In a controversial move, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin has vetoed two bills that would have stripped tax exemptions for the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC), an organization known for its opposition to the removal of Confederate statues and markers. The Republican governor also vetoed measures related to maintaining access to contraception, citing their unreadiness to become law.

The rejected bill specifically aimed to remove tax exemptions for real estate and personal property owned by several Confederate heritage groups, including the UDC, Confederate Memorial Literary Society, and Stonewall Jackson Memorial. Governor Youngkin argued that narrowly targeting certain organizations to gain or lose tax exemptions sets an inappropriate precedent. However, he acknowledged that property tax exemptions are in need of reform due to inconsistencies and discrepancies.

These vetoes have elicited strong reactions from local Democratic party leaders, who had strongly supported the measures. Senator Angelia Williams Graves, one of the sponsors of the bill, criticized Youngkin's decision, accusing him of granting tax breaks to hate organizations like the Daughters of the Confederacy.

The purpose of the bill, according to Don Scott Jr, the first Black speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates, was not to impede the UDC's charity work but to ensure that the state code better reflects modern values. However, Jinny Widowski, the president of the UDC, argued that the legislative efforts targeting their organization were unfair and discriminatory. She emphasized that the UDC's mission, as descendants of Confederate soldiers, is focused on charitable work, and they will not be deterred by harassment.

The UDC acknowledges that Confederate statues and markers are viewed as divisive, but they argue that these monuments are simply a memorial to their forefathers who fought in the Civil War. The group highlights that their Confederate ancestors were Americans and that they do not sit in judgment of them, nor do they impose 19th-century standards on 21st-century Americans.

This controversy comes on the heels of a recent decision by an all-white school board in Virginia's Shenandoah County to restore the names of Confederate leaders Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson, and Turner Ashby to two public schools. The move is seen as part of a larger pushback by conservative groups against changes that were made following the summer of protests sparked by George Floyd's murder. Over 160 Confederate symbols have been removed nationwide.

Governor Youngkin's veto of these bills highlights the ongoing debate surrounding Confederate symbolism and the differing perspectives of preserving history versus promoting inclusivity and equality.