Was it really necessary to melt down the Robert E. Lee statue?

[darklordoftech]

Just because something isn’t neccesary doesn’t mean it’s bad.

[DrScholl]

What does the Soviet Union have to do with anything? It is so annoying when people use the Soviet Union or Communism to criticize anything they don't like. It's a dumb statue, it doesn't matter if it was melted down.

The Soviet Union liked to “erase” people and memories of those people. Melting down statues of Robert E. Lee is eerily similar enough, at least to me.

The Soviet Union literally erased people and had nefarious reasons for doing it. No one is deleting Lee from history books, but statues honoring him are not necessary to knowing history.

[7,052,770]

Robert E Lee is an honorable man imo unlike Jeff Davis. He didn't support the antics of the confederacy but since he was loyal to his home state of Virginia he had to fight. He was respectful at the end and surrendered to Grant when he knew it was over.

"Had to"

[Indy Texas]

Yes.

"Those people made war on us, defied and dared us to come south to their country, where they boasted they would kill us and do all manner of horrible things. We accepted their challenge, and now for them to whine and complain of the natural and necessary results is beneath contempt."
—William Tecumseh Sherman

[Burke Bro]

Robert E Lee is an honorable man imo unlike Jeff Davis. He didn't support the antics of the confederacy but since he was loyal to his home state of Virginia he had to fight. He was respectful at the end and surrendered to Grant when he knew it was over.

He swore an oath to the United States of America, not Virginia.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Hopefully just the first of many.

[Reactionary Libertarian]

The point is to erase and humiliate US history. Melting it down does that better than putting it in a museum.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

This is an effort at an American version of the Maoist Cultural Revolution. I expected nothing less.

[Agonized-Statism]

The Postbellum South disproves the maxim that the victors write history. Usually I'll go up to bat for the South against smug blue state liberals who act like the Civil War absolves them of their own racism, and melting the statue is performative, but in principle it's time we dispel with the Lost Cause. If not now, then when? How long do we have to wait before we can acknowledge that the Confederate cause was wrong? It's been over 150 years since "malice toward none with charity for all", there's a New South with new and better things to be proud of. These symbols aren't just history, they've played a part in the perpetuation of systemic racism to the present day.

[quesaisje]

I believe in the right of states and localities to dispose of their property as the people of those states and localities see fit.

[Meclazine for Israel]

If you sold it on eBay instead, how much would it have fetched?

[Darthpi – Anti-Florida Activist]

Here's my compromise, people who for some reason have a massive boner for Robert E. Lee: We'll replace the torn down statues with new Lee statues, but it'll be of this scene.

[diptheriadan]

Here's my compromise, people who for some reason have a massive boner for Robert E. Lee: We'll replace the torn down statues with new Lee statues, but it'll be of this scene.

Legit I think that would work. All y'all are really misunderstanding the rednecks who are opposed to removing the statues. They really do believe it's erasing history and their part in that history.

Y'ask me, doing something like this would go a long way in leading the white South towards accepting the morally correct and historically accurate point of view regarding the Civil War. People tend to close their ears if they feel attacked.

[Diabolical Materialism]

The point is to erase and humiliate US history. Melting it down does that better than putting it in a museum.

The Lost Cause is absolutely deserving of erasure and humiliation.

[Vice President Christian Man]

If the majority of people in Charlottesville supported the removal which I assumed they did, then it was fine for them to remove it, but I agree with OP that it should've been moved to a museum rather than melted.

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

What does the Soviet Union have to do with anything? It is so annoying when people use the Soviet Union or Communism to criticize anything they don't like. It's a dumb statue, it doesn't matter if it was melted down.

The Soviet Union liked to “erase” people and memories of those people. Melting down statues of Robert E. Lee is eerily similar enough, at least to me.

