African American mayor declares April Confederate History Month??????

Honeykiss1974 · #1 04-01-2002, 10:29 AM

From www.blackamericaweb.com

Suffolk's mayor, great-grandson of slaves, declares April Confederate History Month
03/31/2002 02:12 AM EDT

SUFFOLK, Va. (AP) - Suffolk's mayor is the great-grandson of slaves, but he didn't hesitate to grant a request to declare April Confederate History Month.

"We have rendered proclamations for other groups," Mayor Curtis Milteer said. "It's a matter of recognizing and respecting everyone's heritage, even if it is not the same as our own."

The NAACP said Milteer could be inviting discord.

Milteer's stand is not shared by Gov. Mark R. Warner, who last month decided not to issue a proclamation honoring Virginia's Confederate heritage in April.

"Over the past few years, the issuance of a Confederate history month proclamation has been a lightning rod," Warner said in his March 14 announcement. "My belief is that signing such a proclamation would not advance the healing process."

But Milteer said reflecting on the past is a way to bring people together to improve the future.

"The Civil War is over," he said. "History is history and we must move on. Whether we are sons and daughters of the Confederacy or the sons and daughters of former slaves, we are all Suffolkians."

Suffolk is one of nine Virginia towns and counties with Confederate history resolutions this year, said Lee Hart, spokesman for the Sons of Confederate Veterans' Tom Smith Camp, which asked for the proclamation in Suffolk.

"We applaud him for issuing the proclamation because we feel it shows mutual respect for all cultures," Bill Richardson, commander of the Tom Smith Camp, said of Milteer. "I recognize the significance of what he has done. He's going to take a lot of criticism."

The NAACP says promoting Confederate history calls up ugly memories of slavery and racism.

"This raises a red flag," Charles Christian, president of the local NAACP chapter, said after learning of the proclamation Saturday. "I have major concerns with this and I'm a little surprised by it."

He said there could be repercussions. "Right now, I can't say what they will be," Christian said.

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Steeltrap · #2 04-01-2002, 12:27 PM

Classic lost soul.

Honeykiss1974 · #3 04-01-2002, 02:19 PM

Well..... WHOOP-TEE-DOO

What's next...........

ClassyLady · #4 04-01-2002, 06:15 PM

"The Civil War is over," he said. "History is history and we must move on. Whether we are sons and daughters of the Confederacy or the sons and daughters of former slaves, we are all Suffolkians."

Why does this sound familiar?

AKA2D '91 · #5 04-01-2002, 06:21 PM

okay "we are all..."

yeah, right!

CrimsonTide4 · #6 04-01-2002, 06:23 PM

Is he related to NESSA, the one who is joining that confederate group?

Honeykiss I have subscribed to this BlackAmericaWeb, thanks to you from last month in the N word case.

The Original Ape · #7 04-01-2002, 06:40 PM

a brother of clarence thomas, but he sho aint a brother of mine!

wit his yezza-bossin' azzz!

Steeltrap · #8 04-01-2002, 06:43 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by The Original Ape
a brother of clarence thomas, but he sho aint a brother of mine!

wit his yezza-bossin' azzz!

CTFU. CCTTFFUU. CCCTTTFFFUUU!

Bootlickin, Mr. Mayor, isn't pretty.

AKAtude · #9 04-01-2002, 08:14 PM

I thought this was an April Fool's Day joke.

straightBOS · #10 04-01-2002, 08:55 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Honeykiss1974
From www.blackamericaweb.com

"We applaud him for issuing the proclamation because we feel it shows mutual respect for all cultures," Bill Richardson, commander of the Tom Smith Camp, said of Milteer.

And what culture would this be?...oh, yeah, that's right...

nikki25 · #11 04-03-2002, 01:45 AM

It's just politics.

It is very likely that this mayor is trying to ensure his own re-election by trying to extend his political appeal to all City of Suffolk citizens. It is an action that makes him appear race-neutral...and so now white folk will see him as one who doesn't care about race. He doesn't have to like what he's done...but must appear as if he does believe that which he's done.

Just my take.

BigBoy · #12 04-08-2002, 02:47 AM

Soror, that is on some bulls##t. I work in public office and I would never let that go down. All though I'm in school, I would fight that to the death of me.