognize the problem. The problem is not Confederate flags, monuments, markers, belt-buckles, stickers, do-dads, knick-knacks, what-nots, or Dukes of Hazzard re-runs—the problem is Confederaphobia!

About The Author: is a native of Columbia, South Carolina and holds a Bachelor and Masters Degree in Philosophy from the University of South Carolina Society. He is past president of the South Carolina Masonic Research Society and the former editor of The Palmetto Partisan, the official journal of the South Carolina Division of the Sons of Confederate Veterans.

He was a contributing author to ‘Understanding the War Between the States’ (2015) and ‘The Southern Tradition'(2019), editor of a collection of accounts from the South Carolina Slave Narratives entitled ‘When the Yankees Come: For South Carolina Slaves Remember Sherman’s Invasion’ (2016), and author of ‘Confederaphobia: An American Epidemic’ (2017).

Mr. Graham’s writings have appeared in several publications including the Simms Review, the Abbeville Institute Blog & Review, and Reckonin.com.

He is the co-founder of Shotwell Publishing, LLC and lives near Saxe Gotha, South Carolina, with his beautiful bride of over 20 years, Mrs. Suzette.