Spark It Up!!!: Hey, I Celebrate Lee/Jackson Day

JR at Bearing Drift made the call to do away with Lee/Jackson day again. He thinks it would promote racial healing or some shit similar - JR writes

"If Virginia is ever going to move beyond the days of racial prejudice and towards Jefferson’s more perfect union, where all men are truly created equal, then we must take action to alter this holiday."

I thought Virginia said I'm Sorry already. A few blogs jumped on board with JR and be sure to check out the comments. Chris at Spank that Donkey disagreed with JR's yearly appeal and posted - US Navy Lt. Jim Hoeft Grand Stands Again. Chris makes a good argument over taking a specific holiday and turning it into a vague one - Good comments on that post also. A man I greatly admire, James Atticus Bowden, joined in with his post - DumbYankees in Virginia. He responds with his own petition to save Lee/Jackson Day. You can sign that here.

After all the discussion JR decided to have a online poll on the issue. The results

Should Virginia end Lee-Jackson Day and establish Virginia Heritage Day?

No (73%, 70 Votes)
Yes (20%, 19 Votes)
Neither deserves a day (7%, 7 Votes)

I doubt that was the result JR was looking for. 19 votes? My God how could that be....I mean JC Wilemore and Mark Brooks both were beating JR's petition drum. Several blogs supported this petition-

Virginia Virtucon
Vivian Paige
Richmond Democrat - JC (I will file a lawsuit) Wilemore
The Shad Plank
Mosquito Blog
Heartland of Virginia-Mark(I will call you a dick) Brooks

With that support, 19 votes was all they could muster? The online community spoke loudly saying leave Lee/Jackson day alone.

What bothers me is the insinuation that if you support and honor Lee/Jackson Day you are a racist. You know, the same deal as if you did not vote for Obama your a racist. That point is hidden behind words like "To think that the day is based on innocent reverence for two heroes is simply not acknowledging the facts of history. At best, it’s a naïve approach to history; at worst, it’s something more sinister." or in the comments by Brian Kirwin - "Perhaps in honor of those who support Lee-Jackson Day, we should stop African Americans and women from voting in the poll." That is pretty damn insulting to those of us who claim, love, and are proud of our confederate ancestry. I expect that vile spew out of JC and Brooks, but coming from two bloggers like JR and Kirwin takes the cake. If you don't like the holiday, don't observe it, but making remarks like those above insults thousands of Virginian's who admire Gen Lee and Gen Jackson and you're damn sure not promoting healing of any kind. We admire these men for many reasons. Gen Lee had many great accomplishments on and off the battlefield. Gen Jackson was a remarkable man. He was a friend to the black man -

“Richard G. Williams Jr.'s easy-to-read Stonewall Jackson: The Black Man's Friend (Cumberland House, 2006) shows how Jackson broke Virginia law during the six years before the Civil War by teaching slaves to read during a 'Sabbath-school' school class. He also invited neighborhood blacks into his home for evening worship, even though the law banned all after-dark assemblies.” ~ Marvin Olasky, World Magazine

A racist? C'mon....These two men are not just measured by the Civil War years, but a lifetime of noble works. Don't insult them or their many proud descendants. It is a slap in the face, at least it was for me.