Confederacy Thoughts

The Atlanta chapter of the NAACP officially called for the elimination of all symbols of the Confederacy from Stone Mountain.  The NAACP president, Richard Rose said his group wants Confederate symbols removed from all state-owned buildings, parks and lands.
 
Rose said  he would start with Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson.
 
"Those guys need to go. They can be sand-blasted off, or somebody could carefully remove a slab of that and auction it off to the highest bidder," Rose said.

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I've kept my opinions to myself on the whole "oh now we hate the Confederate flag" rabid mentality that has swept through the nation on the heels of a horrible deed -- the shooting deaths of 9 Black people within a church in North Carolina.

Now let me start off with saying, Yes.  I am a proud Southern.  I am proud to call myself a Texan.  And while I was raised to see the Confederate flag as something the Klan used (and yes, I do have ancestors that were a part of the Klan -- even have photos from Klan rallies).....I do understand that not everyone sees it as a symbol of that.  I understand the Southerns that see the Confederate flag as another way of having pride in being Southern.

All of this is true, and yet I am ok with removing the flag from flying above State Capitols.
I am ok with stores no longer carrying it.
I am ok with everyone spouting off that it is a symbol of hate, racism, slavery, and (the newest) treason.  Gotta love how the party line evolves with the times.  Nowhere before now, have I ever heard of the Confederate flag being a symbol of treason (hurray for the Patriots).

But to destroy monuments to men that fought and died in the military simply because you don't agree with that war? No. I draw the line there.

Not all of the men in the military, even up to the generals, fought because they owned slaves or wanted to keep slavery alive. Robert E. Lee only fought for the South because that's where his family was, that is the side that his male relatives were fighting for, and he would not fight against his family. So why should he be disgraced simply because he chose family over country?

To me, this is on the same line as all the people who did not support the Vietnam War protesting the military when they came home. Disgusting and disgraceful. No matter if you agree with the war/battle or not, those people who are willing to go there and fight deserve respect.

I just don't quite understand the rabid ferocity against the Confederacy now.  I fail to see why honoring soldiers from a war in the 1800s offends today's people?  It's not like the monuments are extolling the great virtues of slavery.  They are simply honoring skilled fighters.  Something America adores.