Confederate Heroes Day, a state holiday that recognizes the birthdays of Confederate President Jefferson Davis and General Robert E. Lee as well as the soldiers who lost their lives fighting for the Confederacy during the Civil War, is currently being observed by the state of Texas as a way to remember a dark period in its history. Since 1973, when it was combined from two previous holidays that paid tribute to both people, this holiday has existed.
State Representative Jarvis Johnson (D-Houston) contends that since this memorial serves as a perpetual reminder of an oppressive past, it should be discontinued. Leaders from several caucuses, including the House Democratic Caucus and the Mexican American Legislative Caucus, who support his position, were present at his press conference. The fact that this holiday will coincide with Martin Luther King Jr. Day four times in the following twenty years, according to state senator Nathan Johnson, is still another reason why it must be abolished.
Sadly, the descendants of Confederate veterans have a different opinion of this proposal and have previously resisted legislation of a similar nature. Confederate Heroes Day, they contend, is a significant reminder of their past, and they ought to be able to remember their forebears without worrying about what other people might think. We must keep in mind what these people stood for and the reasons why the United States had to wage war in order to abolish slavery, even though their point of view is understandable and merits respect.
Confederate Heroes Day should be discontinued so that Texas can stop honoring its tragic past and instead place an emphasis on remembering those who fought for freedom and justice rather than oppression and bigotry. Without endorsing racism or any other type of discrimination and prejudice that still exists today, Texans can appreciate their Southern roots in a variety of other significant ways. In order to create a better future for future generations, we must learn from our past rather than repeating the mistakes that were made.
