Confederate Memorial Day - remember their sacrifice

[groundloop]

I kid you not, that was in an email newsletter from my tea-bagger state senator (Bill Heath - [e-mail]). Most of the email he spent crowing about all the state legislature "accomplishments", but he did include this passage:


Since April 23, 1866, Georgia has set aside the 4th Monday in April to commemorate
Confederate Memorial Day. This state holiday recognizes the sacrifices of those
who lost their lives in the War Between the States fighting to preserve the values
held dearly by southerners of the time. While the records of casualties are certainly
challengeable (SPELLING) , it is estimated that approximately 260,000 Confederate soldiers lost
their lives in battle or as a result of battle. It is interesting to note that while
the Union army was easily over twice the size of the Confederate army, the Union
army lost approximately 100,000 more soldiers than the Confederate army; this striking
statistic reveals the incredible strength and determination of the Confederate army.
I hope that you will take time this week to pause and remember their sacrifice.


Yeah, I'm from the south but personally I'd rather let that part of history slide into obscurity. Or if not obscurity, remember it for another reason - to educate ourselves about racism and hatred.






edit - typo

[TheMastersNemesis]

1. The Only Thing To Do To The Confederate Flag Is To Burn It.

These soldiers are better left forgotten. They gave their lives for a lost and ignoble cause.

[zipplewrath]

2. Stupid wars

Yeah, I know, that's a redundant expression.

But if we remember anything about the civil war, it should be that "civil" societies shouldn't turn to war to solve their problems. But it is hard to have the conversation in "A Country Made by War" without bringing into question the whole of American History. It would take a Zinn I think to even begin to outline this countries relationship with war, and the military, and the controversy it would create would end up hiding the underlying question of why we would/should EVER choose war.

[groundloop]

8. I guess my family has pacifist blood in our veins

I found out that my great grandparents' family moved from North Carolina to Arkansas to avoid service in the Confederate Army. Apparently they weren't all that into "states rights".

[ges5626sek]

11. +100

[Lifelong Protester]

3. I challenge 'challengeable'

is that even a word?

[groundloop]

4. Seems like a state senator would be intelligent enough to use spell-check

[izquierdista]

5. I'll go downtown and urinate on the monument.

No kidding, we have a monument to the Confederate veterans. Right in the middle of Broad Street.

[Hoyt]

6. Screw confederate memorial day and people who actually celebrate it.

I see no reason to commemorate that period, except for the educational purposes mentioned by OP.

[libinnyandia]

7. My great-great-grandfather was murdered by the Confederate Army. To fly the Confederate flag is

to celebrate treason.

[bongbong]

9. From the article

> It is interesting to note that while the Union army was easily over twice the size of the Confederate army, the Union army lost approximately 100,000 more soldiers than the Confederate army; this striking

Weird coincidence! You can be historically accurate if you substitute "any one of several Allied nations" for "Union", and "Nazi" for "Confederate".

[Dawson Leery]

10. "Piss On The Grave of a Confederate Soldier Day"