Rep. Jarvis Dortch, D-Raymond, thinks charter schools should be able to open in all school districts. Photo by Imani Khayyam.

Below is a verbatim statement from Rep. Jarvis Dortch, D-Jackson, on Gov. Phil Bryant declaring April Confederate Heritage Month.

In the Spring of 1861, The Vice-President of the rebelling southern states laid out the governing principles of the newly found Confederacy.

In his Corner Stone speech, Alexander Stephens stated that "Our new government is founded upon exactly the opposite idea; its foundations are laid, its corner- stone rests, upon the great truth that the negro is not equal to the white man; that slavery subordination to the superior race is his natural and normal condition. This, our new government, is the first, in the history of the world, based upon this great physical, philosophical, and moral truth."

The 4 years that followed were not, as Governor Phil Bryant put it in his proclamation, a "struggle." They were 4 years of total war, waged by the United States, to put down a rebellion. A rebellion that occurred because there were those in the South that would rather die and fight all out war before allowing black men, women and children the right to live freely and not in bondage.

This is the history and heritage of the Confederacy. There is much to be learned and debated from this history but little that I find worthy of honor.

It's more than disappointing to have a Governor that finds it appropriate to use the authority of his office to celebrate the actions and symbols of the Confederacy.