THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, February 18, 1996 TAG: 9602170005
SECTION: COMMENTARY PAGE: J4 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 43 lines
So former Gov. Doug Wilder blasted citizens of Richmond for planning a Confederate ball (``Plans for Confederate costume ball shock many'' (news, Feb. 11). All they are doing is recognizing the past, just as the federal government requires our children to recognize Black History Month.
As a student of history, I know that the Civil War started over states' rights, not over slavery. The majority of Southerners did not own slaves at that time. The slaves were freed to appease abolitionists in 1863, well after the start of the war. Mr. Wilder needs to read a history book and stop trying to stir up hate and discontent between white and black Americans to get his name on the front page.
PATRICK MOORE
Virginia Beach, Feb. 12, 1996
Former Gov. L. Douglas Wilder's idea that we forget the Confederacy is as foolish as the idea we forget the Revolution, whose participants equally owned slaves. The implication is that the Civil War was only about slavery, which in fact it was not. The Civil War was fought over the relevant topic of state's rights vs. federalism, the battle of which rages on today in our Republican Congress.
The issue of slavery was a red herring, a political war club that is still being exploited today. If the issue of slavery is so painful to people several generations removed, then why not blot out all trace of it? Ban Harriet Beecher Stowe. Censor ``Roots.''
The black population does not corner the market on the slavery issue. Jews, Egyptians, Romans, Greeks, Anglos and Saxons have all been subjected to slavery at one time.
Mr. Wilder seems to be saying, ``My way or no way.''
CHUCK BROWDER
Norfolk, Feb. 11, 1996 by CNB