Confederacy Month Wins Early Support
Va. Senate Debate Looms; Black Caucus Troubled
By Chris L. Jenkins and Jo Becker
Washington Post Staff Writers
Wednesday, February 4, 2004; Page B01


RICHMOND, Feb. 3 -- A resolution that would designate April as Confederate
History Month received preliminary approval from the Virginia Senate on
Tuesday, reopening a debate over how the Old Dominion should remember its
legacy as a slave-holding state that seceded from the Union.



The measure sidesteps Gov. Mark R. Warner's refusals to officially recognize
Confederate commemorations. Instead, state heritage groups are seeking
support from the General Assembly, hoping that legislators will pass a
resolution similar to the Confederate History Month proclamations issued by
past governors.

"The reason why I've introduced this is because this is our history and we
need to come to terms with it," said Sen. Charles R. Hawkins
(R-Pittsylvania), the chief sponsor of the measure that he said would honor
the legacy of the thousands of Confederate soldiers who died during the
Civil War. "History is history. This is part of all of our backgrounds, and
there's no need in running from it," he added.

Senate Joint Resolution 96 was approved by the chamber's Rules Committee
last week by a vote of 11 to 3. A full debate in the Senate is scheduled for
Wednesday. Because it is a resolution, it does not require the signature of
Warner, a Democrat, if it passes both the Republican-controlled House and
Senate.

A majority of the 16-member Legislative Black Caucus has "very strong
concerns" about the resolution, said Del. Dwight Clinton Jones (D-Richmond),
the group's chairman.

"I just think it's time we put the Confederacy behind us," said Sen.
Benjamin J. Lambert III (D-Richmond), a member of the caucus. "These are the
folks, this is the history, that had my forefathers in chains."

Hawkins's resolution is another salvo in a long debate about how the state
should acknowledge the Confederacy's role in its history, beginning with
former governor L. Douglas Wilder (D), who signed a similar proclamation in
1990. Then in the late 1990s, former governor George Allen (R) issued a
Confederate History Month proclamation, calling the Civil War "a four-year
struggle for independence and sovereign rights." It was observed during
April, the month in which the Civil War essentially began with the
Confederates' attack on Fort Sumter, S.C., and ended with the Army of
Northern Virginia's surrender at Appomattox. The declaration made no mention
of slavery, angering many civil rights groups.

James S. Gilmore III (R), who succeeded Allen, modified the decree in 1998
by adding a condemnation of slavery. Later, he dropped references to
Confederate History Month, instead designating April as "Virginia's Month
for Remembrance of the Sacrifices and Honor of All Virginians Who Served in
the Civil War." In 2002, Warner decided not to offer a proclamation, saying
that it was a "lightning rod" that would not help bridge divisions between
whites and blacks in Virginia.

The Hawkins resolution's supporters said Tuesday that the measure does not
honor slaveholders, only those who fought for what they believed was a noble
cause.

"This has nothing to do with trying to celebrate slavery. Most of those who
fought in the war were not slaveholders," said Brandon Dorsey, a member of
the Sons of Confederate Veterans' executive committee. "What we want is the
state to recognize the sacrifices of our ancestors."

Several civil rights groups, long opposed to creating statewide
commemorations of the Confederacy, said they continued to be concerned about
the efforts of heritage groups to receive endorsements from the state on the
issue.

"It seems like, to us, that there are enough schools, bridges and other
private monuments such that the state does not need an official Confederate
History Month," said Salim Khalfani, director of the Virginia NAACP. "It
goes without saying that we are opposed to this resolution."

Also Tuesday, the House of Delegates gave preliminary approval to a bill
that would extend unemployment benefits to military spouses who voluntarily
leave a job to follow their spouse to a new assignment.

Proponents gave impassioned speeches about the troops serving in Iraq. Del.
L. Scott Lingamfelter (R-Prince William) said that the gesture would be a
"small token of our appreciation." Benefits would be paid out of the state's
unemployment pool.

Opponents said the bill could prove costly and set a bad precedent;
currently, unemployment benefits are paid only to workers who have been laid
off through no fault of their own and not to workers who voluntarily leave
jobs.

Del. Samuel A. Nixon Jr. (R-Chesterfield) said that although the goal was
"laudable," other groups could seek the same kind of consideration. Del.
David B. Albo (R-Fairfax) called the bill anti-business.

The preliminary vote was 56 to 41. Once a final vote is taken, the bill will
move to the Senate. To become law, it must be signed by Warner. His
spokeswoman, Ellen Qualls, said he supports the measure.

Also in the House, a committee rejected a proposal to encourage public
health clinics to notify parents if a minor receives emergency contraception
or counseling about sexually transmitted diseases, pregnancy, illegal drug
use or suicide prevention.

Lingamfelter, the sponsor of the legislation, said the action by the House
Health Welfare and Institutions Committee effectively kills his bill for the
legislative session, but he said he will try again next year. "The people
who voted no on this are saying that parents do not need to be involved with
youngsters in a turnstile of destructive behavior."

Mental health experts and others convinced lawmakers that the measure would
have a chilling effect on young people seeking care and counseling.

Del. Lionell Spruill Sr. (D-Chesapeake) said: "If you want to get young kids
to run away and not to go and seek help," vote for this bill.


  rodneyc..

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