Sure To Cause a Republican Stir

The president made a few short remarks this morning about slavery, the Civil War and the Commonwealth of Virginia omitting any mention of slavery in its resolution honoring the former Confederacy.

I understand the romanticism that goes along with a bunch of good ol' boys standing up to the government and dang near succeeding. Many of today's infatuation with the Southern rebellion is just that, a bedazzlement of people that finally had enough and did something about it.  Ninety-nine percent of those people do not support slavery or white supremacy of any kind.  They support sticking it to the government.  I think we all relate to that sentiment in one way or another.

But those who fought against the government of the United States in the Civil War did so to protect rights they believed were only for white people.  They fought to ensure the survival of slavery of the African race in North America.  We can't separate their rebellion from their cause.  In today's world it's impossible to even imagine the institution of slavery.  We know nothing of it and condemn it all around.  That doesn't mean it didn't happen and its occurrence is a stain completely un-washable on the fabric on this nation.

The president, whose wife is a direct descendant of slaves from South Carolina, was as right as he's ever been this morning when speaking about why omitting slavery is a huge mistake.

I don't think you can understand the Confederacy and the Civil War unless you understand slavery. And so, I think that was an unacceptable omission. I think the governor's now acknowledged that."


"And I think it's just a reminder that when we talk about issues like slavery that are so fraught with pain and emotion, that we'd better do so thinking through how this is going to affect a lot of people," he continued. "And their sense of whether they're part of a commonwealth or part of our broader society."

Like the president said, Gov. McDonnel did the right thing and did it very eloquently.  He sternly revised his statement on honoring the Confederacy even admitting the war was fought because of slavery.  It should end at that.  But this is just the beginning.  A healthy conversation about slavery and the South and why it all still matters is something that won't be solved with a beer summit and something that is long overdue.