It seems almost inexplicable that honor killings, that is killings of family members for bringing shame upon the family unit, as in a given female family member refusing to participate in an arranged marriage, inappropriate contact by a female with an outside male, elopement, fornication, victim of rape, and other various unsuitable behaviors that demonstrate either outright rebellion against the family unit, or unacceptable events that have disgraced the family, or in particular obstinacyin any of its forms against one's parents , may lead to actual honor killings in this day and age, but in point of fact, they do. Perhaps even more upsetting is the fact that these killings against defenseless females are typically not contracted out to "hit men" such as it might be done in America, but are actually committed by family members, against their own family member -- making this filicide or sororicide. The belief, held by these families that commit these honor killings is that in order to maintain their "honor" within their community they must kill their own daughter or female member that has brought shame of some form onto the family, and only by this blood sacrifice can their family name and status be faithfully restored.
In the antebellum south, there most definitely was a code of southern honor, a code that any good southerner obeyed and was not often recognized as existing in those that hailed from the northern climes. This southern honor code was primarily based around family and class, especially in recognition that the father was the head of the family, and that females of that family, must have their virtue protected and secured by the males members of said family, as well as for family to maintain at all times, the gentility, manners, courage, and respect that southern blood was made for. Not too surprisingly, there were times when that southern honor was invaded or violated, to which as part of that honor, the patriarch of the house would for sake of the family and of their honor, respond to this provocation.
The most significant difference between honor killings of today as opposed to southern honor back then is that while the former is the killing of a family member by a family member, sanctioned by the head of the family, the later is the defense of a family member by a family member, sanctioned by the head of the family. The southern way was never to believe that their woman had voluntarily given themselves up to another man, or compromised themselves in some way, but to believe instead that the honor of their female member had been violated or seduced under false pretences somehow; whereas in honor killings of today, the female is considered to be guilty and held to blame for whatever violation she is accused of, with the family name and position trumping all else.
Primarily, honor killings as well as southern honor both suffer from the same vice, which is the sin of pride. It is this pride that wrongfully puts family honor as perceived by the patriarch, above all; above truth, above justice, above love, above grace, and above true honor, for to truly honor someone is to humble oneself in front of He who has gifted us all, recognizing that we have, each of us, been founding wanting, yet in His wisdom, our Creator waits for us in timeless patience, wanting to take us back into His fold, for we once were lost, but now we are found.