Is there a "Hitler's Army Month" in Germany? NO? Oh, just checking...
Many of you already have heard in the news that Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell gave a speech yesterday in which he named the month of April as Confederate History Month. Virginia, being the epicenter of the Confederacy, has a huge amount of history behind the civil war, and with Richmond being the old capital of the Confederacy, it is understood as to why Virginia Governors have always been presented with this proclamation request. Gov. Warner and Kaine both denied the request, but our new Governor, whom I believe is aiming to please his far right Republican constituents, has obliged the group with this new Month.
Aside from the obvious issue with this, the Governor was scrutinized for his lack of acknowledgment of slavery and its impact and influence of the civil war. Now, in a new statement on the Governor's official site, he has apologized for not acknowledging slavery. His "written" reason for why he didnt mention slavery during his proclamation speech because he wanted to focus on the actual war. Well Governor, what was the biggest, most significant outcome of the war? What was among the top reasons of the war beginning? Slavery!
McDonnell spoke of his proclamation as a means to understand the sacrifice and "mistakes" of the confederate soldiers? What mistakes? If they didn't make the mistakes (and consequently lose the War thank God), where would the country potentially be? Still enslaving individuals? Don't get me wrong; history happens. The war happened, Confederate soldiers did exists, and I don't think that these historical instances should be forgotten. Children should know and understand what happened in America's Past, but to have a month of recognizing Confederate soldiers is NOT the medium in achieving this history lesson.
This is only one of the many decisions that the new Governor has made that cause controversy and presents an appearance of McDonnell turning the state backwards to the "Old Commonwealth" which was full of racial injustice, social injustice and civil injustice. Coming from an election campaign in which his team leveraged off of African American support, the Governor needs to think before he acts.
What's my conclusion? I've said it before, and I will say it again.. NEVER trust a politician with a thick, swoopy bang!
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