S.C.: Proposal for bodies Confed. sailors to lie in state in the Capitol draws criticism

Yahoo! News ^ | Sun Sep 28, 2003 | staff writer

[yankeedame]

Confederate Soldiers' Funeral Debated

Sun Sep 28, 5:14 PM ET

COLUMBIA, S.C. - A proposal to have the bodies of eight Confederate sailors lie in state in the Capitol has drawn criticism from some who contend giving them the honor would be unfair and disrespectful.

The sailors' remains were recovered when the submarine H.L. Hunley was brought up in 2000 from the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, where it sank shortly after downing the Union blockade ship Housatonic in 1864. The Hunley was the first submarine to sink an enemy ship during a war.

A Hunley Commission member said no formal request has been made, but a Web site listing details of funeral plans had initially included two days in the Capitol.

Such an honor has been reserved for sitting or long-serving congressmen in recent years.

Some question whether Confederate soldiers should be honored in such a way, including state Sen. Darrell Jackson, who said he would oppose any plan to give high public honors to the dead Confederates.

"Can you imagine how we would be perceived by the rest of the world honoring these men who fought for slavery?" said Jackson, the descendant of slaves.

State Sen. John Courson, also a Hunley Commission member, said the panel has not requested to have the bodies lie in state, but he said it would be appropriate.

"This is a funeral," he said. "It has nothing to do with the Confederate battle flag, and it should be done with dignity and honor."

The governor, speaker of the House and president pro tem of the Senate, who are all Republicans, have the power to decide who can lie in state. The head of the Senate, Glenn McConnell, is a Confederate re-enactor and is leading the effort to raise $40 million for a Hunley museum.

Other critics question the fairness of honoring Confederate soldiers while not giving U.S. soldiers the same treatment.

"We have had many in South Carolina who have given their lives," said state Rep. Joe Neal. "And we have not had this kind of recognition for them."

[Bikers4Bush]

Aaaah, and the race issue is brought into this one early I see.

The idiocy never stops.

[DittoJed2]

They shouldn't be afforded more priveleges than the average GI, but they shouldn't be treated like scum just because they were confederates either. The war was not just about slavery and most of these men were bravely fighting for what they thought was the right thing for this nation.

[Khurkris]

My $0.02 worth:

An appropriate memorial observance in the county seat courthouse of their county of record. Followed by a Military Funeral and burial.

[raybbr]

"Can you imagine how we would be perceived by the rest of the world honoring these men who fought for slavery?" said Jackson, the descendant of slaves.

Probably with a lot more respect than I have for you, you race baiting hate-monger.

[yankeedame]

An appropriate memorial observance in the county seat courthouse of their county of record. Followed by a Military Funeral and burial.

Excellent suggestion! After all, a good compromise leaves everyone dissatisfied.

[Napoleon Solo]

I agree, they fought more for states rights than slavery. Most of those called up were poorer than the slave owners anyway.

What is worse anyway, having the Sons of the Confederacy lying in state with military reserve and honor or for former Presidents of the US walk through Nazi Cemetaries in Europe?

[stand watie]

darrel jackson is not only a racebaiter, but also a LIAR of the 1st order and a dumb-bunny of distinction.

free dixie,sw

[norton]

I see nothing wrong with either act.

Cemetaries are history,
history should be objective,
tour one at random sometime and tell me you don't feel the past.

The "SS cemetary" thing, if we're talking of the same event, amounted to four SS graves in an entire cemetary.
Four SS troops who were probably there because SS got better stuff than the Wiermacht (SP?)and not because they thought Hitler was a demi-god.
[As I remember, most SS divisions did not draw camp duty, and the ones that did were not likely to consist of the nordic hero types that showed up on recruiting posters.]

I've posted this before: beneath an SS, SAS, LRRP or USSF uniform you'll probably find more similarities than differences - go for the best you can obtain, best equipment, training, and best comrades, and go for a win.
Might put you in the midst of things but beats hell out of being casually tossed into hostile fire because there was a gap in the ranks.

I think that soldiers rarely fight for the grand schemes of their leaders.
They fight for the land they grew up on or because the equally frightened guys on either side of them are doing the same.
They fight because, somehow, that's where they ended up.
It's the 'right thing to do' when called upon to do it.

And, of course, because NOT fighting frequently brings on a long, long, cold spell.

[Ditto]

For sailors, isn't the highest honor to be buried at sea?

They recovered the Hunley and it is a significant historical artifact and I assume, worth the effort involved. And perhaps they have gained some important historical insight from the remains of the men in that ship. But it seems to me that the best way to honor those men would be to have an appropriate ship-board service, and then to return their remains to their resting place of 140 years. Taking their remains across the state for what amounts to a contemporary political event is not honoring their memories, IMHO.

BTW. I’m the kind of person who hates to see ancient mummies and such on display in museums. If there is something to be learned by studying those remains, study them. But when you are done the study, return them to their resting place. They were people once and deserve that respect for all time. We shouldn’t treat those remains as curiosities.