Should SC Continue to Observe Confederate Memorial Day?

[monsoon]

Today is Confederate Memorial Day in SC, and many state offices are closed. What is your opinion of this observance?

[sonofaque86]

NO

[Jerseyman4]

It is up to the natives and long time residents of the state to comment on this thread.

[Spartan]

I don't see any reason not to. Those men died in war, and they were Americans. The Civil War was the second deadliest war in the history of the United States. I see no reason why they should not be honored. I think that it is wrong to try forget our past and relegate it to a museum. Do any Northern states have memorial days of this nature? Do they honor the Union soldiers who died in any way?

[goodbye]

It must be remembered that many of these local men also died simply defending their own homes. I would highly recommend watching Gods and Generals as a tribute. It is one of the most accurate representations of the Civil War on film. They all must be remembered and honored regardless of our viewpoints on the war.

[krazeeboi]

It's only a day; I don't really see the problem with that.

[Charleston native]

The fact is many Confederate soldiers died for what they believed in. Some people would disagree saying that they fought for slavery, but that is highly debatable. Most Southerners didn't even own slaves. Anyway, honoring these soldiers with a memorial day is the right thing to do because of their sacrifice.

[Topher1]

It seems a bit redundant and ironic to observe a Confederate Memorial Day IMO... We have multiple national holidays to honor people who fought and died in our country's wars (Memorial Day and Veteran's Day)... These are umbrella holidays, in which soldiers are remembered, regardless of the size/importance/validity of their struggles. What makes the soldiers who died in the Civil War any more honourable than those who died in other wars that don't have a specific holiday?

[sonofaque86]

We already have a Memorial Day

[perrykat]

I see nothing wrong with it. The Confederate War played a very important part in the history of our state; and still does today. I'm all for keeping it.

[krazeeboi]

It seems a bit redundant and ironic to observe a Confederate Memorial Day IMO... We have multiple national holidays to honor people who fought and died in our country's wars (Memorial Day and Veteran's Day)... These are umbrella holidays, in which soldiers are remembered, regardless of the size/importance/validity of their struggles. What makes the soldiers who died in the Civil War any more honourable than those who died in other wars that don't have a specific holiday?

You do have a point.

[GvilleSC]

It seems a bit redundant and ironic to observe a Confederate Memorial Day IMO... We have multiple national holidays to honor people who fought and died in our country's wars (Memorial Day and Veteran's Day)... These are umbrella holidays, in which soldiers are remembered, regardless of the size/importance/validity of their struggles. What makes the soldiers who died in the Civil War any more honourable than those who died in other wars that don't have a specific holiday?

I see what you're saying-- but out of curiousity, do you really think that Memorial Day is for those who died on the Confederate side? Seriously. They weren't American soldiers, but soldiers of a seperate nation, the Confederate States of America.

For those who say 'no' because you don't agree with what they were fighting for... let me ask you this: do you agree with what we're fighting for in Iraq? (not everyone does) are you going to shove those men under the rug and not acknowledge their sacrafice?

I say yes let's keep it.

[krazeeboi]

I see what you're saying-- but out of curiousity, do you really think that Memorial Day is for those who died on the Confederate side? Seriously. They weren't American soldiers, but soldiers of a seperate nation, the Confederate States of America.

Memorial Day can be tailored to suit local opinion and preference.

[The_sandlapper]

I know I don't and wouldn't support it, but I can't condem those who do this is america.

[Jerseyman4]

According to Wikipedia, Memorial day (formely known as Decoration Day) was a day of mourning for the Civil War. After WWI, the holiday expanded to any military action that occured in the future. More from Wikipedia

Because of its origin as a memorial to the fallen soldiers of the Civil War, Memorial Day is generally not observed in many parts of the American South.

Following the end of the Civil War, many communities set aside a day to mark the end of the war or as a memorial to those who had died. Some of the early cities creating a memorial day include Charleston, South Carolina; Boalsburg, Pennsylvania; Richmond, Virginia; and some two dozen other cities and towns. These observances eventually coalesced around Decoration Day honoring the Union dead and the several Confederate Memorial Days.

