In an effort to maintain the relevance of the Confederacy, Gov. Phil Bryant has created Confederate Heritage Month and has set aside April 25 as Confederate Memorial day. He also forgot to mention slavery. You would think that the central issue of the Civil War should be mentioned in the creation of a holiday celebrating one of the sides involved.
Of course, this has been met with quite the public outcry. Gov. Bryant knew this would happen. The official mention of this holiday didn’t happen on the state website, but instead, on the website for the Sons of Confederate Veterans.
So, a white guy made a holiday celebrating the side of a military conflict that got angry because they were told slavery was wrong. Brilliant.
In response to this the NAACP suggested a holiday of their own, Union Army Heritage Month. If you’re going to honor one side, might as well honor both.
The president of Mississippi’s NAACP, Derrick Johnson, wrote:
‘These white and black Mississippi patriots fought for the continuation of the United States of America as one nation, under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Should not those soldiers be honored, too?”
Mississippi isn’t the only state to have a similar holiday. Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, and Virginia also have proclamations. However, states like Alabama keep the cause of the war, slavery, front and center.
“Our recognition of Confederate history also recognizes that slavery was one of the causes of the war, an issue in the war, was ended by the war and slavery is hereby condemned.”
In 2010 when Gov. Bob McConnell created a similar month, it backfired and he was forced to offer a swift apology.
“WHEREAS, it is important for all Virginians to understand that the institution of slavery led to this war and was an evil and inhumane practice that deprived people of their God-given inalienable rights and all Virginians are thankful for its permanent eradication from our borders, and the study of this time period should reflect upon and learn from this painful part of our history.”
So far Mississippi hasn’t brought up any possible changes. The governor’s director of communications, Clay Chandler said:
“Like his predecessors – both Republican and Democrat – who issued similar proclamations, Governor Bryant believes Mississippi’s history deserves study and reflection, no matter how unpleasant or complicated parts of it may be. Like the proclamation says, gaining insight from our mistakes and successes will help us move forward.”
I guess gaining insight from their mistakes doesn’t include actually referencing them.
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