It happened that I was scrounging around on the Internet for something several nights ago when I chanced to come across an "article" on Wikipedia. It was at Here.

The reason that it caught my attention was that I found that it mentioned my name in the article, and, to be charitable, what it had to say about me was highly inaccurate. That should have been apparant to anyone with a brain.

It mentioned the Southern Independence Party (SIP). According to the article it (the SIP) "was headed by Al Benson Jr.. who called for the restitution of black slavery in his blog 'The Patriotist'. Upon its dissolution, many members, (including Benson) joined the Independent American Party." I don't claim to know what the individual who submitted this bit of drivel had been smoking, but whatever it was it seems to have made him/her? rather prone to wild delusions.

The article mentioned the old Southern Party. For starters, I never had anything to do with the old Southern Party. I read about it and some of its troubles on the Internet, but I was never involved. I have never been the head of the newer Southern Independence Party, which according to this indivudual has been dissolved (it hasn't). At one point, I was Vice-chairman of Communications for the SIP in the state of Louisiana, a position I had to resign from a couple years ago for health reasons. But I was never the head of the organization in any way, shape or form.

It would have been interesting if the person who submitted this article had noted just when I was supposed to have called for the restoriation of black slavery, because, you see, that never happened. Were such a suggestion not libelous it would be almost ludicrous. I have written articles on slavery over the years, attempting in my small way to clear up some of the myths and distortions that have cropped up regarding it, but such hardly constitutes calling for a return to it. I have never been a fan of slavery, black or any other kind. Those who say I have may either be suffering from dementia or worse.

This article claims I had a blog called "The Patriotist." Wrong again! The Patriotist was a website owned by Louis Goldberg of Missouri. Mr. Goldberg carried on it excellent articles by some of the best patriotic and conservative writers we have today. If there was a blog involved with the site I don't recall having anything to do with it. And knowing Mr. Goldberg personally, I highly doubt that he would ever call for the reinstitution of slavery. The Patriotist was his website, not my blog! I used to write articles for Mr. Goldberg's website when it was up and running for that purpose, but again, that hardly constitutes advocating slavery, unless you happen to have a troubled mind.

This spurious article also claimed that the SIP had been dissolved, (to the best of my knowledge it has not) and that many of its former members, myself included, joined the Independent American Party. Another slight goof! I have no involvement with the Independent American Party, nor have I ever had. I don't know anything either good or bad about them--I just haven't been involved with them.

I am a little surprised that Wikipedia, which is supposed to be some sort of an Internet encyclopedia would allow such material to be posted. The article gives no notations or references as to where all this supposed "information" about me was gotten from. There is nothing listed that you can look up to either prove or disprove the article's allegations.

Over the years, with my newsletter, The Copperhead Chronicle, many folks have sent me all manner of material that they want me to publish for them. In many cases, they present to me no back-up evidence or documentation for what they want me to deal with, other than telling me "well everybody in my area knows all about this." Sorry folks, that's not evidence. At best it is secondhand hear-say. Ive had, over the years, people to send me all kind of articles about certtain ethnic groups which they want me to spead all over the place. Yet these people do not have the courage to even give me their names or a return address. I never use this sort of material. Wikipedia should be that careful.