The House approved the final reading of an official acknowledgement for the 1898 Wilmington race riots this afternoon in a 65-51 vote. Here's a summary of the arguments (not direct quotes):
Rep. Thomas Wright: This was recommended by the Wilmington Race Riot Commission as a first step. Rep. Bonner Stiller: Yeah, a first step toward reparations. No thanks. Rep. Phil Haire: Or a lawsuit... Rep. Dan Blue: Not gonna happen. We're about a century past the statute of limitations. Rep. Haire: Well, what about this bill? Rep. Blue: It's just an idea. It'll never pass. Rep. Louis Pate Jr.: I asked about commemorating the birth of Robert E. Lee and you guys told me not to. Who decides which history to acknowledge? Rep. Mickey Michaux: Usually the victors. Let's acknowledge the victims for once. Rep. John Blust: We ought to acknowledge some of the better parts of history, too. Less hand-wringing, more optimism.
