It is by no means news at this point, but it still needs to be said:
Governor Robert F. McDonnell of Virginia has declared the month of April as Confederate History Month.
The first thought that came to this writer's mind was "hard to swallow, tougher to digest", but I digress. Some parts of the nation are outraged at the idea as much as other parts are accepting of it. Where on the spectrum do you lie? Is it on either end? Is it in the middle?
One side of the argument, naturally, is as follows: how can we as a nation support the recognition of a number of slave states that intended to declare their secession from the union if we are in fact, united in this twenty-first century? How does that upbuild and move us continually forward out of what were considered by many (and is still considered as such) to be dark times? A revolt? A rebellion? A move that was considered by the government in 1861 to be illegal? A move that was never recognized as real and permanent, but unofficial and - despite
any so-called efforts - null and void?
theGrio.com - African American Breaking News and Opinion -
sheds light on the subject, suggesting ways Confederate History Month can be acknowledged and recognized, if not willfully observed or, interestingly, celebrated:
[...] we must apply what political scientists call the "politics of re-articulation" to the Confederate History Month.
Re-articulation is simply giving a political act or symbol a new meaning based on one's own interests. Progressives can easily achieve this end by staging a remembrance ceremony in Richmond (and other state capitals where there are Confederate History Months) to honor the slaves whose toil provided the foundation for America's rise to global supremacy.
Instead of the normal histrionics that accompany most modern political rallies in America, these ceremonies should be solemn affairs akin to the NAACP's protests against lynching in the early twentieth century. Moreover, instead of speeches, these ceremonies should simply feature the testimonies provided to the Works Progress Administration in the 1930s by African-Americans who lived through the horrors of slavery. Imagine the moral and spiritual clarity that would fill Richmond as Americans of all races--rich, poor, famous, and unknown--took turns at the microphone reading the lived experiences of these survivors. Could men like Governor McDonnell or Governor Barbour deny the importance of slavery in the face of this testimony? Would they even continue to issue these proclamations if progressives showed up at the beginning or end of Confederate History Month to wreck their fantasies with the power of truth? The answer to both of these questions is likely a resounding no.
Sure, April is almost over, but in the meantime it is up to everyone of varied ethnicity, background, gender and orientation to get together collectively where it counts - if only in spirit, and not in body. Let not the wounds of slavery be torn open by what might be interpreted to be thoughtful attempts to break down the human spirit, otherwise they will never heal. What we can do every day is to honor any and all affected directly by slavery, not just during the month of April. And fortunately for all of us, honor and respect doesn't require a special month.
