The height of ludicrousy

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				THE
Column Archive				VIRGINIA GAZETTE
				WILLIAMSBURG, VIRGINIA
The height of ludicrousy				April 28, 2010

I worry that most people glossed over the recent obituary for Dorothy Height, not necessarily so much for lack of interest as lack of recognition. Height, known for her Bella Abzug-like broad-brimmed hats and her quiet demeanor, was, as the president of the National Council of Negro Women, one of the most influential behind-the-scenes civil rights leaders in the period directly following World War II.

She lobbied presidents from Roosevelt to Eisenhower, and was especially effective in the struggle to desegregate public schools in the South and elsewhere. President Obama called her the “the godmother of the Civil Rights Movement.”

Much like Harriet Tubman, her abolitionist predecessor who anonymously led scores of slaves to freedom via the Underground Railroad, Height disdained recognition for the enormous success she had in bringing the plight of blacks to the forefront.

It is with no little irony and a great deal of embarrassment that news of the death of Height reached us here in Virginia during the month that Gov. Bob McDonnell proclaimed earlier as Confederate History Month.

As if he weren’t in enough trouble as a result of the jubilee of homophobic and environmental miscues of his jackanapesian attorney general, McDonnell for some reason thought it apropos to issue a proclamation that would offend just about every African American and every supporter of civil rights in the state.

Once again Virginia found itself the object of national derision and scorn as McDonnell blithely and inexplicably recognized April as the month that “the people of Virginia joined the Confederate States of America in a four year war between the states for independence.”

He then further illumined a brain mass gone to sludge by proclaiming that “all Virginians can appreciate the fact that when ultimately overwhelmed by the insurmountable numbers and resources of the Union Army, the surviving, imprisoned and injured Confederate soldiers gave their word and allegiance to the United States of America.”

The notion that “the people” of Virginia joined the CSA is, of course, ludicrous. As has been pointed out in numerous columns and newspaper articles, one-fifth of the people of Virginia were slaves who, as Harriet Tubman knew, were not clamoring to be held in shackles for the rest of their lives. And how many Virginia women voted to secede? None, since they couldn’t vote. So, who do you suppose the people were who voted to join the Confederate States of America?

As for all Virginians appreciating the fact that the Confederacy stupidly engaged itself in a war against overwhelming and insurmountable odds, and then, when beaten, rejoined the Union, please forgive me if I demur. I doubt that “all Virginians” appreciate anything of the kind. Perhaps the Sons of the Confederacy will sign up to appreciate this inane effort, but I doubt that the successors to Dorothy Height or Harriet Tubman are standing in line with pens in hand to add their names to the Declaration of Appreciation.

As a result of the furor occasioned by McDonnell’s inept omission of any mention of slavery in his proclamation, the governor was forced once again to apologize and make lame amends to those whom he offended by adding a paragraph about slavery to his corrosive document.

Why McDonnell issued this divisive list of whereases to begin with is hard to say. If it was to impress his dubious base, so be it, though if this pleases his base, we have reason to be concerned.

Suffice it to say that the vast majority of Virginians have done absolutely nothing to celebrate Confederate History Month. Nor has there been an overwhelming influx of tourists to the state to commemorate the rise and demise of the Confederacy. And that may be revelatory of one small step in the right direction.

Dorothy Height would be pleased.