What a theater they have turned politics into here in ol' Virginy! Today's Washington Post reports:McDonnell issues Confederate history month proclamation
Gov. Bob McDonnell (R) has quietly declared April 2010 Confederate History Month, bringing back a designation in Virginia that his two Democratic predecessors -- Mark Warner and Tim Kaine -- refused to do.
Republican governors George Allen and Jim Gilmore issued similar proclamations. But in 2002, Warner broke with their action, calling such proclamations, a "lightning rod" that does not help bridge divisions between whites and blacks in Virginia.
Well we are back to making "statements" again! This would be so funny if it weren't for the overt racism I see around me every day in so many ways. Read on below for more.
Here's what the blog says:
This year's proclamation was requested by the Sons of Confederate Veterans. A representative of the group said the group has known since it interviewed McDonnell when he was running for attorney general in 2005 that he was likely to respond differently than Warner or Kaine.
"We've known for quite some time we had a good opportunity should he ascend the governorship," Brandon Dorsey said. "We basically decided to bide our time and wait until we had more favorable politicians in Richmond."
Dorsey said the governor's stamp of approval would help the group publicize the month and aide tourism efforts in the state.
If I wanted to be cute I'd say that our governor openly supports terrorism. After all the Confederates were just that! No one around here would listen to me though.
A real history of our local region (Mathews County and the surrounds) would reveal some not so complimentary facts about the acts against the African American population that certainly turn my stomach. Being a Yankee I see things my own way. I come from Chicago one of the most racist places I have ever been. When I first lived in the South (Marine Corps Officer's Basic in Quantico, 1957) I was astounded by the contradictions. I had already briefly tasted the atmosphere when I got off the train from Chicago in Norfolk in 1954 to board ship for my freshman midshipman cruise. I had heard about segregation but even coming from a segregated city like Chicago, this was different. Up north we could not abide living near "them". In Norfolk they couldn't use the same facilities for anything! "Whites only" labels on so many things.Still I was impressed by the fact that they could live in proximity with the people with whom they would not drink water from the same fountain.
We elected Barack Obama. We have not gotten over that around here. Some still use the "N" word when they talk about him. We go to all sorts of "public" functions like BBQs and fish fries and other things and the crowds are not lilly white. They also do not reflect the population.
I have belonged to two service organization chapters here and they were lilly white. (One did not have women either).
So our governor takes us a few steps back. When will someone take us a few forward? I probably won't live to see it.