Oh, I don't think the memory of oathbreaker and traitor Robert E. Lee should be forgotten, not one little bit. He should be mandatory instruction for every schoolchild from now until the end of the United States. I just object to statues of him.

http://fair-use.org/national-anti-slavery-standard/1866/04/14/robert-e-lee-his-brutality-to-his-slaves

when we were apprehended and thrown into prison, and Gen. Lee notified of our arrest; we remained in prison fifteen days, when we were sent back to Arlington; we were immediately taken before Gen. Lee, who demanded the reason why we ran away; we frankly told him that we considered ourselves free; he then told us he would teach us a lesson we never would forget; he then ordered us to the barn, where, in his presence, we were tied firmly to posts by a Mr. Gwin, our overseer, who was ordered by Gen. Lee to strip us to the waist and give us fifty lashes each, excepting my sister, who received but twenty; we were accordingly stripped to the skin by the overseer, who, however, had sufficient humanity to decline whipping us; accordingly Dick Williams, a county constable, was called in, who gave us the number of lashes ordered; Gen. Lee, in the meantime, stood by, and frequently enjoined Williams to "lay it on well," an injunction which he did not fail to heed; not satisfied with simply lacerating our naked flesh, Gen. Lee then ordered the overseer to thoroughly wash our backs with brine, which was done

Apologists for Lee are welcome to go join him in Hell.

[GoTfan]

Yes, it is. Let me tell you why.

We all know the whole Lost Cause mythology that enveloped the south. What a lot of people might not know is that a lot of these myths were spread by a group called The United Daughters of the Confederacy, who devoted themselves to spreading the Lost Cause myth. They're essentially a propaganda group for revisionist history.

To my actual point, the purpose of these monuments when they were built, I believe, was not to remember history, but to intimidate African-Americans. I refer you to the Battle of Liberty Place monument in New Orleans as an example of that. The people may have had historical intentions, but it just so happens that a lot of these markers of history happened to glorify men that dedicated an entire war to upholding the systematic enslavement of an entire people base on the colour of their skin.

In many cases, the monuments erected during the Reconstruction Era were done specifically to intimidate African-Americans, a point not lost on African-Americans and certain interesting groups of white people.

The final reason why? Lee himself wanted no monuments built.

THis is not a rewriting of history by evil anti-Southern academic elitists, but a course correction. The rewriting of history came about as a result of the efforts of the UDC and other groups. THere has been a slow, but noticeable correction of the myth.

Ever wondered why you see statues of Forrest, Lee and Jackson all over the south but very few of Longstreet? It's because he called out Lee for the overly-flash commander he was and cooperated closely with the Grant Administration after the war. Ever wonder why Grant has the reputation of being an alcoholic good-for-nothing who could only win with numbers? Because he was the man who defeated the Confederacy, and then proved to be so deeply committed to African-Americans that he singed the Enforcement Act, broke the KKK, and passed the first Civil Rights Act in the history of the nation.

Side not: the idea that Grant was a drunk butcher is another myth spread by the Lost Causers. Grant probably has the right to be called one of the most brilliant generals in American history. Don't believe? Study the Vicksburg Campaign in detail and try to argue that he's not a brilliant leader. Yes, he had his setbacks and moments of throwing men into the meatgrinder, but Lee did the exact same thing on day three of Gettysburg despite Longstreet counselling against it; you don't hear much about the latter.

[MarkD]

Was it really necessary to do that? Just put it in a museum or a warehouse.

The United States may as well be the Soviet Union at this point.

I think it's much more comparable to Russians getting rid of the statues of Lenin and Stalin.

[oldtimer]

If the majority of people in Charlottesville supported the removal which I assumed they did, then it was fine for them to remove it, but I agree with OP that it should've been moved to a museum rather than melted.

Depends on how old it was.

[Horus]

Robert E Lee is an honorable man imo unlike Jeff Davis. He didn't support the antics of the confederacy but since he was loyal to his home state of Virginia he had to fight. He was respectful at the end and surrendered to Grant when he knew it was over.

Found out a few years back that I had an ancestor who left Virginia and moved to WV so he wouldn't have to fight for the Confederacy. Lee could've done that too, but he chose the traitor's route.

[politicallefty]

Was it really necessary to do that? Just put it in a museum or a warehouse.

The United States may as well be the Soviet Union at this point.

I think it's much more comparable to Russians getting rid of the statues of Lenin and Stalin.

I'm not sure that analogy works either though. If the Confederacy had defeated the Union and taken most or all of the territory (effectively replacing the United States), I think you'd have a very strong point. The Confederates were traitors to the United States and they lost. I think losing makes a huge difference in these cases.

Was this necessary? I wouldn't say so. Is it nice to see? Most definitely. I admit I don't really have strong opinion as to where the statues should go. They should certainly be out of public sight though. In no way should they be considered monuments. I think renaming the bases was far more important. Bases should absolutely not be named after anyone that took up arms or otherwise fought against the United States Armed Forces, particularly during the Civil War. We have no shortage of names that can fulfill that limited criteria.

