What is your opinion of Gen. Robert E. Lee. ?

2023-08-19T05:50:01-04:00

Not seeking to get into a discussion of the Civil War. I am asking about General Robert E Lee as a Military General, as a United Staes Military Combat Officer. As a War Veteran Officer who Served his country. Is he deserving of recognition for his service to the country. Is he deserving of the respect of his Nation for his service. Is he deserving of more than just an acknowledgement in the historic record that his personal property was seized without due process and converted to a National Cemetery. Is it acceptable that memorials for his service to the Nation have been destroyed and removed from public places?

If because memorials of Gen. Robert E Lee is viewed by a minority of people as offensive does this justify removing any memorials of his likeness and justifies not honoring his military service. If your answer is yes then this question must also be answered. When the time comes, and it will that a different minority of people make the claim that they find memorials honoring Gen. George Washington to be offensive. That Gen. George Washington being also the first President of the United Sates is viewed as the leader of the movement that was responsible for the theft of this great land from the native peoples, the death and destruction of these native people and their way of life. When that time comes will you then also support the destruction and removal of the Washington Monument, Support the renaming of the Nations Capital, support the changing of the name of the Northwest State of Washington and the 31 Counties across this country named Washington. Would you support the removal of the image of Gen. Washington from the Nations currency. If your answer is “No” to any or all of this please elaborate. For the record I am not attempting to create division in seeking these answers. My intention is to engage in meaningful dialogue that respects the views and opinions of others. Please keep that in mind when replying. Can you do that?

Response by CSM Thomas Ray made Aug 19 at 2023 6:53 AM

2023-08-19T06:53:54-04:00

One cannot and must not try to erase the past merely because it does not fit the present.
Golda Meir
I think maybe the majority need to start standing up and be counted

Response by CPT Lawrence Cable made Aug 19 at 2023 6:54 AM

2023-08-19T06:54:02-04:00

I think he was one of the most over rated Generals of the Civil War and that he was venerated by the Confederacy simply because his theater of operations was practically the only area that the Confederacy wasn't getting their asses kicked. He lead two offensive operations outside of Virginia and got his Army slaughtered in both of them. Had he faced Grant, Sherman, or Thomas, the war would have ended at Antietam.

Response by CSM Darieus ZaGara made Aug 19 at 2023 7:37 AM

2023-08-19T07:37:49-04:00

Names, monuments, memorials, culture, all should be preserved in sone way. The Constitution is meant to keep us on an even path, one that allows for change to an extent.

As one idiology moves out and another moves in this document is meant to prevail above all. We as a nation have started down a path over the last few years that seems to be righting itself, hopefully it is not to late. Whether it is 45 or 46 who started the slide will be debated for a millania. Just as our nation has faced such decisiveness in the past, we as a nation crawl out of the hole finding our baring achieving greatness and setting the standard for the globe. Admittedly, the home we are in seems deeper than ever before, but we can and we will come out of this stronger and better than before.

Lee should have been compensated, he was a great General based on his beliefs, he was a bad person based on his beliefs, Irony.

His monuments and name should be preserved as so many others, that's what museums are made for. Our early history is drought with pain, suffering, the result of the mealtibgvpot that we are. Putting so many ideologies into the same space made for a lot of recompense. We have fought our way through with the guidance of great leaders and the sweat and blood of the people who believe.

We cannot erase history as we move forward, as we are doomed to repeat as has been proven around this globe time and again.

The people, the Comstitution, and the laws of the land keep us from being a third world country, we are on the presopis caught between greatness and failure.

May your God and mine bless America. Be brothers not enemies, identify the issue, debate the results and enact laws that support the people.

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 19 at 2023 8:17 AM

2023-08-19T08:17:42-04:00

Your premise is misleading. 6 or 7 years ago, some polls showed that a majority did not support or had no opinion of removing statues of Confederate generals. More recently, 52% to 73% of voters support removing the statues, moving them to museums, or at least adding context to the space.
https://poll.qu.edu/Poll-Release?releaseid=3786
https://www.unumfund.org/creating-more-inclusive-public-spaces-survey/

To put the central topic of slavery and racism, and Lee's own very conflicted view on slavery aside for the moment, Lee took an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States. The same oath you and I took, and that was in the first sentence of the oath 40 years before he commissioned.
And then he took up arms against the Constitution of the United States.
Personally, I don't think we should honor that with a statue.

68% Say Discrimination Against Black Americans A "Serious Problem," Quinnipiac University...

"Two sharply contrasting views of America jump off the pages of this survey. To Democrats and independents, the African American population is under siege. From Republicans, a far different view of what is unfolding on our streets," said Quinnipiac University Polling Analyst Tim Malloy.

Response by SFC Casey O'Mally made Aug 19 at 2023 9:33 AM

2023-08-19T09:33:19-04:00

You say you are not attempting to create division, but you asked a divisive question. And you even did it on a confrontational manner.

A few folks have really risen to the challenge and stated their opinions in a civil manner despite you poking them in the chest. I applaud their gentility and civility. I will endeavor to follow suit as best I can.

Lee was widely acknowledged as a strategically excellent Officer. He was acknowledged and accepted as a gentleman, according to the "civilized" rules of the time. He answered the call every time it came. Unfortunately for him, the last time it came, the call came from the losing side of the battle. Lee knew whn he took the job that he had been dealt the losing hand but he tried to eke a win out anyway - and he was close a couple times.

Yes, he fought for the losing side. IMHO, it was the LEGALLY right side, even if MORALLY very, VERY wrong. But the victors get to write history, and therefore the North was right all along. But even though the victors wrote the history, even they acknowledged Lee as a great General and man. And if the leaders of the North who had just paid the butcher's bill inflicted on them by Lee *still* honored him, well, that tells me everything *I* need to know.

Response by SPC James Neidig made Aug 20 at 2023 1:46 AM

2023-08-20T01:46:12-04:00

Lee Was A Great Military Engineer, Who Could Read The Land And Place Artillery And Cavalry Where They Could Best Support The Infantry.
He Was On General Winfield Scott’s Staff During The Mexican War And Was Instrumental In The Success Of That Command And He Was Only A Captain At The Time.
General Scott Said Lee Could Read A Battlefield Like No Else Could And Often New What The Enemy Was Going To Do Before They Did It.
He Continued That Knowledge During The Civil War, That’s Why The Southern Army Was So Successful Until Attrition Started Wearing Down The Southern Army.
As Far As Tearing Down Any Monument Or Memorial That’s What Dictatorships Do After A Regime Change !
Lee , Like All Soldiers Who Served In The Confederate Military Were Loyal To Their States And Followed Their Hearts To Support Their State Instead Of What They Believed To Be A Tyrannical Federal Government.
Lee Himself Said It Best When Asked To Take Command Of All Union Forces That He Could Not Draw His Sword Against His Own Family In Virginia.
In My Opinion , Robert E Lee Was A Very Honorable Man Not Only As A Soldier But Also As A Man Who Loved His Family, His State And His Country