While support for a state apology concerning slavery is slow coming, a bill in the Senate that would designate April as Confederate History and Heritage month in Georgia passed through the Senate Rules Committee with zero opposition.
Sen. Jeff Mullis (R-Chickamauga), the sponsor of Senate Bill 283, said he did not propose the legislation to create controversy, but to promote tourism and preserve state and national history.
According to Sen. Eric Johnson, the bill was in the works well before talk of a slavery apology.
“Sen. Mullis’ Confederate Memorial Month was introduced before this whole issue broke.
“We have done Confederate History Month every year, but it’s just been an annual resolution,” Johnson said.
“This would just make it permanent and I don’t think the two (Confederate History and Heritage Month and the slavery apology) have been linked other than it makes a good press conference,” he said.
If approved, SB 283 would encourage Georgians to honor the Confederacy, its history, soldiers and the “millions of its citizens of various races and ethnic groups and religions who contributed in sundry and myriad ways to the cause of Southern independence.”
Sen. Jeff Mullis (R-Chickamauga), the sponsor of Senate Bill 283, said he did not propose the legislation to create controversy, but to promote tourism and preserve state and national history.
According to Sen. Eric Johnson, the bill was in the works well before talk of a slavery apology.
“Sen. Mullis’ Confederate Memorial Month was introduced before this whole issue broke.
“We have done Confederate History Month every year, but it’s just been an annual resolution,” Johnson said.
“This would just make it permanent and I don’t think the two (Confederate History and Heritage Month and the slavery apology) have been linked other than it makes a good press conference,” he said.
If approved, SB 283 would encourage Georgians to honor the Confederacy, its history, soldiers and the “millions of its citizens of various races and ethnic groups and religions who contributed in sundry and myriad ways to the cause of Southern independence.”