Mississippi gov declares April ‘Confederate Heritage Month’

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Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves has declared April “Confederate Heritage Month” as his way to honor Confederate soldiers who fought in the Civil War.

The Republican governor’s proclamation says “April is the month when, in 1861, the American Civil War began between the Confederate and Union armies, reportedly the costliest and deadliest war ever fought on American soil and whereas state law declares the last Monday of April as Confederate Memorial Day, a legal holiday to honor those who served in the Confederacy,” before going on to declare that the entire month would be set aside to honor Confederate soldiers.

“As we honor all who lost their lives in this war, it is important for all Americans to reflect upon our nation’s past, to gain insight from our mistakes and successes, and to come to a full understanding that the lessons learned yesterday and today will carry us through tomorrow if we carefully and earnestly strive to understand and appreciate our heritage and our opportunities which lie before us,” the proclamation continues.

The Mississippi Division of the Sons of Confederate Veterans seemed ecstatic about the acknowledgment. “God bless the Confederate Soldier. He shall never be forgotten. Deo Vindice!” the group posted on Facebook. “Deo Vindice,” is Latin for “Under God as our Vindicator.”

Reeves’ proclamation comes as he has faced criticism in his leadership in how he’s handled the novel coronavirus pandemic. According to the Jackson Free Press, Reeves initially refused to shut down nonessential businesses but later changed his mind and ordered residents to stay home. But his delay caused backlash and cases grew across the state.

HuffPost reported last year that while at Millsaps College in Jackson, Reeves was a member of Kappa Alpha Order, a fraternity known for its pro-Confederate stance and for having run-ins with Black students, issues that haunted him when he ran for governor. In one incident, fraternity members wore Afro wigs and tied Confederate flags around their necks. Some wore blackface, according to an article in The Clarion-Ledger.

The fraternity honors Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee.

On Tuesday, Ocala Mayor Kent Guinn designated April 26 Confederate Memorial Day.

As Bay News 9 points out that Guinn – who's spent the last four years denying allegations that he's tied to the KKK – is pretty much doubling down on a day that is already designated a legal holiday in Florida which honors "the memories of those who sacrificed their lives in the War Between the States."

During a Wednesday news conference, Guinn, who's been mayor since 2011, said that his proclamation was about honoring Marion county veterans and that the heritage-obsessed Daughters of the Confederacy had requested the proclamation (isn't that what Veteran's Day is for though?).

I guess the north and south can settle their differences in the next war. Boy I wish I could leave this s**thole country and move to one that doesn't give a s**t about the the racist confederacy or the sanctimonious union.

Glad to see you back again.
What took you?

Sounds like a good time to discuss the legacy of the confederacy and their heritage of hate.
Those former Confederate states should take the time to remember the brave Americans who died to defeat the pro-slavery traitors who were willing to destroy America to preserve the practice of keeping their fellow man as property.

I'm sure good southerners will write slogans on the monuments to traitors in red paint, or perhaps even chain them up and tear them from their pedestals to show the amount of respect decent people have for those historic war criminals and traitors.

Pardon me for being my typical cynical self, but seeing the mess that our country has turned into recently with this path we are on to becoming a totalitarian dystopia that insists on dragging the rest of the world to Hell with it, it begs the question: was the Union really worth preserving?

Sorry....there won’t be a “next war.”

Sorry....there won’t be a “next war.”

It's always good to see a well thought out, rational and objective contribution. <irony>

But, no, I am not an apologist.
I'm a rationalist.

I haven't drilled down deeply in what caused the American Civil War,
But I don't think it was as black and white (pardon the pun) as you have portrayed it here.