Hillsborough: 'Sorry' issued for awkward honors

It's supposed to be all smiles when Hillsborough County commissioners hand out proclamations celebrating community do-gooders.

But the board's recent recognition of Confederate commander Robert E. Lee on the same day they honored a black civic leader upset some African-Americans in town.

Commissioners apologized Wednesday for what they acknowledged was unfortunate timing of the Jan. 18 recognitions by pledging it would not happen again. They passed a policy to have employees screen proclamations that might be controversial before they're handed to commissioners in an attempt to avert potentially embarrassing situations in the future.

The policy includes a provision that commissioners see the wording on proclamations, rather than be given a blank sheet to sign, as has often happened in the past.

Commissioner Ken Hagan expressed concern about passing a policy to address something that rarely happens. But Commissioner Mark Sharpe reminded him that people tend to remember that one embarrassment.

Black civic leaders have questioned the pairing of the proclamation on behalf of Lee on the same day commissioners recognized James A. Hammond, a community activist who recently had an elementary school named after him.

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by Dave	02/12/07 08:07 PM
What a bunch of whiners! Robert E. Lee was hailed by great men like Churchill, T. Roosevelt, U.S. Grant, Truman, and Dwight Eisenhower. Lee's reputation is legendary. Hammond should have been honored to be scheduled with a great man like Lee.

by Finley	02/12/07 06:26 PM
Now, If it was a white man's holiday and a black person was honor on his day we would not be having this conversation. Such as ROBERT E. LEE'S day was change to Martin Luther King day. Now this is a down right shame. They didn't complain then why now

by Brett	02/10/07 12:58 AM
As long as the black civic leader was an honourable man like Robert E. Lee, I don't see what the problem was. Are y'all still teaching the norhtern myth about the war instead of the truth? In that case, you might have a problem.

by Bob	02/09/07 10:43 AM
Two great men were honored on the same day. That's a GOOD thing! Why would anyone object to a national hero being honored at the same time as a local hero? The ignorance of the few make the rest of us roll our eyes. Equality for all!

by Truthhurts	02/08/07 10:11 PM
So sad this country has to appease the black race. But with 75% unwed mothers and in school they are last, behind children that speak English as a second language!! What do you do? Give in and hope they behave. Not true?

by Anderson C.	02/08/07 09:48 PM
someone wrote: "so what it is part of history. Now this get over it. It happened and its part of history". Great idea! Christians get over it...it's part of history. Jews during WWII get over it.Indians.100K dead Iraqi's. ALL religions get over it

by Donna	02/08/07 03:00 PM
I am sick and tired of this.So what two great indiviuals were mentioned on the same day one a Confederate General and the other a Great Civic Leader but you know what I am tired of all the complaints slavery is gone and over for how long get over IT

by Zambia	02/08/07 02:00 PM
Autumn you have no clue, totally clueless. We African Americans won't get over it, yes it's history, it's our history and we will continue to defend anything or organization that tries explot it. We are proud of our heritage.

by Nelson	02/08/07 01:28 PM
In a word, it's "reverse" apartheid. They claimed they wanted equality but really meant de-facto privileged status, which is exactly what they've got. Which individual will be honored next year? 3 guesses and the first two don't count, comrades!

by Stephen	02/08/07 01:17 PM
Geez - people need to get over something that happened 142 yrs ago. I wonder if Mr. Hammond was offended by this blown out of proportion incident or was it just Mr. Where's my cheap sunglasses I'm gonna wear my BRIGHT red suit today?

by John	02/08/07 12:53 PM
They named a school after the activist and produced a worthless proclamation for a general who died what . . . 100 years ago? And instead of being happy for the recognition of the activist's efforts people were offended? Nit-picky losers.

by Ed	02/08/07 12:07 PM
So next January 18th, who gets that day "proclaimed" in their honor? Lee or Hammond?

by Diane	02/08/07 11:02 AM
The black community needs to get over itself. Being a human being makes you important and special, not your color!

by C Note	02/08/07 10:41 AM
Good thing YOU FOLKS aren't the only AMERICANS living in Hillsborough County. Glad to see BOCC is acting on behalf of ALL citizen's & consideration is given to ALL. Otherwise we'd be naming marinas (and who knows what else) after Scott Peterson.

by Ken	02/08/07 09:53 AM
Cool move. IF it was something that made somebody unhappy, now our crack politicians have succeeded in making even MORE people unhappy! Send in the clowns!

by Autumn	02/08/07 09:39 AM
This is getting out of hand. First Mosi can't have a pirate display because the boat the piratees stole may have been used to carry slaves, so what it is part of history. Now this get over it. It happened and its part of history.

by Jay	02/08/07 06:57 AM
This is ridiculous. Now we can't honor a Civil War General on the same day as an African-American activists?? I guess if it would have been General Grant, that would have made it okay. Whites don't seem to care if both were honored together.