I wasn’t kidding when I wrote about the attitude of folks regarding the proposed apology for slavery. We learn via Waldo that Delegate Frank Hargrove (R-Glen Allen) said basically that:
“Are we going to force the Jews to apologize for killing Christ?” Hargrove wondered.
I listened to the responses of Delegate Don McEachin and Delegate (Reverend) Dwight Jones and their comments echo my own thoughts. Wasn’t yesterday MLK Day? Is Hargrove just an insensitive jerk?
Were he alive, my own father would be 95 years old. When I was a child, he told me the stories that his grandfather – a slave – had told him. And I’m supposed to “get over it”?
How many of you have in your family archives a copy of the Bill of Sale for your mother’s great grandmother and her mother? And I’m supposed to “get over it”? (click on link to enlarge)
When I have to look in the property records for my ancestors while others get to look at the Census records, I’m supposed to “get over it”?
There ain’t no way.
UPDATE: I see that this Hargrove story has legs. It was on the local news tonight, on the front page of MSNBC, and TPM (via Waldo).
VIVIAN J. PAIGE | All Politics is Local 
Vivian — Can’t get your email thingy to work. (My computer’s fault.) Please let me know how to reach you this morning for a column i’m writing on this subject.
Love your blog…kerry dougherty, the pilot
I think all of this emotion and discussion is great! We’re educating and enlightening each other on a subject that lies under the surface of all relationships in this part of the world.
Hargrove needs to go! Along with his friends and relatives running Hanover’s government.
Glad this bill was proposed.
VJP, I am sorry for your pain, and hope whatever, you need, to help you get through life, is provided to you.
But please, use all this attention and focus on this issue to tell the truth about all sides of is issue. NO ONE in HISTORY is blameless!
But at some point we all must be held responsible for our actions and achievements in life regardless of race, creed, or color.
Virginia has a horrible record for it’s racism, prejudice, elitism and bigotry.
It’s wonderful it’s finally getting National attention.
But only time and education will change things. Use this momentum for promoting education. Complete, total, unbiased, education! When we learn, NONE of us, are any more pure, than the other, will we then be able to accept the minor differences in each other.
Everything you say has merit, don’t get me wrong, but I say pass this resolution because it does no harm but no good to pass.
People are so worked up over this (Both sides) as if it will change anything… it won’t. Those apposed see it as the continuation of White guilt, and those in favor see it as past due.
What real change will it make? None. It is symbolic at best if passed and symbolic if deafeated.
To argue that it will make a horrid history better is simply false. No matter how many resolutions are passed, it will never change the shame of this part of history. I see both sides wasting energy on a past that will never change when they should focus on a future that has yet to tbe written… Both sides. Just my two cents (Which is normally worth about a penny 🙂 )
CR UVa says, “the South did not leave the North over slavery.” They left over states’ rights.
Those of you who insist that secession had “nothing to do with slavery” may want to take a look at the words used by actual state legislatures to justify what they were doing. Four of the early state declarations of independence are available at
http://sunsite.utk.edu/civil-war/reasons.html
A few noteworthy quotes:
Georgia, 1st paragraph, 2nd sentence:
“For the last ten years we have had numerous and serious causes of complaint against our non-slave-holding confederate States with reference to the subject of African slavery.”
Misissippi, 2nd paragraph, 1st sentence:
“Our position is thoroughly identified with the institution of slavery– the greatest material interest of the world.”
Texas, 4th paragraph:
“The controlling majority of the Federal Government, under various pretences and disguises, has so administered the same as to exclude the citizens of the Southern States, unless under odious and unconstitutional restrictions, from all the immense territory owned in common by all the States on the Pacific Ocean, for the avowed purpose of acquiring sufficient power in the common government to use it as a means of destroying the institutions of Texas and her sister slaveholding States.”
And of course South Carolina, which, after a page or so outlining the history of American independence and the Constitution, got down to brass tacks:
“We affirm that these ends for which this Government was instituted have been defeated, and the Government itself has been made destructive of them by the action of the non-slaveholding States. Those States have assumed the right of deciding upon the propriety of our domestic institutions; and have denied the rights of property established in fifteen of the States and recognized by the Constitution; they have denounced as sinful the institution of slavery; they have permitted open establishment among them of societies, whose avowed object is to disturb the peace and to eloign the property of the citizens of other States. They have encouraged and assisted thousands of our slaves to leave their homes; and those who remain, have been incited by emissaries, books and pictures to servile insurrection.”
Not about slavery. Right.
Well, Vivian, I would point out that you are basically telling Hargrove to shut up. Sounds like a case of pot, kettle, black here.
When did I tell him to shut up? I never said anything to infer that.
I apologize . . .
. . . to God for Adam and Eve eatting the forbidden fruit – whatz up witrh that? I mean, with everything they would ever need was provided for them – they still they had to break the rules!
A related thought:
Could this have been the earliest known indication that the future “progressive’s” plans that has helped to create the current government dependent New Orleans-like “entitlement class” was a social experiment that was doomed to failure?
Hum, could be . . .? (ducks, runs for cover…)
(I never learn) Another interesting thought:
What race were Adam and Eve?
Hellow everyone, you think it is time to clean up richmond, terms limits sounds great, so in 2007 elections please send a message to all the canidates who come and talk to you about how they can improve your life, tell them let me improve your job by term limts. That “good old boy” would not talk so fast if his job was on the line, and i am sure his district will relect him again. my father was jewish he has past on but he made clear to me never, never to forget!! no matter what.