THREAD
@nickjudin @DonnerKay point out Tate's bizarre move to proclaim April a mid-pandemic Confederate Heritage Month—but Tate's pandering to racist voters for political capital is just half the story.
To see how that capital is SPENT, you have to turn to Rep. Jerry Turner. 1/
@nickjudin @DonnerKay point out Tate's bizarre move to proclaim April a mid-pandemic Confederate Heritage Month—but Tate's pandering to racist voters for political capital is just half the story.
To see how that capital is SPENT, you have to turn to Rep. Jerry Turner. 1/
Tate says he merely recognized a holiday established by our statutes, and Nick and Donna pointed out that MS Code § 3-3-7 merely designates one day in April to commemorate the Confederacy—not a whole month.
But why do we commemorate the Confederacy at all? 2/
But why do we commemorate the Confederacy at all? 2/
Well, a lot of bills were introduced in the MS Legislature this year to at least recognize freedom from slavery as well:
☑️ HB 201 would commemorate June 19, the date when former slaves learned of President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation, as Juneteenth Freedom Day. 3/
☑️ HB 201 would commemorate June 19, the date when former slaves learned of President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation, as Juneteenth Freedom Day. 3/
☑️ HB 342 would designate the last Monday in April as both Confederate Memorial Day and also Civil Rights Memorial Day, which is currently designated only as the latter. 4/
☑️ HB 1032 would commemorate February 7, when Mississippi ratified the 13th Amendment, as the Mississippi Day of Freedom and Abolishment of Slavery.
☑️ HB 1248 would delete commemoration of Robert E. Lee from our statutes. 5/
☑️ HB 1248 would delete commemoration of Robert E. Lee from our statutes. 5/
Speaker Gunn referred each of these bills to the House Rules Committee, chaired by Rep. Turner, where they all died—along with bills to commemorate Native Americans and bills regarding the state flag. 6/
Rep. Turner killed ideas to commemorate civil rights for the same reason that Tate proclaimed April to be Mid-Pandemic Confederate Heritage Month—it helps them accumulate political capital from the white-resentment constituency.
So how does Turner USE his capital? Well... 7/
So how does Turner USE his capital? Well... 7/
Rep. Turner's seminal accomplishment in 16+ years in the Mississippi House is HB 141 (2013), which banned city and county government from enacting rules to protect workers such as wage/hour rules, employee benefits rules, and/or sick-time rules. 8/
HB 141 made no exception for emergencies, promising instead that the state would address all policy needs that might arise.
MSians needed protections this year, but Turner had already stripped localities of their authority, and the statehouse is MIA. 9/
MSians needed protections this year, but Turner had already stripped localities of their authority, and the statehouse is MIA. 9/
Why did Tate issue his proclamation? Tate and Turner pander to SCV types in exchange for political capital—and now you know how they use it.
I can't say it better than President Johnson. 10/
I can't say it better than President Johnson. 10/
