There are no words to describe the news from Charlottesville this weekend. Horrible is what comes to mind, but even that doesn’t describe it. Sadly, I think the hatred on display has always been with us, and recently it has become more visible. This is in no small part because of a President that, let’s face it, does an excellent job firing up his base, in which extreme views can, at best, find a safe harbor, and at worst, share more than a few hate and exclusion themed “values” with the President and some of his advisors.
Listening to the haters, and listening to those that defend or appease them, is maddening. Their arguments and talking points are not grounded in logic or fact – and must be called out for what they are – smoke screens built on lies to support nothing more than a vile hatred for others that don’t meet a specific genetic code or a twisted sense of right.
The “mainstream” arguments raised by the haters are innocuous enough – in a vacuum. That is, “what’s wrong with being proud of being white,” combined with “we’re only preserving our history” both wrapped in the urgency to protect Robert E. Lee’s statue from falling victim to changing times.
Race in this country is complicated, and considering our past in the context of conventional wisdom is very problematic. Our ancestors belong to different times. Let’s not forget Charlottesville’s most famous citizen, and his eloquent phrase “all men are created equal.” This seemingly unambiguous phrase both explicitly excluded women and implicitly excluded slaves – one of whom we now know bore his children.
But Jefferson wasn’t the subject of this weekend’s horrible events. That’s because the evolution of his words is fundamental to what makes our country great. Change is inevitable, and our country not only can absorb change, but thrive from it if we hold dear our core values, which include integrity, personal responsibility and compassion.
No, this storyline wouldn’t play for the haters at all.
Instead, groups intent on nothing more than brandishing their vile hatred chose as the martyr for their cause Robert E. Lee. For generations, Lee’s image has been shaped into a great man and gentleman general, a man of honor who took up the cause of rebellion not because of his views on slavery, but rather for his allegiance to his beloved Virginia.
Was Lee a great man? Certainly it takes a great man to lead thousands of men through years of hardship and the horrors of war. But is it a great man who leads an army that at its very core stood for the perpetuation of slavery and the destruction of our nation? Is it a great man that leads that army in the losing cause that killed more Americans than any other conflict?
Lee can be debated endlessly without consensus. But in the context of this weekend there are certain events that leave no doubt as to Lee’s opinion regarding his legacy and that statue.
In April, 1865 as Lee contemplated surrender he sought counsel from his staff. General Porter Alexander proposed a break-out, from which small groups of Lee’s army would continue to resist the Union through guerrilla warfare. Lee flatly rejected this proposal and told his men the only honorable thing to do was to face the consequences of their actions. In his farewell to his army Lee implored his men to go home and be good citizens.
Lee understood well the meaning of his surrender. First, he was the loser and he would be judged by the victors, and fortunately for him benevolent minds prevailed. Second, the war settled, for once and for all, that “equality” extended to all races. Lee was not bitter about his fate or the nation’s future. Rather, he had the integrity to accept change with goodwill; he took the responsibility, through example and hard work, to educate and train a future generation of men to be good and productive citizens. And while Lee’s attitude to newly “freedmen” was not what we would consider enlightened, he had the compassion to look after their well-being, disciplining Washington (and Lee) students that sought to harm them.
Lee knew full well that his legacy would likely not include statues. In fact, the proliferation of statues of Confederate leaders was not as much to honor their memory, but was rather, as New Orleans’ Mayor Mitch Landrieu so eloquently explained, an attempt to reinforce the structure of antebellum society in the new South. See https://www.nola.com/opinions/article_4fabdbe9-2462-5dc1-9d35-d9fcfdf2fec2.html
Simply put, Lee wanted his post war legacy be measured by his conduct and example in civilian life. If he would have been in Charlottesville this weekend he would have no doubt garnered the attention of the crowds seeking a statement: which would have been, simply “go home – and be good citizens.”
Hokiejackson 
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