A Sea Of Red

Ah, Virginians .... why must you do stupid things like this?

USA Today wrote:Va. Confederate History Month measure touches off firestorm

Political analysts say Virginia Gov. Robert McDonnell's declaration that April will be Confederate History Month will help his position with his conservative base.

However, as The Washington Post reports today, the proclamation has not endeared him to civil rights leaders.

The Republican governor said the measure was designed to promote state tourism. Next year marks the 150th anniversary of the beginning of the Civil War; the proclamation honors the soldiers who fought for the South but does not mention slavery.

"There were any number of aspects to that conflict between the states," McDonnell said. "Obviously, it involved slavery. It involved other issues. But I focused on the ones I thought were most significant for Virginia."

Click Here for Full Story

While not my favorite publication by any measure, the following made me laugh out loud ...

Vanity Fair wrote:Virginia governor Bob McDonnell has revived the tradition of declaring April to be Confederate History Month in his state, in recognition of all the, um, great things the Confederacy did. Conspicuously absent from McDonnell’s declaration: any mention of slavery, which, the governor explains, wasn’t a significant issue for Virginia.

Sly Fox wrote:Ah, Virginians .... why must you do stupid things like this?

USA Today wrote:Va. Confederate History Month measure touches off firestorm

Political analysts say Virginia Gov. Robert McDonnell's declaration that April will be Confederate History Month will help his position with his conservative base.

However, as The Washington Post reports today, the proclamation has not endeared him to civil rights leaders.

The Republican governor said the measure was designed to promote state tourism. Next year marks the 150th anniversary of the beginning of the Civil War; the proclamation honors the soldiers who fought for the South but does not mention slavery.

"There were any number of aspects to that conflict between the states," McDonnell said. "Obviously, it involved slavery. It involved other issues. But I focused on the ones I thought were most significant for Virginia."

Click Here for Full Story

While not my favorite publication by any measure, the following made me laugh out loud ...

Vanity Fair wrote:Virginia governor Bob McDonnell has revived the tradition of declaring April to be Confederate History Month in his state, in recognition of all the, um, great things the Confederacy did. Conspicuously absent from McDonnell’s declaration: any mention of slavery, which, the governor explains, wasn’t a significant issue for Virginia.

The only stupid thing is a Texan being so gullible as to only accept the victor's side of how it happened.

It should be noted that Virginia seceded AFTER Lincoln ordered troops to South Carolina, and that Virginia's decision to secede was based on what were perceived as unconstitutional violations of states rights. Virginia's decision to secede was based on taking a stand against tyranny by the federal government.

Before this thread goes into the same old thing, I'd just like to throw this out there.

Northern Involvement in the Slave Trade

A central fact obscured by post-Civil War mythologies is that the northern U.S. states were deeply implicated in slavery and the slave trade right up to the war.

The slave trade in particular was dominated by the northern maritime industry. Rhode Island alone was responsible for half of all U.S. slave voyages...

http://www.tracesofthetrade.org/guides- ... ave-trade/


Carry on.

That has nothing to do with the topic. But thanks for sharing.

Why am I not surprised the board's resident Confederate apologist chimed in first?

On this I have to agree with Atrain.

My my my, how foolish !

Yeah, those five years should be looked back on above all others as the high water mark in Virginia history. Wait, what?

Regardless of your views on the Confederacy, this decision by the Governor is insulting and displaying political suicide.

how is it insulting?

I'd prefer to let some of our guys who could answer that better than I to address it directly.

But suffice it to say that celebrating an effort to continue slavery might be insulting to many today. While I am far from the PC police, this has more to do with simple understanding for fellow man than political correctness. The way this was announced and defended creeps me out.

i have zero problem with Confederate History Month because it is an important part of Virginia History, but Gov McDonnell's omission of the condemnation of slavery showed poor judgement IMO. I am glad he ammended the proclamation to include the slavery issue as it was an important part of Virginia History. I do not think any sane human in our time would think slavery was right, and im sure Gov. Mc Donnell meant no harm, but in this day of political correctness you have to be careful. I feel the Governor assumed that Virginians understood slavery was not a good thing. In the end, i see this as a political ploy by the Democrats to try and make the Republicans look bad.... and yes i am a Black Virginian. carry on.

bigsmooth wrote: I do not think any sane human in our time would condemn slavery,

always a smart arse...certainly it was a typo.

blwall1416 wrote:Before this thread goes into the same old thing, I'd just like to throw this out there.

Northern Involvement in the Slave Trade

A central fact obscured by post-Civil War mythologies is that the northern U.S. states were deeply implicated in slavery and the slave trade right up to the war.

The slave trade in particular was dominated by the northern maritime industry. Rhode Island alone was responsible for half of all U.S. slave voyages...

http://www.tracesofthetrade.org/guides- ... ave-trade/

Carry on.

It sure took a long time for someone to use an ad hominem tu quoque in regards to slavery...nice.

Maybe the governor should have wrote his thesis on the antebellum racial harmony.

Doesn't Asheville have that former NAACP chapter president that marches around with the confederate flag and uniform on?

LUconn wrote:Doesn't Asheville have that former NAACP chapter president that marches around with the confederate flag and uniform on?

H.K. Edgerton

I think he is still there. He's very much ingrained in the "live and let live" Asheville attitude. Although, the NAACP did kick him out.

He's never held public office. It seems like he should establish residency and run for governor of Virginia or Mississippi.