It was the darkest time in our nation’s history: four years of brother fighting brother. The Civil War started and ended in the month of April \u2014 in 1861 and 1865. So it’s only natural to remember this during April, right?<\/p>\n
That’s what Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell<\/a> said last week when he declared<\/span> each April to be Confederate<\/span> History Month.<\/p>\n “This defining chapter in Virginia’s history should not be forgotten, but instead should be studied, understood and remembered by all Virginians, both in the context<\/span> of the time in which it took place [and] in the context of the time in which we live.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n McDonnell further noted<\/span> that next year is the 150th anniversary of the start of the war, and that his state is expecting a lot of tourists. Virginia is where most Civil War<\/span> battles were fought, as Confederate troops tried to make their way to Washington, DC<\/span>, and keep Union<\/span> troops away from the Confederate capital of Richmond.<\/p>\n But why were they fighting in the first place?<\/b> The South was facing more and more compromises and restrictions on slavery. As for Virginia, it was where the US slave economy had started in 1619, and it was the state with the most slaves \u2014 half a million at the time of the Civil War.<\/p>\n (White) Southerners often say the war was fought to defend the Southern way of life<\/b>. This term today encompasses<\/span> many things \u2014 things like food and idioms and stories unique<\/span> to the South. It includes the way Southerners tolerate their hot, humid<\/span> climate \u2014 by speaking slowly, walking slowly, and sitting on the front porch<\/span> instead of in the living room. It refers to a culture of politeness, hospitality<\/span>, neighborliness and a regard for ceremony<\/span> and high society.<\/p>\n In 1861, however, “the Southern way of life” meant only one thing:<\/b> living comfortably while forcing black people to do hard labor. When the governor was told he’d failed to mention this, he quickly added an acknowledgement that slavery was evil. But this wasn’t enough for some African-Americans, including CNN political commentator Roland Martin<\/a>.<\/p>\n Martin was incensed<\/span> as he debated Brag Bowling of the Sons of Confederate Veterans<\/a>, the organization that had asked Governor McDonnell to make the proclamation.<\/p>\n\n