[HillGoose]

ahahaha YES

SHERMAN TIME

[The Arizonan]

Yes, it is. Let me tell you why.

We all know the whole Lost Cause mythology that enveloped the south. What a lot of people might not know is that a lot of these myths were spread by a group called The United Daughters of the Confederacy, who devoted themselves to spreading the Lost Cause myth. They're essentially a propaganda group for revisionist history.

To my actual point, the purpose of these monuments when they were built, I believe, was not to remember history, but to intimidate African-Americans. I refer you to the Battle of Liberty Place monument in New Orleans as an example of that. The people may have had historical intentions, but it just so happens that a lot of these markers of history happened to glorify men that dedicated an entire war to upholding the systematic enslavement of an entire people base on the colour of their skin.

In many cases, the monuments erected during the Reconstruction Era were done specifically to intimidate African-Americans, a point not lost on African-Americans and certain interesting groups of white people.

The final reason why? Lee himself wanted no monuments built.

THis is not a rewriting of history by evil anti-Southern academic elitists, but a course correction. The rewriting of history came about as a result of the efforts of the UDC and other groups. THere has been a slow, but noticeable correction of the myth.

Ever wondered why you see statues of Forrest, Lee and Jackson all over the south but very few of Longstreet? It's because he called out Lee for the overly-flash commander he was and cooperated closely with the Grant Administration after the war. Ever wonder why Grant has the reputation of being an alcoholic good-for-nothing who could only win with numbers? Because he was the man who defeated the Confederacy, and then proved to be so deeply committed to African-Americans that he singed the Enforcement Act, broke the KKK, and passed the first Civil Rights Act in the history of the nation.

Side not: the idea that Grant was a drunk butcher is another myth spread by the Lost Causers. Grant probably has the right to be called one of the most brilliant generals in American history. Don't believe? Study the Vicksburg Campaign in detail and try to argue that he's not a brilliant leader. Yes, he had his setbacks and moments of throwing men into the meatgrinder, but Lee did the exact same thing on day three of Gettysburg despite Longstreet counselling against it; you don't hear much about the latter.

Is it not good enough to put the statue in a warehouse or something?

[Born to Slay. Forced to Work.]

What else were you gonna do with it? It’s not like we have a shortage of Robert E Lee statues and leaving it to collect dust in a warehouse just seems like a waste of time and resources

[Jingizu]

What else were you gonna do with it? It’s not like we have a shortage of Robert E Lee statues and leaving it to collect dust in a warehouse just seems like a waste of time and resources

Action Park: Lost Cause Boogaloo!

Take the Missionary Ridge Alpine Slide, with statues of fleeing Confederates on each side! The only allowed speed is Extremely Fast!

Multiple Water Slides, one for every major river the Union took from the Confederacy! The biggest one is of course the Mississippi River Water Slide, with statues representing every single major defeat on the Mississippi inflicted by the Union, culminating in a splashdown in the Vicksburg Pool of Defeat!

Bumper Boats, where you can steer replicas of the Monitor and Merrimack against each other! Genuine Iron used in construction (guests are advised not to dangle body parts outside the boat)!

Take the Course of the Confederate Cause Roller Coaster, with ups and downs (ups exaggerated in order to actually make the roller coaster work) and all-arounds, ending in a slow, relaxed ride past statues of Confederate heroes whose faces have been altered to be crying and in despair!

Confederate Gladiator Challenge, where your typical Lost Cause customer gets a small pugil stick and is sent alone against several extremely buff black men and/or women with much bigger pugil sticks! African-American customers are sent to a Separate But Equal door where they can shoot hardtack balls at the Lost Cause customers!

Enjoy the Foreign Support Carousel, where customers can ride on mechanical horses that futilely chase after embarrassed-looking French and British officials!

Watch the Union Pirates of New Orleans chase after Confederate Women, with a large statue of Benjamin Butler leering overhead!

Move around the park on the rickety Confederate Supply Trains, with the entire train tilting sharply to one side or the other to reflect actual Confederate railway conditions of the time!

Finally, have a meal at the Burnin’ Sherman Atlanta Grill, with a large grinning statue of Sherman himself overseeing the many fine barbecues on hand!

Truly, a Lost Cause that can be enjoyed by all!