"I love the Union and the Constitution, but I would rather leave the Union with the Constitution than remain in the Union without it"
-- Jefferson Davis

In what now appears to be a healthy event the controversy over the issuance of a Confederate History Proclamation by the governor of Virginia has backfired on those who tried to make a political issue or heritage denial of it.

Two polls have arisen out of the subject which overwhelmingly show in one, the people of Virginia support the observance of Confederate History Month. They believe it opens the opportunity to learn more of the history of the Commonwealth (69%) as well as providing great opportunities for tourism (66%) during the upcoming Sesquicentennial.

The poll, conducted by Conquest Polling in Virginia shows almost total rejection of the proposals of heritage deniers to remove or downplay existing monuments and memorials. (86%)

Most importantly, only 16% of Virginians registered an unfavorable opinion of Confederate History Month.

This poll was released to the media throughout Virginia. It has appeared in some smaller market daily newspapers or county papers. It has almost been totally censored and ignored by the larger market media in Virginia.

Now comes a nationwide poll on the same subject by a Canadian polling company.

The outcome nationally is very similar in numbers to the Virginia poll.

It has been released through United Press [see story text below ]. It will be interesting to observe who ignores it. One of the statistics in the Virginia poll indicated 31% of those polled believe the news media is biased against Confederate history.

The important statistics nationally are that a majority of Americans believe Confederate History should be proclaimed in states desiring to do so. Only 27% nationally are opposed to any state utilizing their Confederate history for educational improvement, tourism promotion and heritage recognition.

Interestingly, the poll by the Canadian company, Angus Reid Public Opinion, showed that every region of the U. S. agreed with the Confederate history promotion with some regions outside the south voting more strongly in favor than the states of the Confederacy.

There was considerable criticism of the media following the release of the Virginia poll, commissioned by the Sons of Confederate Veterans. Some believed there was a deliberate attempt to hide the real results of popular opinion. The interesting question will be whether the media continues to cover its omissions by censoring a nationwide poll, released by a venerable nationwide news organization.

"Nothing fills me with deeper sadness than to see a Southern man apologizing for the defense we made of our inheritance. Our cause was so just, so sacred, that had I known all that has come to pass, had I known what was to be inflicted upon me, all that my country was to suffer, all that our posterity was to endure, I would do it all over again."
--Jefferson Davis