When they are in trouble, when they find themselves in a hole, they just open their mouths and dig that hole deeper. Exhibit A: Gov. Robert F. McDonnell of Virgina. First he issues a proclamation about the Civil War as "a four year war for independence" and which failed to mention that those "freedom fighters" were fighting to preserve a system of chattel slavery. Then, when called on it, McDonnell said that slavery was not significant to Virgina.
That didn't go over so well, what with there being a lot of Virginians whose ancestors were slaves. It didn't go over well with one of McDonnell's major Black donors. It didn't go over well with other conservatives, who are well aware of the image the Tea-Party Right is putting forth as being the last vestiges of old racism. So now he's trying to walk it back.
Good luck with that. It would help if he proclaimed April "Seditious Traitor Month", but don't look for that to happen. I'll settle for an acknowledgment of the fact that the Civil War was fought over one issue and one issue alone: Whether or nor slavery would be permitted to endure. The "lost cause" that the Rebel apologists wax nostalgically over was the cause of slavery. The cause that one human being could legally possess another. The cause that any slave who had the temerity to escape bondage was to be hunted down and returned to slavery. The cause of human bondage and murder.
Everyone who flies a Confederate flag, whether they want to acknowledge it or not, is declaring common cause with the old slavery-owning Southern aristocracy, with one of the most pernicious evils in American history.
It is high time that we stop glorifying this evil and call it out for what it was and still is.
UPDATE: Gail Collins's column on this issue is worth a read.
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Wednesday, April 7, 2010
6 comments:
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Indeed!
ReplyDeleteWhy do they hate America?
ReplyDeleteCan't really agree with your acessment. Slavery was certainly a blot on this nation but hardly the real cause of the Civil War. It certainly made the Northern victors look more honorable and self righteous and feel better about themselves. President Lincoln had a plan to send many slaves back to Africa, Liberia I believe. I would also suggest you research some of Abe's quotes regarding negroes to get a flavor for sentiments regarding the slaves held by many on both sides of the Mason-Dixon line. Thankfully for the slaves an industrialized America had come to the North ahead of the South or they would not have been a factor to be mentioned in the conflict.
ReplyDeleteDokrt, have you read the declaration of secession by the SC legislature? They made it pretty clear that slavery was their beef.
ReplyDeleteLincoln wanted to preserve the Union and anything sort of keeping slavery was acceptable to him.
Without slavery, there would have been no civil war.
Suffice it to say my dear Comrade that we shall agree to disagree on the matter of the Civil War. I will only say that history has always been written by the victors to show themselves in the most favorable of light.
ReplyDeleteThe war between the states was about states right and interstate commerce.
ReplyDeleteWith that said what was the right and commerce..Slaves and slave labor.
It was a bad call on the confederate states part then and still is.
Eck!