West Point just removed artwork of Robert E. Lee, who as a cadet received no demerits. Later, Lee was the commandant of West Point.
Lee was offered to be the leader in command of the entire U.S. Army in the field at the beginning of the Civil War, but Lee was a Christian and struggled with the offer to be the one who would lead U.S. troops in invading his home country, Virginia. At this time, the nation was a confederacy of 33 countries banded together and called the United States. How could Lee take a federal army and invade his homeland, Virginia? His first allegiance was to the land of his birth, his home country of Virginia.
When judging Lee, be sure you understand the situation in which this man of duty chose a higher calling than to be the invader of this country. Be sure you realize that he chose to defend his homeland. Please do not judge a great American from the 1860s, by the court of opinion of 2022.
Dan Manka
Fairmont, W.Va.
