McDonnell declares April Confederate History Month..

[R13]

So because we have different views than others outside our little hillbilly nation, that makes us wrong?

What ever happened to free speach and freedom of expression? Or does that only apply to liberals, gays, and such?

When your 'different views' is racism, xenophobic, homophobic etc...it is wrong, its not a matter of opinion, its wrong and disgusting.

I don't care what they say or express, that's their right just like you said, but intolerance shouldn't be dressed up as just "our views".

[R13]

One of these days your going to here that POP sound, the one where your head finally pops out your backside lol.

Why? Because I'm not ignoring that we are very intolerant? And not na?ve enough to think we actually bring that much to the table in this state? That its really them keeping us up and not the other way around? That we have much fewer jobs and less people and don't need as much(but I agree we need more)? And that its our fault that no one wants to open up shop here and that we can do more so that people don't have to hightail it out of here for oppotunity? That we need to stop whining about how unfair we have it(esp when in reality we have it pretty well compared to a lot of places) and take some responsibility and do something about it?

[1inStripes]

You mention the factories and etc. in the North at that time. Do you know part of the reason why? Taxation. At that time about 80% of the worlds cotton was being produced in southern states. Washington decided to hike federal taxes on it, and turned those into infrastructure improvements in the North, and reinvested little of that money in the south. There was just as many Southerners at that time ready to shut down slavery as there were Northerners wanting to keep it going, or just ship them all back to Africa. It was very similar to the same reasons we rebelled from England, and I'm sure your glad to celebrate that.

[Biggin]

I dont like McDonnell at all, after his essay about women and the workplace, I cant stand him. He is terrible.
But this is not about celebrating Southern slavery or anything like that, its a recognition of our state in the history of the United States. We arent appreciating what happened in the South at the time, we are appreciating the loss of life that led to our nation being unified and more advanced.

While I am not sure about declaring a month Confederate History Month, I do believe there is nothing wrong with recognizing the history of our state.

And the Civil War....
The main reason always boils down to slavery. Not because the South was so intent on enslaving black people, but because the economy of the South at the time almost had to have slaves to be profitable. With the invention of the cotton gin, the South went through a great shift. The tobacco farms started to dwindle while the cotton plantations became the most efficient, most profitable form of income.
It was not just about slavery in the South either, it was the conflict about newer states and their slavery laws.

With the expansion of the country, there was always a huge debate about newer states adopting slavery. The events surrounding the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854? (im pretty sure, maybe 1855), it led to a growing divide between the abolitionsists and the pro-slavery contentions. With the discussion about slavery on the forefront, the agression between the two sides became even more heated.
The fugitive slave act was also a HUGE deal, adding even more tension to the situation. The abolitionsists fought hard against the Fugitive Slave Act, while the slave-holding states were intent on getting the act passed, which it was.

Furthermore, states rights became a huge issue. The South wanted the government reduced and the states to have the ability to run without interference, basically a soverign country with agreements with the rest of the states.

And Stripes I am not sure about what you are referring to. There was a 1/8 cent tax hike per pound on cotton, but it was implemented to try and raise money to pay back a $15 million dollar loan. But the South already had their voluntary embargo working at high pace, therefore only $30,000 was raised by the new tax.

So, if I had to say one reason for slavery, it would be cotton, not slavery.

[cosmo99]

Virginia governor apologizes for slavery 'omission'

by Virginie Montet Virginie Montet ? 2 hrs 31 mins ago

WASHINGTON (AFP) ? Amid growing national criticism, Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell apologized for not acknowledging slavery in a proclamation he signed declaring April "Confederate History Month."

McDonnell recognized he had made a "major omission" in not citing slavery, a practice that sparked the 1861-1865 Civil War between the Union of 20 free states and five border slave states and the 11 southern slave states that declared they were seceding to form a Confederacy.

"The failure to include any reference to slavery was a mistake, and for that I apologize to any fellow Virginian who has been offended or disappointed," McDonnell said in a statement.

"The abomination of slavery divided our nation, deprived people of their God-given inalienable rights, and led to the Civil War. Slavery was an evil, vicious and inhumane practice which degraded human beings to property, and it has left a stain on the soul of this state and nation."

But the Republican governor did not rescind his original statement, instead adding language that recognized slavery had started the Civil War.

His largely symbolic proclamation, seen as a move to build up support among conservatives, had revived controversy over Virginia's Confederate past and angered civil rights leaders.

Democratic National Committee chairman Tim Kaine, McDonnell's predecessor, said the move showed Republicans were insensitive to racial concerns.

McDonnell's two Democratic predecessors had refused to issue the declaration honoring soldiers who fought for the South during the Civil War out of concern it would insult African-Americans, who make up around 20 percent of the state's population.

In explaining his decision, McDonnell initially said Tuesday the proclamation would help boost tourism in Virginia ahead of the war's 150th anniversary next year. Virginia was the site of many of the war's battles and the state capital Richmond also served as the Confederate capital.

The governor said he did not refer 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 that I thought were most significant for Virginia."