[sonofaque86]

thats like saying its cool for the state to still observe the confederate flag on the state grounds. whatever

[waccamatt]

I don't believe it should be observed and I don't believe the confederate flag should be flown on state property. Here are my reasons: other countries don't fly the flags of previous regimes that had control of the area: The U.S. doesn't fly the British, the Spanish or the French flag; Canada doesn't fly the French flag; Poland doesn't fly the hammer and sicle; Ireland doesn't fly the British flag and Latin American countries don't fly the Spanish flag. Countries that lose wars don't get to continue flying their flag. Period.

The holiday goes hand-in-hand with the flags; Memorial Day is for remembering war dead, it doesn't specify one person or one war over another.

[Spartan]

I found this fact from that same Wikipedia entry to be rather interesting:

"General Logan [credited for establishing what we know today as Memorial Day] had been impressed by the way the South honored their dead with a special day and decided the Union needed a similar day."

Every Southern State has a Confederate Memorial Day. However, there are only a handful that actually close government offices in observance of this day. I saw on the news that South Carolina, Kentucky, Florida, Tennessee, and maybe one or two others observe Confederate Memorial Day in this way.

Really this debate comes down to whether the word "Confederate" being attached to this Memorial Day offends you or not.

[monsoon]

This is a good history lesson on how things get to be as they are and that it is always good to know the history before making assumptions.

[BrasilnSC]

It seems a bit redundant and ironic to observe a Confederate Memorial Day IMO... We have multiple national holidays to honor people who fought and died in our country's wars (Memorial Day and Veteran's Day)... These are umbrella holidays, in which soldiers are remembered, regardless of the size/importance/validity of their struggles. What makes the soldiers who died in the Civil War any more honourable than those who died in other wars that don't have a specific holiday?

I completely agree. Wasn't this holiday instated to offset MLK Day and make all the rednecks happy?

[monsoon]

I completely agree. Wasn't this holiday instated to offset MLK Day and make all the rednecks happy?

No absolutely not since MLK day is a recently created holiday. Comments such as this come from ignorance and I suggest that you eductate yourself further on the subject. Calling the people who observe this holiday rednecks suggest that you have the same issues that you are attempt to paste onto others.

[BrasilnSC]

I apologize for the redneck comment, since there are Civil War families that aren't. But these holidays were introduced at the same time on the same bill that Gov. Hodges signed. Sounds like a compromise to me.

http://www.scstatehouse.net/sess112_1997-1998/bills/249.htm

[waccamatt]

No absolutely not since MLK day is a recently created holiday. Comments such as this come from ignorance and I suggest that you eductate yourself further on the subject. Calling the people who observe this holiday rednecks suggest that you have the same issues that you are attempt to paste onto others.

Actually, there is alot of truth to Brasil's statement. In an effort to appease both sides, the SC State legislature originally allowed state employees to take EITHER Martin Luther King, Jr's birthday OR Confederate Memorial Day as a floating holiday. The situation has since changed and both holidays are now observed.

State of SC Holiday Schedule

South Carolina becomes the last state to make MLK Day a paid holiday for all state employees. Until now, employees could choose between celebrating it or one of three Confederate-related holidays.

SC History

[Spartan]

This is intersting. Two Senators are proposing to make Confederate Memorial Day a statewide holiday. One of them is a black Democrat from Charleston: Robert Ford.

http://www.charleston.net/stories/?newsID=...ction=localnews

They did sign the bill 6 years ago making it an official state holiday (meaning that government offices close)... but the day itself has been around for a much longer time. The current proposal, at least as I understand it, would close all of government down just like MLK day does.

[monsoon]

They were celebrating Confederate Memorial Day when I was a school kid in SC in the 1960s and it was a long held tradition by that point. It had nothing to do with Martin Luther King who was not really even famous until the late 60s.