The South Shall Rise Again!
When I was in college, there was a dorm at my school called Confederate Memorial Hall. Most of the time it was just called Confederate Hall, which I don’t need to tell you caused many a black people to look like the way Three Six Mafia described Chinese women’s vaginas. It’s just something about the word “Confederate” that brings in thoughts of Kunta Kinte, and him being whipped into the name Toby. The reason for the name, Confederate Memorial Hall, was it was funded by the Daughters of the the Confederacy (DOC) as a memorial to the fallen soldiers of the Confederacy.
Well because of public outcry, the dorm’s name was changed to Memorial Hall. This was done without the DOC’s knowledge, and they sued (rightfully so). Well Vandy was a little smart. The university changed the name in all publications, but left the name on the building facade. They didn’t want to have to give UDC back the $50, 000 that was given to fund the dorm 72 years ago… Which in today’s dollars converts to about $2.2 million… or about a year’s tuition for one student …J/K…only a little. :(
While I was in college, I followed the crowd on this one which was, “Screw them! They made us slaves!” Well now I have to go back on that previous idea. Although slavery was a huge part of the Confederacy, I understand there were numerous other issues that caused that war. And those men, at the time, died for their country fighting for what they believed in. And if their people want to pay for a memorial for that, then I have to say that is all good to me… BUT…We have to see both sides of that: The dark and the light. Sadly, in most wars that are fought, only the winner gets to decide who was right. I’m sure if the South had won, the North would have the same problems with memorials.
“Treason is all a matter of dates ” – From the Movie the Count of Monte Cristo.
I’ll add to that it’s a matter of outcome as well.
But I say all that to keep my topic in perspective.
VA Gov. Bob McDonnell made the declaration that April will be “Confederate History Month”. Now I can see where people would have a problem with this. But let’s be clear (In my Obama voice)… I think it is just as wrong not to have a Confederate History month as it is to not to have Black History Month. He did it for a clear reason. He wanted to honor the past and boost tourism for the state. I don’t have a problem with that. But here is my problem Bob…
How dare you not cite the roll of slavery? Now Bob I don’t have a problem with you honoring your people, but don’t you dare not tell the whole truth. Keep it real son!
I think Martin Luther King was one of the greatest men to walk the Earth. We honor him as well as all black pioneers during Black History month. But let’s be honest. MLK smoked, and he messed around with other women. That’s the truth, and we would do ourselves a disservice not to tell the whole truth no matter how ugly it is.
I’m probably thinking too much on this one when I think about Bob’s merits. (Which I tend to do) But to me that is very careless and mildly racist.
So I don’t have any problem with what you do. I say leave the name Confederate Memorial Hall. I say have your Confederate Month. But don’t forget my heritage in the process.
Wood has Spoken.
-Trillionaire Wood
Let me pose this question: Do we still recognize the confederate currency? Do we recognize the confederate president on President’s day? So why the need to recognize an enity that ceased to exist after the war was fought? It is not like the CSA lost the war but remained their own country. If they did, then my argument would be moot. But the fact is, they were merged back with the United States. That is like Virgina instituting a “Atlantis Heritage Month”. For what???? Furthermore, and more importantly, The Civil War was more than the south fighting for states rights (When I hear that argument, it really infurates me! ). It was a war that fought a culture who thought it was their right from God to use human beings and build their empire. When the Confederate States of America ceased to exist, every entity attached to it should have also ceased to exist, including that d@&$ confederate flag some people insist on flying and implicating in their official state flag, i.e. Arkansas and Georgia. I say that to say this: In my opinion and out of respect for the resiliency of my ancestors Virginia should not even recognize such a month, even if you do “tell the entire story”. The H&!! with the confederacy. It no longer exists for a reason.
Twitter: coolnerds
@Wood,
I see where you are coming from: We recognize what MLK did w/out neglecting his negative traits. With that said, let Gov. McConnell recognize the Confederacy BUT don’t leave out the negative side of his “heritage.”
Rubbish! Fooey! Bull! While we’re at it, let’s have a Nazi Appreciation Month. Jim Crow Day? How about a commemorative KKK stamp with black person hanging from the tree as the insignia?
Also, I don’t buy the sentiment that the Civil War was not only about slavery. It was all about slavery. States’ Rights was about the state’s right to legislate slavery.
Twitter: coolnerds
@ SouthernCharm and @ LPAJD
You can sit there and say all you want that it was only about slavery, but I think that is just as narrow minded as someone saying that it wasn’t about slavery at all.
We live in a society that people believe in order to get what they want someone else has to lose. So in that situation black people were losing. With the help of the North they stop losing as much. And the South lost. I think if they want to honor their past, we should let them.
He’s not saying you have to run around with a confederate flag or even recogonize the month yourself. He’s saying we will, for those that want to. Just like no one can stop you from celebrating Black History Month even if there was a law against it. But you can’t make anybody else celebrate Black History Month.
If someone wants to have Jim Crow Day. That’s fine with me. But if one person try to put me at the Colored water fountain, there will be some furniture moving…LOL
@Wood: If there was no slavery, there would not have been a need for the civil war. People always try to cover up and sugar coat the reasoning behind the war. Bottom line, it was about states rights regarding slavery. Period. There is no other way to slice that block of government cheese. Secondly, I feel it is a slap in the face to millions of African Americans whose ancestors built this country on their backs to even suggest Confederate History Month. When you look at the logic behind dedicating months to certain entites, it is because there is a need for recognition and celebration. There is no need to recognize or celebrate oppression. Black History Month exists because there is a need to honor the pioneers of America’s successes ( fore many of the major inventions, etc. came from African Americans without due compensation or credit, including the building and layout of our nations capitol.). There is no need to honor a War that was fought which eventually led to the end of physical oppression as well as to the end of a country within a country. If I had enough time, I would construct a constitutional argument why such celebration should be banned. But alas, you get the point.