Posted on 01/15/2017 11:27:38 AM PST by ColdOne
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Every third Monday in January, Arkansas state offices are closed in observance of an unlikely holiday: the shared birthdays of slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. and Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee.
Only three states commemorate both men on the same day, a practice that critics say hurts Arkansas' reputation. Now the Republican governor is reviving an effort to remove Lee from the holiday, but he faces resistance from opponents who complain the move belittles the state's Confederate heritage and from black lawmakers worried about a plan to set aside another day to honor Lee.
"I think this provides our state an opportunity to bridge divides," said Gov. Asa Hutchinson, who has vowed since early last year to make the change, which is part of his agenda for the legislative session that began last week.
(Excerpt) Read more at bigstory.ap.org ...
I would pick Thomas Jackson. Gettysburg tarnished Lee. No doubt, though, that Lee was great.
A case could be made for Patton, and surprisingly, for Washington, who displayed enormous wisdom regarding fighting within the constraints of a weaker fighting force against a much larger, far better equipped, better trained, professional army.
General Lee, was a very Great General. His defeat, can be laid to rest because of Union technical superiority - the telegraph, and the repeating rifle. At Gettysburg, these tools, gave the Federals an edge, which prevented their defeat.
Robert E. Lee, was a Virginian abolitionist. He personally freed George Washington’s slaves, part of his marital inheritance, at great personal cost.
After the war, his former slaves did not desert him. They continued to work for him with great respect. Lee was instrumental in efforts to establish black Churches and schools. Blacks who know history, know him as a liberator.
Michael King Propaganda Day ...
Talk about a whitewashed narrative !!!
>>>What connection does MLK have with Arkansas
He helped secure the blessings of liberty for 1 of every 6 Arkansans.
“I don’t think my constituents would understand having a day that celebrates the head of the Confederate army that enslaved black folks,” —There is the reason—absolutely no reparations allowed in Confederate dollars. Governor Hutchinson is trying to undo what Democratic segregationists did and would be well off to leave the issue alone. Senator Dirksen never received very much credit for what he did. Also WikiLeaks—From Tapper: “Just confirming that you’re not going to have any comment on steps President Clinton took during his gubernatorial tenure to honor the Confederacy – designating one of the stars (among many) on the Arkansas flag in honor of the Confederacy, and separate measures to honor Jefferson Davis and Robert E. Lee. I’m not saying that steps taking in the 80s to honor the Confederacy are the same exact thing as waving the rebel flag at the state house in South Carolina today. But honoring the Confederacy is what it is, and it seems reasonable to ask about that. Thoughts?”
The U.S. Government only purchased 1,731 Henry repeating rifles during the Civil War. These were issued to Cavalry units. At Gettysburg only two Union Cavalry regiments were equipped with Spencer repeating carbines. Individual soldiers could by Henry Rifles, and may did with their reenlistment bonuses in 1864, most of these soldiers served with the Western armies. If you can identify a Union infantry unit at Gettysburg that was equipped with repeating rifles, I would very much like to know which unit it was, have not heard that fact before.
Actually the slaves were not part of Lee’s marital inheritance. The slaves belonged to his father in law, George Washington Parke Custis. They were not willed to Mary, Lee’s wife. Custis die in 1857. Lee was the executor of the Custis will. The will required the slaves be freed no later than five years after Custis’s death. Lee could free them sooner if he felt that the estate at Arlington would not suffer undue financial hardship without them. Lee felt that the slaves needed to be retained to improve the financial footing of the Arlington estate. Over the course of the next 5 years, Lee did free those slaves, he last of the Custis slaves was freed in late 1862.
Correction: January 19 is General Robert E. Lee’s birthday.
In addition to the General, let’s celebrate these birthday’s:
General James Longstreet - January 8,1821
General George C. Pickett - January 16,1825
General Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson - January 21,1824
General J.E.B. Stuart - February 6,1833
General Pierre G.T. Beauregard - May 8,1818
Jefferson Davis - June 3,1808
General Nathan Bedford Forrest - July 13,1821
General A.P. Hill - November 9,1825 and
Colonel John Singleton Mosby(The Gray Ghost) - Dec. 6, 1833
When a Union General was asked why he could not capture Lee, responded: “Capture him? I have to go up a steep (A.P.) Hill, march down a Longstreet, and climb over a Stonewall just to see him.”
Deo vindice
Lee’s birthday is the 19th. Monday is the 16th. Kings is the 15th.
LIB asshats despise real history. Apparently, it gets their panties in a wad...both the “men” and the women.
I do believe that Longstreet had it right.
Lee wasted a large portion of his army attacking the center lines of the union.
No one forced him to attack.
That was a generalship decision. Turns out, it was a bad one.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.