Lawmakers OK Confederate History Month

[shortcircuit]

Lawmakers OK Confederate History Month; Draw Fire

POSTED: 5:56 am EDT March 16, 2007
UPDATED: 6:17 am EDT March 16, 2007

ATLANTA -- The NAACP is bristling over efforts by lawmakers to create a Confederate history month in Georgia, while giving short shrift to a proposal that the state apologize for slavery and the Jim Crow laws of segregation.

After a Senate committee voted yesterday for the Confederate heritage bill, state NAACP leader Edward Dubose said it "reeks of hypocrisy" that legislators would feel responsible to honor past deeds of their ancestors while resisting an apology to the victims of slavery.

The Senate Rules committee approved the Confederate heritage measure yesterday by a unanimous vote, sending it to the full Senate for consideration. It would dub April as Confederate History and Heritage Month to honor the memory of the Confederacy and those who contributed to the cause of Southern independence.

The bill is sponsored by Senator Jeff Mullis, a Republican whose family owned land on which the Civil War's bloody Battle of Chickamauga was fought.

Mullis says the effort has been in the works for months and was not a response to the slavery apology movement. He says his ancestors never owned slaves, said he doesn't support the slavery apology. But he said he has signed off on efforts to create a Civil Rights History Month in Georgia.

[honeybee]

Why should we apologize, what exactly is it going to fix?

In an interview last night, a gentleman said that it would put the issue to rest by admitting to it and maybe changes could be made.

HELLO!

What changes, what is it going to affect if the state apologizes?

I'm sorry but I don't see what the flap is about. Like th eabove mentioned Mullis, my ancestors did not own slaves so why should I apologize.

[shortcircuit]

Exactly Honeybee. My ancestors actually did own slaves, but I wasn't around back in the 1800's and didn't have any myself! So I don't feel like I have anything to apologize for either!

[summerose]

I agree shortcircuit! My ancestors did not own slaves, but as I wasn't around back then, I have nothing to apologize for either!

[manape]

One of my ancestors was a slave for seven years. He came over from England and worked seven years just for a boat ride. He was an indentured servant. I guess he earned enough money to bring his wife over, too. I'm here.

An indentured servant isn't the same thing as a slave, but my point is I'm proud to be an American. I've known a lot of black people who are proud to be Americans, too. For those who want to hold white people (who are living today) accountable for what happened 100 years ago, get over it. Slavery should have never been, but at least you are in America now and not being chased by some lion in Africa. We are all in this together.

An Indentured Servant (or in the U.S. bonded labourer) is a labourer under contract to work for an employer for a specific amount of time, usually seven to eight years, to pay off a passage to a new country or home. Typically the employers provided little if any monetary pay, but was responsible for accommodation, food, other essentials, and training. Upon completion of the term of the contract the labourer sometimes received a lump sum payment such as a parcel of land and was free to farm or take up trade of his own.

[summerose]

If any group of people should be apologized to, it should be the Cherokee's who were run off there land and had to make a difficult journey to a new home!

[honeybee]

But the Cherokees are now better off than they would have been. They pay absolutely no taxes, they have free land, housing, excellent high end schools to send their children to, free health care and numerous other benefits that we will never have FOR FREE!

Have any of you ever seen the high school in Cherokee NC? They have a 2 story gym, the basketball court is upstairs and the indoor pool is downstairs, they are getting ready to build another high school. They have a fitness center with indoor pool, indoor track and indoor basketball courts.

Although slavery is wrong, I don't feel that if the black people had remained in Africa they would not have had the opportunities that are available to them. Their scientist, writers and other founding fathers would not have had the notoriety or the means that they have here.

I believe I have this correct: Liberia was founded as an independent nation by the ACS, with support of the American government for free born and formerly enslaved African Americans.
They have had civil wars and social unrest for years, look at Somalia and Africa.

Maybe their ancestors were brought over here as slaves, but the current population should be glad that they weren't left behind, look what kind of life they would be having. No welfare, no affirmative action, no title 9.

So I feel that we have more than made up for the "mistakes" our ancestors have made.

Indentured servants are still being brought into this country today. Manape they had to work hard to pay off the beginning of a new life, before they could even begin that new life. I don't see them standing around with their hand out looking for a freebie, they worked for what they got.

The one question I would like to ask is "If the black person is so worse off being kept down by white people and we are to blame for their failures, then why don't you go home to Liberia, Africa or Somalia?"

[fairydust]

Amen!

[honeybee]

Senate lawmakers also decided to nix a bill that permanently would designate April as Confederate History and Heritage Month - at least for now.

Senate Bill 283 passed a key Senate committee a few days after Republican leaders in the House initially gave a lukewarm response to a request by the state NAACP for the General Assembly and Perdue to apologize for slavery.

State Rep. Al Williams (D-Midway) said he planned to file a resolution calling for recognition and reconciliation of the state's role in slavery, and he gained the support of Senate President Pro Tem Eric Johnson (R-Savannah).

Rep. Al Williams (D-Midway) said Monday he was preparing to meet with Senate President Pro Tem Eric Johnson (R-Savannah) Monday evening about the slavery resolutions. Legislation could be introduced as early as Tuesday, Williams said.

"We are moving right along," he said. "I think we are about there. This evening or early in the morning, we could have something pretty well ready."

"I'm a good team player," Mullis said. "I was prepared to ask for SB 283, but I saw that leadership determined it was unavailable." Mullis said he is scheduled to meet with Williams this week, and looks forward to working with him to see if they can work on proposals that recognize slavery and the Confederacy.