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Letter: Remove L-J Day as state holiday

Editor, Gazette-Journal:

Delegate Joe Lindsay of the 90th district (Norfolk) has introduced HB 108 to the 2020 session of the General Assembly. The bill will remove Lee-Jackson Day as a state holiday and will add Election Day as a state holiday. I am writing to state my support of this bill. Several cities in Virginia have already decided not to recognize Lee-Jackson Day, including Richmond, even though it was the former capital of the Confederacy and has statues to recognize Generals Lee and Jackson as Virginia patriots.

At the time of the Civil War, no women and no African-Americans, with the rare exception of a few freedmen, were allowed the right to vote.  Lee-Jackson Day carries the stigma of a time in our history when we did not honor all citizens of the Commonwealth. Creating Election Day as a state holiday shows support for all Virginians to participate in our electoral process.

I ask Delegate Keith Hodges of our 98th District to vote in support of HB 108.

Nancy C. Wil...

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