"Virginia May Be for LOVERS, But It Wasn't For The LOVINGS"

Last night, my wife and I watched the 2016 movie "Loving," about an inter-racial couple, Mildred and Richard Loving, who were severely harassed by the state of Virginia BECAUSE they were inter-racial. Thankfully, the Supreme Court heard the case and Loving v. Virginia concluded IN FAVOR of inter-racial couples EVERYWHERE in America being able to marry without the threat of being jailed.

Mercedes and I watched the movie because A.) If not for what THIS couple went through WE might not have been allowed to marry legally (my wife is black) and B.) The way things are going with "Black Lives Matter," those black racists may succeed in banning THIS movie one day as they have with OTHER movies they don't like. So, I bought it, and we watched it, NOW.

The Lovings won their court battle in 1967, and two years later the state adopted the slogan "Virginia Is For Lovers."

Coincidence?? I doubt it...ALL advertising campaigns are done either to CONVEY a new message or CORRECT an old message. It seems very likely to me that Virginia was trying to redeem the state's reputation after the whole nation knew how evil they were trying to keep the LOVINGS from expressing their LOVE by tying the knot.  (Please note: Virginia wasn't the ONLY state forbidding inter-racial marriage, it's just that they became the nation's focus because THEY got called out on it. Also note: I do NOT believe that GAY COUPLES should use the "everyone has a right to express their love by getting married" argument...but that's a blog for ANOTHER day.  Back to THIS one. )

Yes, "Virginia Is For Lovers" but they were NOT for the LovINGS, were they.  In my opinion, though they'll never admit it, their popular slogan is all about "Image Management" and was NOT done for the reasons they claim it was (virginia.org states that "Virginia has always been about doing the things you love with the people you love most. We're staying hopeful that you will be able to explore Virginia soon.")  Up until we saw that movie  last night I would have accepted this lie at face value, but now I see that Virginia was NOT "always about doing the things you love with the people you love most."

Not before 1967, at least!!