What do you think of VA Gov. McDonnell's Confederate History Month

finnbow · #1 04-12-2010, 12:45 PM

VA Gov. McDonnell recent decision to make April "Confederate History Month" has caused quite a stir. The cause of the dust-up is that he did not mention slavery when calling for Virginia citizens to "understand the sacrifices of the Confederate leaders, soldiers and citizens during the period of the Civil War." Was this deliberately racist, stupid, cynical or OK?

I vote for it being a cynical attempt to rally the right wing base in the Old Dominion.

BlueStreak · #2 04-12-2010, 01:03 PM

It's just the southern right showing their ass, and longing for bygone days. When lazy white men could sit out on the veranda sipping Mint Julips and watching some one else do all of their work for them. And collect all of the money for themselves of course. Then maybe sneak off after the missus done gone ta sleep, for a little midnight fun.........

Let's see, Virginia has gone red again and I'm still waitnig for my taxes to go down..................do,do,do,do, hmmmm, hmmm,hmmm. Well, looks like it aint gonna happen..again. Instead they cut education money again. After all, the ignorant are more easily controlled dontcha know....

Dave

Fast_Eddie · #3 04-12-2010, 01:14 PM

When is Apartheid Appreciation day? Third Reich Rememberance week?

piece-itpete · #4 04-12-2010, 01:17 PM

From what I've seen a lot of Southern folks take their past seriously - they are proud to be 'rebels', and I don't think most of them mean slaveowners.

Understandably the black folks see it just a slight bit differently and whites folks would do well to consider that (as black folks should think about pride in history regarding the white folks).

And of course the Governor is a politician. But a Southern man can't mention any consideration for being a rebel and a southerner without being pilloried. Honor, duty, courage.

Pete

Zeke · #5 04-12-2010, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fast_Eddie

When is Apartheid Appreciation day? Third Reich Rememberance week?

As an American Indian, I might say, "right after the 4th of July."

But it's not actually that simple.

Reality is that the victors write the history books. Why are folks mad because slavery wasn't mentioned? Because somebody, somewhere, hasn't gotten over it, yet.

Hey, I'm the first to tell you that we Natives got screwed, Custer had it coming and Andrew Jackson can rot in Hell: but the Federal government is no longer the reason that many of my brethren are social and economic pariahs.

That's their fault.

When the lot of apologist black -- and white -- folks assume responsibility for their own lot, they won't internalize omitting something, by which they continue to define themselves, in a state-level proclamation.

Because, you know, it won't matter.

Fast_Eddie · #6 04-12-2010, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by piece-itpete

But a Southern man can't mention any consideration for being a rebel and a southerner without being pilloried. Honor, duty, courage.

The Third Reich did a lot of great things too! We never would have gotten to the Moon without their work. Not to mention advances in physics- they discovered a lot of stuff. But a German can't take a little pride in that part of his history without someone getting all bent out of shape about them killing a few million Jews.

I get what you're trying to say Pete, but sometimes one thing casts a shadow so long it darkens everying. I'd say the enslavement of human beings for financial gain falls into that category. Most Germans didn't kill Jews either, but tell someone you want to celebrate the accomplishments of the Third Reich and I'm guessing you'll run into a touch of opposition. Probably won't help much when you explain "no, only the good things".

piece-itpete · #7 04-12-2010, 02:08 PM

Lincoln considered, rightfully, that the sin of slavery was Americas' sin, not just the Souths'. Therefore (as the levelheaded Zeke points out) celebrating the 4th could mean the same thing to many, therefore following that reasoning the same as the Reich.

Pete

finnbow · #8 04-12-2010, 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by piece-itpete

From what I've seen a lot of Southern folks take their past seriously - they are proud to be 'rebels', and I don't think most of them mean slaveowners.

What's interesting is how confused much of the South is about their own history (disclaimer - I've only lived in the South - Virginia, Texas, Louisiana, Maryland (not exactly South, but close enough)). Heck, you can travel through West Virginia and see the Stars and Bars flown proudly on cars and in yards despite the fact that the Union state of WV was created when western Virginia seceded from Confederate Virginia in 1863.

Then the whole argument about keeping the Stars and Bars part of the state flags in some southern states. Hell, in GA it wasn't part of the state flag until 1955 in reaction to the rollback of Jim Crow laws in the 1950's.

The people in the South are really proud of their history/heritage, but they're not exactly sure why - a misfounded patriotism for the lost cause?

Charles · #9 04-12-2010, 02:59 PM

The whole issue has become purely political. Besides, the War's been over for near 150 yrs.

If the Governor of Virginia wants to proclaim a Confederate History Month, that's fine by me. When Virginia gets a Democratic Governor who wants to abolish the Confederate History Month, that's fine by me as well.

What I advocate is to drop the whole issue. The sins of the past are past. I say dry up and let the other guy do his thing.

You may not like it, but it's really no big deal. Don't people have REAL problems anymore?

Chas

finnbow · #10 04-12-2010, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Charles

The whole issue has become purely political. Besides, the War's been over for near 150 yrs.

If the Governor of Virginia wants to proclaim a Confederate History Month, that's fine by me. When Virginia gets a Democratic Governor who wants to abolish the Confederate History Month, that's fine by me as well.

What I advocate is to drop the whole issue. The sins of the past are past. I say dry up and let the other guy do his thing.

You may not like it, but it's really no big deal. Don't people have REAL problems anymore?

Chas

I feel much the same as you other than the fact that I think I was a cynical ploy by the Governor to keep the base fired up. It's hard to let it fade into history if one deliberately stirs the pot.

BTW, I have a couple good friends who live in the Shenandoah Valley (Strasburg) with roots that go very deep. They have portraits of Confederate generals/officers throughout their house and speak of the Civil War (oops, War of Northern Aggression) as if it were yesterday. I guess I just don't get it.