Virginia will eliminate a state holiday honoring Lee and Jackson, replaced by Election Day holiday

[Dennis Donovan]

https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/07/politics/virginia-ends-confederate-holiday-replace-election-day-trnd/index.html

By Scottie Andrew, CNN

Updated 9:30 AM ET, Fri February 7, 2020

(CNN)Virginia is one step closer to ending its tradition of honoring Confederate generals.

This week, the Virginia House voted to strike Lee-Jackson Day from the list of state holidays. The holiday, observed on the Friday before Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in January, honors Robert E. Lee and Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson as "defenders of causes."

Both men owned slaves and fought to preserve slavery in the US.

In its place, the House bill proposed that the state replace it with Election Day, the first Tuesday after the First Monday in November, instead.

<snip>

"We need to make Election Day a holiday," he said in his State of the Commonwealth speech last month. "We can do it by ending the Lee-Jackson holiday that Virginia holds ... It commemorates a lost cause. It's time to move on."

</snip>

[wryter2000]

1. K&R

Good on them

[BeckyDem]

2. Fantastic!

[GoCubsGo]

3. May every other state follow suit.

[safeinOhio]

4. How about adding

Grant and Sherman? A couple of winning Generals of the the.

[RVN VET71]

38. In Virginia?

That just might be a step too far!

I like the idea, though. Like it enough to think it would make a great national holiday, both because it would serve to remind folks that victory over evil (slavery, in this case) requires enormous courage and stubbornness from leaders who are willing to stomach -- but not take delight in -- what it costs in human life.

Without Grant and Sherman -- and, of course, Lincoln -- the secession of the rebel states may well have been successful.

The South, it seems, had more than its share of brilliant Generals. The North had the 2 that mattered.

[Blue_true]

72. The north also had Thomas and Sheridan. Both were as important as Grant and Sherman. nt

[IronLionZion]

48. In the South? We've had wars after the Civil War

and we have had a lot of other non-war heroes in our country who may be deserving of some honor. We could have a President Trump fire hydrant in every dog park, for example.

[Brother Mythos]

67. I'm all for a "Donald J. Trump Memorial Urinal" in all federal government building restrooms.

[happybird]

54. Ya know what's crazy?

It used to be Lee/Jackson/King Day.

[Blue_true]

73. Who took the King out, republicans?

I am sure that they used the excuse that King had a federal holiday. But they could have added someone like Rosa Parks to replace King. They just wanted a confederate holiday.

[happybird]

77. It's a short but weird story:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee%E2%80%93Jackson%E2%80%93King_Day

[Blue_true]

71. Actually Grant, Thomas, Sheridan and Sherman.

Thomas was a Virginian and is believed to have been the most effective Union General. Phillip Sheridan was a key advisor to Grant, they divised the concept of total war that broke the southern army and navy. Sheridan also led the forces that defeated the confederacy in central and western Virginia and into Georgia.

[spooky3]

5. Yay, blue Virginia! nt

[lagomorph777]

17. In 2017 and 2019, we came (to the pollls), we saw (GOP evil), we conquered (the VA gov't)

Show up for every single election. Virginia's off-year elections were designed to suppress turnout and entrench GOP power. Guess what? The cure is simple. Show up. Every single time.

[DENVERPOPS]

31. Did I hear

That several of the Republican Va counties, bordering W VA are trying to withdraw from VA and become part of W VA.......

[DENVERPOPS]

33. Every election year

for as long as I can remember, the Republicans hit their voters with a ton of crap to anger them into coming out to vote.
It is always the same: ANTI-GAY, PRO GUNS, PRO GOD propaganda and it works every time. And of course their newest rants on HILLARY and all of her DEMOCRAT SOCIALISTS.........

It works every election........

WASF

[lagomorph777]

34. It sure as hell did NOT work in VA in 2017 and 2019.

That strategy totally backfired.

Relatively conservative Manassas had a virulently anti-trans representative. So Danica Roem ran - she's a trans woman. She won!

She's just one of the more dramatic examples.

[DENVERPOPS]

40. Lago

I'll get back to you on November 4th.

I admire your conviction and positive attitude...............

[spooky3]

45. It works with their base. But their base is a shrinking %

of the VA electorate. VA is like other states; the cities vote differently from the rural areas. But the urban areas’ populations are very well educated and growing at a much faster pace.