The Virginia Legislative Black Caucus and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) both condemned McDonnell's decision.

NAACP president Benjamin Todd Jealous said the move "disrespects history and the people of Virginia."

In apologizing for his initial proclamation, McDonnell announced he was revising the text to add a paragraph criticizing slavery.

"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," the new paragraph read.

Some Virginia lawmakers were not satisfied.

"He has a right to apologize, but I don't accept that. This is a pattern of this governor. He says the wrong thing. He makes an apology. This has happened many, many times," Democratic Virginia state Senator Henry Marsh told CNN.

"I expect respect from him toward me and my constituents. If he continues to do this, I'm not going to believe his apologies. So far, he's starting on the wrong foot."

Doug Wilder, the first elected African-American governor in US history, told CNN he welcomed McDonnell's apology and revisions to the declaration.

"I think it's the right thing for him to have done, because most people recognize that slavery was the cause of the war," said Wilder, who removed Confederate insignia from Virginia National Guard uniforms when he served as the state's governor in the early 1990s.

But Richard Hines of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, a group that had urged McDonnell to make his declaration, said the governor "deserves a great deal of credit for issuing the confederate history month proclamation and he certainly hasn't retracted that."

Virginia is dotted with Civil War battlefields and is seeking to promote its struggling museums, which include the "White House" of the Confederacy that was once home to Confederate leader Jefferson Davis.

Virginia governor apologizes for slavery 'omission' - Yahoo! News

[1inStripes]

And Stripes I am not sure about what you are referring to. There was a 1/8 cent tax hike per pound on cotton, but it was implemented to try and raise money to pay back a $15 million dollar loan. But the South already had their voluntary embargo working at high pace, therefore only $30,000 was raised by the new tax.

The southern states were where 80% if not more of the countries imports/exports took place. Because of that southern businessmen were being hit with the greatest percentage of tariffs due to this. Free trade had been a huge deal for many southern businessmen of that time, and after the 1857 tariff, taxes had dropped to one of the lowest percentages worldwide, but still that meant that most taxes were coming from Southern states. In 1860 the Morrill tariff was put together by Rep. Morrill of Vermont which raised rates by 60%. It had basically no support from southern representatives because it effected their constistences the most. After succession, the amended the bill raising rates even higher to help pay for the Civil War.

That was another big reason why GB supported the Confederates and their attempts to keep free trade available.

[sup-rbeast]

There is nothing at all wrong with celebrating the heritage of the place you live. I realize that now days teachers and schools attempt to trivialize the Civil War and say it was a war fought to free the slaves...but nothing is further from the truth. Some of the division came from the issue of slavery, but what it boiled down to is that the Civil War was fought over a state's right to govern itself through laws that supercede Federal laws. And, it's hard to argue otherwise since the first Emancipation Proclamation wasn't issued until the second year of the war and exempted border states from having to free their slaves. And, if one of y'all still persist that the Civil War was fought to free the slaves, explain this quote from Lincoln:

"I will say then that I am not, nor ever have been in favor of bringing about in anyway the social and political equality of the white and black races - that I am not nor ever have been in favor of making voters or jurors of negroes, nor of qualifying them to hold office, nor to intermarry with white people; and I will say in addition to this that there is a physical difference between the white and black races which I believe will forever forbid the two races living together on terms of social and political equality. And inasmuch as they cannot so live, while they do remain together there must be the position of superior and inferior, and I as much as any other man am in favor of having the superior position assigned to the white race. I say upon this occasion I do not perceive that because the white man is to have the superior position the negro should be denied everything."

BTW, an interesting web page dealing with Lincoln's thoughts about the slaves is here: http://sztybel.tripod.com/lincoln.html It is documented as well.

Pure and simple, Lincoln freed the slaves as a political maneuver hoping to incite rebellion from the slaves in the South and, furthermore, hoping to land enough of the abolitionist vote to keep him in office come 1864. It's foolish to think otherwise. And, it's also foolish to equate the Confederacy with Racism...because in 1861 most everyone on both sides were racist. It wasn't like it was confined to the south.

[Biggin]

the issue is WAY too complex for you to just say the major cause was a states rights issue.

there were tons of other issues, that were as important if not more than the simple states rights debate.

[sup-rbeast]

the issue is WAY too complex for you to just say the major cause was a states rights issue.

there were tons of other issues, that were as important if not more than the simple states rights debate.

There were other issues..but they ALL fell under the Southern belief in an individual states right to choose for itself how to deal with those individual issues.

[Monkeyhead]

When your 'different views' is racism, xenophobic, homophobic etc...it is wrong, its not a matter of opinion, its wrong and disgusting.

I don't care what they say or express, that's their right just like you said, but intolerance shouldn't be dressed up as just "our views".

Just because you don't agree with homosexuality does not make you a homophobe. Just because you don't listen to rap and you own a old beat up ford with a rebel flag in the back window, does not make you a racist. You generalize and label people that you really may not even know. Don't let your own bigotry be your downfall.

To change peoples minds and heart you can't belittle them and make them feel like they are always in the wrong.