It appears the birthdays of Confederate figures will remain part of state law

by | Feb 8, 2018


It appears the birthdays of Confederate figures Jefferson Davis and Robert E. Lee will remain as official state holidays in Florida despite efforts to remove them from state statutes.

Efforts to remove both designations–even though neither birthday is officially celebrated by Florida–have appeared to run into a dead end in this year’s legislative session.

Back in October, state Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Coral Springs, filed a bill that would officially remove the birthdays of Davis and Lee from statue saying it was time to close the chapter on the most divisive part of our nation’s history.

Moskowitz noted these days exist alongside the birthdays of Martin Luther King, Jr., Abraham Lincoln, and Susan B. Anthony as legal holidays in Florida statutes.

“When I think of who should be honored with legal holidays, the types of people who come to mind are not those that cost millions of lives in the defense of slavery,” declared Moskowitz. “I’m positive that celebrating racism shouldn’t be on the calendar each year.  It’s not erasing history to put it where it belongs; in a history book or a museum hall.”

Moskowitz’s bill also would have wiped out a third designated holiday, Confederate Memorial Day, on April 26.

But the bill never got a hearing. Thursday morning, the House Government Accountability committee–the committee Moskowitz’s bill was assigned to–met for the final time and the bill was not on the agenda.

Rep. Jennifer Sullivan, R-Mount Dora, the chairwoman of the Oversight, Transparency and Administration Subcommittee, which was also assigned the bill, says the committee simply ran out of time to take up the legislation.

Sullivan told the Tampa Bay Times that even though it was a timing issue, she also said she personally opposed the idea of removing history from state statutes.

“We ran out of time,” Sullivan said before voicing opposition to the bill. “I would say it’s important to remember our past so that we don’t repeat it. I don’t think history, even perhaps the parts that I’m not so proud of, I don’t think we should try to remove its aspects.”

The Senate version of the bill was approved earlier this week in a committee. But, with the House choosing not to take up the legislation, the measure is dead..

 

 

1 Comment

  1. Anonymous

    A few ignorant instigators DO NOT have the right to corrupt the history of many!
    We the people of America – demand our American Veterans War Memorials, flags, emblems and school names to be left in place!
    I am steadfast in defending the 12k Jewish ancestors who served in the Confederacy!

    The Hebrew Confederate Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia, is the only Jewish military cemetery in the world outside of Israel.
    List of burials in the cemetery:
    M. Levy, Mississippi, killed May 31, 1862.
    J. Rosenberg, Ga.
    Henry Adler, 46th Va.
    E.J. Sampson, 4th Texas, killed June 27th, 1862.
    G. Wolfe, N.C.
    I. Hessberg, Caroline co.
    Unknown soldier
    Henry Gersberg, Salem, Va., killed June 2, 1864.
    T. Foltz, 16th Miss.
    I. Cohen, Hampton (S.C.) Legion.
    Sam Bear, Ga.
    S. Bachrach, Lynchburg, Va.
    Jonathan Sheuer, La.
    J. Frank, Ga.
    Henry Cohen, S.C. killed June 29, 1864.
    Capt. Jacob A. Cohen, Co. A, 10th La., killed at 2nd Manassas, August 30, 1862, age, 33 years.
    M. Aaron, N.C.
    A. Lehman, S.C.
    Julius Zark, 7th Louisiana.
    A. Heyman, Georgia.
    Lieut. W.M. Wolf, Hagood’s S.C. Brigade, died May 9, 1864.
    Lieut. L.S. Lipman, 5th Louisiana, died May 9, 1863.
    Erected by his brothers to the memory of Isaac Seldner, of the 6th Virg. Inf. Reg., born December 23, 1837, killed at the battle of Chancellorsville, Va., May 3rd, 1863. None knew him but to love him.
    S. Weiss, Ga.
    H. Jacobs, S.C.
    E.B. Miller, died April 6, 1864.
    Corpl. G. Eiseman, 12th Miss.
    M. Bachrach, Lynchburg, Va.
    S. Oury, 16th Miss.; died June 10, 1861.
    A. Robinson, 15th Ga., died Jan. 26, 1863.
    These are just a few that you choose to ignore and desecrate- I am appalled and want resolution as soon as possible! Stop the assault on our American history!

    יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְפָנֶיךָ יְ-יָ אֱ-לֹהֵינוּ וֵא-לֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ. שֶׁתּוֹלִיכֵנוּ לְשָׁלוֹם. וְתַצְעִידֵנוּ לְשָׁלוֹם. וְתַדְרִיכֵנוּ לְשָׁלוֹם. וְתִסְמְכֵנוּ לְשָׁלוֹם. וְתַגִּיעֵנוּ לִמְחוֹז חֶפְצֵנוּ לְחַיִּים וּלְשִׂמְחָה וּלְשָׁלוֹם. (ואם דעתו לחזור מיד אומר: וְתַחֲזִירֵנוּ לְשָׁלוֹם). וְתַצִילֵנוּ מִכַּף כָּל-אוֹיֵב וְאוֹרֵב וְלִסְטִים וְחַיּוֹת רָעוֹת בַּדֶּרֶך. וּמִכָּל פֻּרְעָנִיּוֹת הַמִּתְרַגְּשׁוֹת וּבָאוֹת לָעוֹלָם. וְתִשְׁלַח בְּרָכָה בְּכָל מַעֲשֵׂה יָדֵינוּ. וְתִתְּנֵנִיּ (בל’ יחיד) לְחֵן וּלְחֶסֶד וּלְרַחֲמִים בְּעֵינֶיךָ וּבְעֵינֵי כָל רוֹאֵינוּ. וְתִגְמְלֵנוּ חֲסָדִים טוֹבִים. וְתִשְׁמַע קוֹל תְּפִלָּתֵינוּ. כִּי אַתָּה שׁוֹמֵעַ תְּפִלַת כָּל פֶּה: בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְ-יָ שׁוֹמֵעַ תְּפִלָה:
    May it be Your will, G‑d, our G‑d and the G‑d of our fathers, that You should lead us in peace and direct our steps in peace, and guide us in peace, and support us in peace, and cause us to reach our destination in life, joy, and peace (If one intends to return immediately, one adds: and return us in peace). Save us from every enemy and ambush, from robbers and wild beasts on the trip, and from all kinds of punishments that rage and come to the world. May You confer blessing upon the work of our hands and grant me grace, kindness, and mercy in Your eyes and in the eyes of all who see us, and bestow upon us abundant kindness and hearken to the voice of our prayer, for You hear the prayers of all. Blessed are You G‑d, whole hearkens to prayer.

    Disgusted in America,
    Jenna

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