And, as others mentioned, the state has been badly gerrymandered by Repubs., but that will change with Dems in control in 2020.

[Qutzupalotl]

63. As an aside, I think you hit on the culture war we're in.

It’s more of an urban/rural divide than anything else.

In cities, you can see your tax dollars at work; there’s public transport, street repair, libraries, etc. In rural areas, you don’t; so they see government as taking their taxes and not giving them anything in return. We could argue that national defense helps them, and law enforcement helps them, but these are not as visible as public works projects. In most rural areas, law enforcement will not arrive fast enough in an emergency, so they rely on gun ownership for self-defense.

In this light, the D and R labels seem more like a symptom than the cause. I post this mostly to get us thinking of other ways to talk to any remaining rural voters who are not yet subsumed by the cult of Trump.

[spooky3]

6. "In its place, the House bill proposed that the state replace it with Election Day, the first Tuesda

y after the First Monday in November, instead." They must have edited it.

[Dennis Donovan]

7. Thanks for the heads up!

I corrected it in the OP.

[spooky3]

10. Thanks for posting. It is great news! nt

[Ohiogal]

8. So many good things

happening in Virginia under Dem leadership!



I wish we could turn Ohio around like that.

[lagomorph777]

18. You can! I believe OH is on the cusp of greatness too!

[phylny]

9. I am enjoying living in Blue Virginia.

Now, if my district could only elect a Democratic Congressperson!

[Va Lefty]

11. I hear you

We had Bob "Badlatte" for many years. Now, just a better looking version in Ben Cline. Hoping for some help when redistricting is done!

[phylny]

28. I'm close to you - VA05

We had Congressman Garrett, who left in disgrace, and now we have Riggleman, who kisses Trump's ass for breakfast.

When we first moved here, we had Tom Perriello, then we were redistricted. It's still a long-shot because of where I live, but it would be great if redistricting gave us a chance at a Democratic Congressperson!

[lagomorph777]

19. Mine did and we are so thrilled!

[dalton99a]

12. Throw their statues in the trash, or recycle them

[lagomorph777]

20. Convert them into public urinals.

Is that re-using or recycling?

[littlemissmartypants]

37. Up cycling. nt

[lagomorph777]

42. Boom!

[Wounded Bear]

13. Both men also violated the oath they took as officers in the US Army...

and fought against the country whose Constitution they had sworn to defend.

[PWPippinesq]

14. Does this mean a day off work to go vote?

[Dennis Donovan]

15. Yep!

It should be a national holiday.

[PWPippinesq]

25. I agree.

Too many are unable to vote. Let's make it easier rather than harder. Hmmmm. I must be a Democrat.

[crickets]

41. Agreed! nt

[Skittles]

74. if you work for the state

[Blue_true]

75. For state employees, yes. Some business will follow suit, some won't. nt

[Chalco]

16. Great idea! This needs to happen in all states. nt

[Retrograde]

61. No, we need early voting and vote by mail

to happen in all states.

Having election day be a holiday sounds nice - until you think about the ramifications. A holiday for who? Those in crucial jobs who have to be there no matter what? Those in service jobs who need the money? Those who normally send their kids off to school while they work? IMHO, we need to get over the notion that voting has to occur at one time for everyone in a jurisdiction. Let's follow the California model and spread it over nearly a month.

[Blue_true]

76. If Virginia doesn't have early voting, it will get it now that democrats control things.

I am a little leary of vote by mail, especially in states where republicans have a shot at regaining control. Early voting will be hard for republican legislatures to eliminate, republican voters like early voting also, once it is in it stays.

[B Stieg]

21. Yep. And a only a mere 155 years since the end of the war...

we fought to stop folks like Lee, Jackson and Jefferson Davis.
Slow and steady this ain't...

[Nitram]

23. Better late than never. We now have a Democratic governor and a Democratic

majority in both houses. Look for more advances in the months to come.

[B Stieg]

27. Good points, all!

I hope you're right. My broether and sister live in your state!

[calimary]

49. Yep. Better Late than Never. I hope this goes nationwide.

[Nitram]

22. As a Virginian, it makes me proud that the Democratic majority is righting numerous wrongs

inflicted on us for decades by the GOP.

