Posted on 04/07/2010 4:22:15 AM PDT by Zakeet
Gov. Robert F. McDonnell, reviving a controversy that had been dormant for eight years, has declared that April will be Confederate History Month in Virginia, a move that angered civil rights leaders Tuesday but that political observers said would strengthen his position with his conservative base.
The two previous Democratic governors had refused to issue the mostly symbolic proclamation honoring the soldiers who fought for the South in the Civil War. McDonnell (R) revived a practice started by Republican governor George Allen in 1997. McDonnell left out anti-slavery language that Allen's successor, James S. Gilmore III (R), had included in his proclamation.
McDonnell said Tuesday that the move was designed to promote tourism in the state, which next year will mark the 150th anniversary of the start of the war. McDonnell said he did not include a reference to slavery because "there were any number of aspects to that conflict between the states. Obviously, it involved slavery. It involved other issues. But I focused on the ones I thought were most significant for Virginia."
The proclamation was condemned by the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus and the NAACP. Former governor L. Douglas Wilder called it "mind-boggling to say the least" that McDonnell did not reference slavery or Virginia's struggle with civil rights in his proclamation. Though a Democrat, Wilder has been supportive of McDonnell and boosted his election efforts when he declined to endorse the Republican's opponent, R. Creigh Deeds.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
I had ancestors on both sides of the war. My Great-Great grandfather fought with the 11th Tennessee Infantry and I now own the rifle he used in that fight as well as the .36 caliber revolver he bought for the war.
As to the asinine comments about rememberance of the Civil War... Remember lest we become doomed to repeat it. Instead of burying your heads in the sand like Sharpton wants, learn from what happened so that we may move past it.
The real reason the left are so abhorant to remembering the war is because of the uprising against the established Government part of it... it wasn’t about slavery then, and it’s not about slavery now.
Here’s what I mean. Let’s not lose political capital with meaningless symbolism.
I really was pushing for McDonnell to run for national office, either President or VP in 2012 or 2016.
This is just something for the Liberal Media to attack McDonnell for. A self-inflicted wound for something that really does nothing except fire up the Democrat Black Base.
Good job, McDonnell!
In this case, his statement doesn't even "defend" the heritage, it simply recognizes it as part of what we are. There is no "celebration" in the statement, just acknowledgement that we should understand our past, and honor those who served this state.
Your argument is that we should shy away from anything that the PC crowd deems as bad — I for one don’t want my next President to be someone who kowtows to the Politically Corretct crowd.
McDonnell said what he believes, he defends it well, he doesn’t apologize, but he also doesn’t make a big deal out of it.
Frankly, regardless of where one stands in the old North vs. South debate here on FR, surely we can all agree that race-baiting trash like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton can take a collective long walk off a short pier, no?
This is a stupid idea by McDonnell.
Fu**ing stupid as $hit. Who the eff advised him on this?
At this point, I really don’t care. I think it’s about time white voters consider that they need to engage in a little bloc voting of their own. there are a lot of folks in VA who are proud of their heritage, and if Al Sharpton, etc. want to denigrate that, then go right ahead - let the black voters see what happens when the white majority gets on the same page.
No Al, it wasn't some Socialist 'utopia', it was slavery.
Just exactly what the current Federal Government is trying to do to us all.
Slavery was not the only issue of the period which is germane to current events, either: (Hint, Look up 'states's Rights).
I agree. In politics, 2012 might as well be the 31st century. The nervous nellies are having vapours over nothing.
I think it's cool that a guy from Connecticut even is standing up for McDonnell on this.
The secret to winning close elections is to energize your base and to de-energize your opponent’s base.
That is called Politics 101.
Enjoy your hollow victory. Meanwhile Obama and Sharpton are in the driver’s seat because of an energized black vote.
Sure. Politics 101 also says that this issue will be a non-issue three and a half years down the road when McDonnell needs to run for re-election.
Plus - don’t make the mistake of overestimating the usefulness of “energising the black vote” for the Dems. The fact still remains that what won it for 0bama was the fact that he cut into the traditional Republican hold on white, middle class voters - not that he energised the black vote. If McCain had won even 4% more of the white vote, we’d be cursing President McCain and his sellout stimulus packages right now.
I have the feeling that you will always have the last word in this debate. :>)
By the way, it may help in Virginia . .I don’t know. But it won’t help if he wants to run for national office.
he is not from CT
Nor am I revisionist - the south seceded for a number of reasons. But the claim that it was not primarily about slavery is not credible.
I’m not from Connecticut, the “CT” is a different abbreviation because I find “CharlesWayne” is often used already. I did grow up in Connecticut, but I live in Virginia, and have for my entire adult life.
He didn't do it to "help" with his constituents (frankly, in the end in Virginia it's not a "republican vs democrat", or even a "conservative vs liberal" argument). He did it because he believes that Virginia's heritage should be recognized, and that since we have museums, statues, and battlefields that people come to see in order to explore the civil war history, the state should promote that in order to spur tourism.
The proclamation he made is benign, and I note that those objecting aren't citing specific things he said and disagreeing with them.
Interestingly, he is getting criticized most for something he DIDN'T say, something that has nothing to do with the proclamation -- the point of slavery, as if we can't mention "confederate history" without always making it clear that "slavery was bad". Is there really anybody left in this country that is arguing that slavery is good?
"Sure. Politics 101 also says that this issue will be a non-issue three and a half years down the road when McDonnell needs to run for re-election."
Virginia politics 101 says that this "Confederate History" month will not be an issue in 3 and a half years since Virginia governors are not allowed successive terms. The last Virginia governor to hold the office twice was Mills Godwin, Jr. - the 60th (1966-1970)(D) and 62nd (1974-1978)(R). First term as a Byrd Machine Democrat, the second term as a conservative Republican.
dvwjr
That sounds familiar...have you told me that before?
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