The Myth of the Kindly General Lee

Richmond took down the big Lee statue earlier this week. A common defense of these status is that we need to keep them lest we forget our history. The problem with that argument is that these statues were not erected to preserve history, but to erase and distort it. Here's a piece reflecting on the historical Lee, the one the recently departed statue sought to suppress:

The Myth of the Kindly General Lee

(Adam Serwer at The Atlantic, via Pocket for those without an Atlantic subscription)

Apropos of this -

I found this post on Lee very interesting.

https://www.balloon-juice.com/2021/09/09/robert-e-lee-is-trending-thats-never-a-good-sign/

Great post.  Most illuminating.  It should be illegal to conceal or destroy material relating to a person of historical importance like Lee.  His descendants are perpetuating his betrayal of the country.  

Lee, a stone cold loser:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/09/10/robert-e-lee-statue-richmond-trump-history/

No general in U.S. history was defeated as unequivocally and as totally as Lee. For all his supposed strategic skill, his army was entirely destroyed. One-quarter of those who served under him were killed, and an additional half were wounded or captured. He was a traitor to the United States who killed more U.S. soldiers than any other enemy in the nation’s history, for the supremely evil cause of slavery. To boot, he was a cruel enslaver and a promoter of white supremacy until his death.

It is ridiculous that, in the year 2021, these simple truths are in dispute. But here we are.

Why so much care removing the statue? Are they covering their bets, worrying to reinstall it somewhere in case the political climate changes? Are they going to the expense and effort to have stored until needed ?

It was a wussy way of doing this. They should have used a demolition crane to break it up, bulldoze the pieces into a truck and sent it to a smelter. 

Were they afraid the racists and traitors would be offended? Screw em.

Why are we often hesitant to take strong affirmative action?

Elle_Cee said:

Great post.  Most illuminating.  It should be illegal to conceal or destroy material relating to a person of historical importance like Lee.  His descendants are perpetuating his betrayal of the country.  

 Conjecture, of course, but it seems pretty likely that they are embarrassed about what’s in the papers.

jimmurphy said:

Elle_Cee said:

Great post.  Most illuminating.  It should be illegal to conceal or destroy material relating to a person of historical importance like Lee.  His descendants are perpetuating his betrayal of the country.  

 Conjecture, of course, but it seems pretty likely that they are embarrassed about what’s in the papers.

 yeah, well, if they were proud of them they'd have sung from the rooftops.