[Ohiogal]

24. It's so encouraging

That the VA Dems are getting things back on track! Wish more red states would follow!

[Blue_Tires]

57. +1

[Paladin]

26. So shines a good deed in a weary world. (nt)

[underpants]

29. Va Senate passed a bill allowing for damage insurance instead of security deposit

Cincinnati already fully passed such a measure

https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/478479-cincinnatis-passes-landmark-renters-choice-bill-that-could-solve

[Hortensis]

30. Wonderful! It'll pass: VA's house, senate and gov are ALL for it.

This is what happens when VOTERS give Democrats the power.

[Rider3]

32. Good!

[rogue emissary]

35. This is why I voted straight Democratic tickets for over two decades.

[calimary]

50. And why I have voted straight Democratic tickets for decades, too.

There just isn’t anyone else to vote for, as far as I’m concerned. Voting republi-CON is simply not a plausible option. Voting republi-CON is so far off the table for me that it isn’t even in the same room. Or building.

[AtheistCrusader]

36. Cue republican lawsuits.

[ConstanceCee]

39. Go, Virginia!

I live in Virgiinia and worked hard for these elections. I am trying to focus on all the great things that are happening here, to offset the horrors at the national level. It works (some).

[pandr32]

43. That is great news!

[58Sunliner]

44. They're on a roll!! Go VA.

[scheming daemons]

46. Virginia needs to be the blueprint for OH, GA, FL, AZ, NC, PA

Get Dems in office across the board and great things can start to happen.

[struggle4progress]

47. !

[marieo1]

51. About Time

About time for them to wake up!! I hope all states will follow Virginia's lead.

[NY06DemSoc]

52. Bravo Virginia! n/t

[Mopar151]

53. Election Day is the important occasion!

Moving "obsolete" local, political holidays "slot" to ELECTION DAY is not a stunt or theater. It's showing proper respect for the history of Democracy!

[SunSeeker]

55. How patriotic! No more celebrating traitor generals who killed US soldiers to protect slavery!

And what better way to stomp on the legacy of slavery-protecting generals than to celebrate freedom to vote!

[Blue_Tires]

56. Long overdue

[cp]

58. Election Day Holiday! Brilliant!

Also wanting it in the other 49, then as a Federal holiday.

[pazzyanne]

59. WOW!

Virginia is "growing" by leaps and bounds! Let's hope this becomes a trend in November!

[TryLogic]

60. Election Day Holiday !!! Yes !!!

[Progressive dog]

62. Good, honoring traitors to the USA for

well over 100 years. Fighting to keep people in slavery is not something to be celebrated.

[dameatball]

64. To quell the outrage they should rename it "Extra Day Off During Hunting Season Day."

[Mopar151]

80. Don't hate on good hunters

Hate the camo -clad drunks, morons, and ment`l defectives who buy a license so`s they can spend late fall half in the bag, in a pickup full of guns and junk . Junk food, junk beer, human scrap.

[dameatball]

81. I understand. The post was not about "good hunters" just a jab at those who would be

upset about eliminating a holiday for a racist traitor.

[Mopar151]

82. If you use the term:

SLOB HUNTER, everyone "in the trade" knows what they are, who they are, and when "slob season" is on. Good hunters avoid slob infested areas.

[paleotn]

65. VA getting bluer and bluer every day!

[amuse bouche]

68. We've had many steps backward under traitortrump. This is a nice step forward

[cry baby]

69. Wow! Great news! We needed that at the end of a tough week. nt

[Blue_true]

70. Those who say there is no difference between democrats and republicans in the modern era,

you are dead WRONG. This would not have been possible had republicans controlled even one branch of government in Virginia.

Another note. Democrats in Virginia are being fucking ruthless in erasing the unamerican laws that republicans put in place, this is what our side NEEDS to learn how to do whenever we gain control of all beaches of government, be relentless in passing laws that wipe away societal inequity.

[keithbvadu2]

78. Republican business owners can still give their employees a paid holiday for Lee/Jackson.

Republican business owners can still give their employees a paid holiday for Lee/Jackson.

Call it a company holiday or whatever.

Don't blame the democrats.

[hatrack]

79. Two-fer - brilliant!

Let everybody vote, lose the traitors.