There is a renewed push to abolish a state vacation few Texans might learn about: Confederate Heroes Day.
For the third legislative session, Democrat State Rep. Jarvis Johnson of Houston filed a invoice to abolish it.
“The call now is to get rid of this harmful, hateful holiday,” Johnson advised reporters Wednesday in Austin.
Joined by different Democrats together with State Sen. Nathan Johnson of Dallas, who’s sponsoring the invoice within the Texas Senate, they referred to as on colleagues to finish the Texas vacation honoring accomplice generals.
“Being dead and fighting for the wrong cause doesn’t make you a hero,” mentioned Johnson. “What makes you a hero is if you see what’s right and you pursue it.”
Recognized each Jan. 19 to coincide with Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee’s birthday, state workplaces stay open however staff obtain paid day without work.
The vacation was handed by the legislature in 1973 and on the identical time, statewide efforts to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. failed.
“I’m not surprised, but horrified,” mentioned Dr. Michael Waters, pastor at Dallas’ Abundant Life A.M.E Church. (*5*)
Waters helped lead efforts to take away accomplice monuments in Dallas together with a statue of Lee from a metropolis park in 2017.
“It’s not surprising to me that we have a state legislature that’s unwilling to tear down these holidays to confederate heroes and at the same time are willing to push politics to harm decedents of those who were enslaved.”
Previous laws to abolish the statewide vacation has failed to make it out of committee, although previous payments have acquired some Republican assist.
Authors of the payments mentioned it attracts extra assist every season they usually stay hopeful this Jan. 19 would be the final time the vacation is acknowledged.
“This thing doesn’t belong on our books. It creates divisions,” mentioned Johnson. “If you wouldn’t vote for supporting it now, how can you leave it on the books?”
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