Difference between revisions of "471A3--Week 14 Questions/Comments--Thursday"
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Something that really struck me from McDonnell's proclamation was when he stated that after the Confederacy surrendered, they returned home to their families in peace. He definitely glosses over some of the major issues of the war (and reconstruction) and presents a simplistic version, as many of the CW blogs criticized him for. Also, while reading through some of the reactions to the proclamation, there were a lot of great points raised, especially in the comments. On Robert Moore's blog, (http://cenantua.wordpress.com), he makes the distinction between heritage over history and how passion can sometimes get the best of people. Do you think that this issue of heritage and history is going to impact the way in which states approach the sesquicentennial? Is there anyway to present a more complicated, rather than simplistic view of the war without raising concerns from groups like the NAACP who had issues in 2000 with Gov. Gilmore's proclamation? -ABratchie | Something that really struck me from McDonnell's proclamation was when he stated that after the Confederacy surrendered, they returned home to their families in peace. He definitely glosses over some of the major issues of the war (and reconstruction) and presents a simplistic version, as many of the CW blogs criticized him for. Also, while reading through some of the reactions to the proclamation, there were a lot of great points raised, especially in the comments. On Robert Moore's blog, (http://cenantua.wordpress.com), he makes the distinction between heritage over history and how passion can sometimes get the best of people. Do you think that this issue of heritage and history is going to impact the way in which states approach the sesquicentennial? Is there anyway to present a more complicated, rather than simplistic view of the war without raising concerns from groups like the NAACP who had issues in 2000 with Gov. Gilmore's proclamation? -ABratchie | ||
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| + | I like things that are more interactive and get people involved. I think if there was some way to create some Civil War 'thing' (Im hesitant to use the word "event") that was both educational and interactive, people may be attracted to it. I think its important to get people of all ages involved which is why I really like MK's idea because I think it is good to get an idea of what all types of people think about the war. -ABratchie | ||
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| + | For our second post pertaining to how Mary Washington can coomertate the Civil War I feel that we can do alot for the seqsuicentenial.I think we should defitnatly have more classes pertaining to the Civil War. We could have a Civil War class based like the great live series and have talks pertaining to influential people of the Civil War. Also since the Fredericksburg battlefield is very close to Mary Washington it is important to make sure that we do commeration events with the national park service. Overall just getting the word out about the Civil War sequicential will help the Mary Washington community remember the Civil War. Nick | ||
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| + | On the Old Virginia blog, as well as in the comments sections of a couple other ones, people complained that historians wanted McDonnell to be "PC." But political correctness often protects the memory of the Confederacy, either by portraying Southerners as innocents oblivious to the evils of slavery and as having been mobilized mostly in response to a Northern invasion, or by implying that the cause of the war is still an open debate. So what are people talking about when they complain about political correctness? What version of political correctness do they mean, and why do they phrase it that way? -GStan. | ||
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| + | Finding a "good" way to commemorate the Civil War may not be the way to attract people to an event. If you hold a conference, very few will come or care. If the state financed some kind of elaborate reenactment, it would probably be inaccurate or offensive or both, but there would be a better chance of attracting people who would pay for tickets, hotels, etc. -GStan. | ||
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| + | Alright: McDonnell's first proclamation sounds like it was written by the UDC, and it was real wrong, but it it also sounds like it's something somebody would want to celebrate. The most recent one is a little more complicated, a little more correct, but it sounds just a little schizophrenic. I guess I think that maybe something like the history of the Confederacy is not the kind of thing a politician can use to promote tourism. Not without being negligent. --Erin B. | ||
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| + | I find it irritating that the governor uses the term "all Virginians" so often. All Virginians do not have a legacy of the Confederacy that they want to remember. Many of today's Virginians ancestors came after the Civil War or are not originally from Virginia to begin with. I also think that he is just further prompting the Lost Cause narrative when he says that the reason Confederate soldiers returned home was because of the "insurmountable numbers and resources" of the Union Army not just because they lost, fair and square. Basically, I think there is an enormous Lost Cause flavor to this that definitely does not represent "all Virginians." - Angie | ||
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| + | After reading Governor McDonnell's proclamation about the Civil War and the posts concerning reaction about his proclamation overall I was impressed by the proclamation and Virginia's plan for the Civil War sequicential. McDonnell is doing everything he can to try and accomodate the desires of everyone in their remebrance of the Civil War, but as the governor indicated it is an extremely hard task to accomplish. Virginia is a very diverse commonwealth and it is is hard to make everyone happy because no one shares similar views pertaining to the war. Overall I am exicited by the events that are planned to commerate the Civil War, but do you think that certain groups will feel neglated vby the events that are being planned? -Nick | ||
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| + | I think that a commemoration event should be held here in Fredericksburg that educates and discusses women's role in the Civil War and how it changed gender roles in society. I think that the majority of commemoration events deal with soldiers (mostly men) but women were greatly effected by the war. I also think the event needs to be careful to discuss all different types of women and not just white, middle class women. - Angie | ||
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| + | I would be very excited to see some interpretation of the Civil War sites on UMW's campus. Even if it's a small program held at the earthworks behind Jefferson, it would be nice to see some appreciation of these places.- DR | ||
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| + | I will be the first to admit that I am not the Governor's biggest fan, but one has to ask: do you think, based on the original text of his proclamation, that Governor McDonnell's intention was to actively exclude slavery from the discussion of Confederate History Month?- DR | ||
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| + | Discussion topics for tomorrow, McDonnell’s original proclamation, the blog reactions to that proclamation, and McDonnell’s revised proclamation. Do you think that his revised version makes up for all the short comings of the original? How should Virginia address the issue of West Virginia breaking off from the state during the war? What would you do differently? Logan | ||
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| + | I think that Mary Washington should have some kind of tour that explains what happened on the campus grounds during the war. I think that the school should address the specific events that happened on or near Fredericksburg site. I believe that if people want to learn about other issues of the war they will go some where else for that. I think that people on or near campus want to hear a story that is unique to the campus. Logan | ||
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| + | McDonnell’s frequent use of “All Virginians” might just be a sort of hook or way to bring together his speech. Still, I agree with Angie in that Confederate Month does not work for all Virginians. As the author of Civil Warriors points out not all Virginians were Confederates. I feel like it needs to simply become a Virginia Civil War Month or something that would include more people than “Confederate Month” –Megan Mc. | ||
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| + | The problem here though, I think, is that there never really will be a right answer, you know? You go the Confederate route, it's offensive for obvious reasons. You go the Virginia route, it seems over-simplified and may still even hold the Confederate connotations. If you're looking for something that is "safe," you may only be able to look at it from the broad scope. But then..... --Cash | ||
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| + | I think a neat way to commemorate the 150th anniversary would be to have a blog that posted a letter or diary entry from that day on it. They wouldn’t have to be from the same person each day. In fact if it did change daily there could be a little bio on each person. I don’t know how feasible this is. (This idea was kind of inspired by the Dracula blog since Dracula was written in an epistolary form and so on the corresponding day they would post the letter.) –Megan Mc. | ||
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| + | I have always thought that the Parks Service and the Smithsonian Institution should find some way to partner up to find a way to bring the museum experience to the battlefield and vice versa. I think there is information at both venues that is vital to a clearer understanding of the Civil War, but many are only able to make it to one or the other. Somehow, it would be great to combine those efforts. I just don't know how. --Cash | ||
