Charlottesville

In regard to the violence in Charlottesville, Virginia:In regard to the violence in Charlottesville, Virginia: I think it’s worth taking a moment to reflect on why this terrible thing has happened.
Apparently it all began in the 1860s when a prominent Virginian (Robert E. Lee) who was a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, and a decorated Army officer was offered command of the Army of the United States, but instead opted for great personal sacrifice and stood with his home state of Virginia We should remember that at that time the federation was young and people still viewed it as a collection of sovereign states.
The history of the war is clear enough. The Confederacy lost, and it was a very a well-known and venerated Robert E. Lee that publicly supported President Andrew Johnson’s plan for reconciliation and reconstruction. There could have been no better voice for peaceful reconciliation.
So what was the motivation of the City of Charlottesville in declaring that the statue of Lee was to be removed? Was it in reaction to Lee’s position as Confederate soldier, or of his later position regarding the reconciliation and reconstruction including the education and integration of the Freedmen into the fabric of society? Was it perhaps “value signaling”? Or was it a more nakedly political and cynical effort to further divide the electorate along racial and ideological lines. By associating Lee with, slavery and the KKK, ignoring the fact that these were institutions he worked against during the reconstruction up until the time of his death? Or was it a way for them to strike out at Donald Trump, the new president, without regard for what the consequences might be? Is anyone surprised by today’s events?

I have no sympathy for ANY people who go to demonstrations with the motive of venting their anger. I’ve been watching these things since I was young, and the only time they ever have a positive outcome is when one side or the other is committed to non-violence. In this case both sides came armed and spoiling for a fight and that’s exactly what they got.

And now democrat politicians will lean back in their leather chairs, puff on their fat Cuban cigars and laugh like Jaba while republican politicians race to see who can condemn the violence in the shrillest terms and at the highest volume level. Lord knows that they HAVE to be on record as being against racism and the KKK.

But again, follow this back. What was the motivation of the politicians in Charlottesville that set this whole thing in motion? Are they so ignorant of history that they weren’t aware that Lee strove to prevent such strife? Were they so short sighted that they couldn’t imagine what would happen? Or were they so keen to get back at Donald Trump after the election that they simply couldn’t think of any other way to do it? My suspicion was previously stated. They planned this out purely for the political gain that they can harvest by fomenting racial tension.

But that’s just what an average guy thinks.