The Confederacy. That word is loaded with meaning, evoking different emotions from different people in Virginia, the South and America as a whole. Even today, more than 100 years later, the Civil War still has a significant effect on society, especially in the South. Recently, Gov. Bob McDonnell announced that April would be Confederate History Month as part of an effort to commemorate the South's sacrifices during the war. This proclamation is completely unnecessary and only serves to perpetuate the negative image of both the South and the Confederacy.
McDonnell originally drew fire for failing to mention slavery in the proclamation. He later amended it to include a passage about slavery, describing it as an "evil and inhumane practice that deprived people of their God-given inalienable rights." That was a good start. But why do we need a Confederate History Month? The Civil War, while primarily about state's rights, focused mainly on the issue of slavery. Ultimately, the Confederate South stood for slavery. Period. Sure, Confederate soldiers were fighting for what they believed in, and they were Americans who fought for a cause and should be commemorated. Unfortunately, they endorsed the practice of slavery. Any Confederate symbol now evokes striking images of the brutal oppression and racism inherent to the Confederate cause. So why should we have an entire month devoted to these ideals?
McDonnell declared Confederate History Month to both promote tourism and "praise the sacrifices of Confederate soldiers." Confederate History Month is actually a Virginia tradition that has been ignored for the past eight years by Democratic governors, only to be revived by our newest Republican one. There's a reason that it has been dormant for the past eight years - celebrating the Confederacy in this way completely overlooks the horrors of slavery and those who suffered under it. Virginia has a rich history apart from the Civil War, serving as a central point for many of America's historical milestones. But rather than accentuate these fine parts of our state's history, McDonnell has only succeeded in promoting the negative stereotype many people have of the South. Racism, like it or not, is still prevalent here, be it on the surface or simmering below our collective society. It's a fact of life. And racism is closely related to the issue of slavery. Therefore, images that represent slavery or the quest to maintain it are bound to be disrespectful and offensive to many people, especially in Virginia.
Virginia is a progressive state. But promoting a Confederate History Month makes us look like we are stuck in the past. As I said before, the soldiers that died should be commemorated. Obviously any Americans who die fighting in America are worthy of respect, especially when they were in a war that literally pit brother against brother, neighbor against neighbor. But there are other ways to commemorate them for their sacrifices in their misguided cause. If McDonnell wants to honor those fallen soldiers, it would make a lot more sense to devote this month to promoting memorials where the soldiers are buried, or encouraging people to learn more about them in a context that fully highlights their part in attempting to prolong slavery. Instead, he decided to instate a blanket Confederate History Month that originally didn't even include slavery, but also gives off the wrong impression of what we as Virginians stand for. From an out-of-state point of view, it looks like a typical Southern declaration of rebellion, a stereotype that is unfortunately usually linked to Southern society. McDonnell is only reinforcing this stereotype rather than working to fight against it. How is Virginia supposed to serve as a pinnacle among the states if our governor issues proclamations that only dredge up Virginia's tainted past, rather than relegating it to the cold hard pages of a history textbook?
The Confederacy stood for slavery. The Civil War was ultimately about slavery. In the end, slavery lost. That's the way it should be. But reinstating a Confederate History Month undoes all of that while disrespecting the Union soldiers and slaves who fought so hard to abolish it. If McDonnell wants to commemorate the sacrifices of Confederate soldiers, he needs to commemorate them, not the ideals and institution they stood for. Virginia has learned from its past. It's time to move on.
Danny Di Giulio is an opinion editor for The Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at d.digiulio@cavalierdaily.com.
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