Virginia hasn’t celebrated its controversial Confederate History Month since about 2002, when Mark Warner took over the governorship and refused to make such a proclamation. Tim Kaine did the same. But now that Republican Bob McDonnell is running the commonwealth, it’s time to party like it’s 1862!

WHEREAS, this defining chapter in Virginia’s history should not be forgotten, but instead should be studied, understood and remembered by all Virginians, both in the context of the time in which it took place, but also in the context of the time in which we live, and this study and remembrance takes on particular importance as the Commonwealth prepares to welcome the nation and the world to visit Virginia for the Sesquicentennial Anniversary of the Civil War, a four-year period in which the exploration of our history can benefit all;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Robert McDonnell, do hereby recognize April 2010 as CONFEDERATE HISTORY MONTH in our COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, and I call this observance to the attention of all our citizens.

Notably absent from McDonnell’s proclamation: the word “slavery.” It’s all fine and well to say that history, even ugly history, shouldn’t be forgotten. I can get behind that — we absolutely shouldn’t allow the lessons we learned during our nation’s darker periods to fail to inform our decisions today. But celebrating the study of that history without mentioning the very ugly thing that defined it? I have to hope that even McDonnell’s fellow conservatives are embarrassed for him today.