Virginia Gov. McDonnell Recognizes Confederate History Month

Virginia's right wing Republican Gov. Bob McDonnell, who recently said gays didn't need employment protections, moves further to solidify his conservative base and becomes the Commonwealth's first governor in eight years to declare April will be Confederate History Month. The proclamation makes no mention of slavery or Virginia's opposition to the Civil Rights Movement, reports the Washington Post.

"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.' "

Slavery wasn't the "most significant" issue for the Confederacy? LOLz

An editorial in today's Washington Post says McDonnell's historical "airbrushing" is "incendiary":

"It's fine that Mr. McDonnell decided to proclaim April as Confederate History Month; the Confederacy is an important chapter of history that merits study and draws tourists to Virginia. But any serious statement on the Confederacy and the Civil War would at least recognize the obvious fact—that slavery was the major cause of the war, and that the Confederacy fought largely in defense of what it called "property," which meant the right to own slaves."

McDonnell's proclamation was condemned by the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus and the NAACP. Former Governor L. Douglas Wilder, who has "been supportive of McDonnell", called McDonnell's revisionism "mind-boggling to say the least".

Here's a question: How does Sheila Johnson, the billionaire co-founder of Black Entertainment Television, feel after she endorsed the extreme anti-gay and fundamentalist McDonnell? Does Johnson believe the Confederate declaration and omission of slavery is "good" for business?

Comments

[Nathan James]

The Commonwealth of Virginia will now be added to my "DO NOT GO THERE" list, forthwith. Virginia will join Mississippi, Oklahoma, Jamaica W.I., and Saudi Arabia, among others.

Governor McDonnell's actions are revolting.

[Ravenback]

This is what happens when Democratic-leaning voters sit on their butts and don't go to the polls. I am so tired of the line about not being inspired or motivated to vote. I have never missed an election in the 26 years that I have been eligible to vote since turning 18. When you allow people like McDonnell get into power, can anyone be surprised that he would do the things he has done so far? He has assaulted the LGBT community and the black community. Whose next?

[Quest]

I recently finished college here in Virginia and looking at the direction these closed minded hicks are moving this state into....ive got to get the hell outta here!

[Ravenback]

Unfortunately Quest, you may never escape the closed minded hicks wherever you go. I live in California and the voters here made gay marriage unconstitutional. So much for the liberal minded hippies out in California.

[Diva1961]

I hope Ms. Johnson and other conservative blacks who usually agree/vote with "these types" are chocking on this. Saying that you believe in smaller government as a republican is one thing, but to see that "these types" believe in the govenment of the Civil War, is another.

[Jim]

Although it was rare, there were black people in the South who owned slaves, as Edward P. Jones's novel, The Known World, points out.

Sheila Johnson knows very well that after Governor McDonnell signs the law that brings slavery back to Virginia, she will be a slave owner, so it will be perfectly all right with her.