Posted on 08/14/2017 3:08:29 PM PDT by NKP_Vet
Several Brooklyn Democrat activists are smarting this week after a firm rebuke from the U.S. Army. The activists, who include Congresswoman Yvette Clarke and (sigh) the Rev. Al Sharpton, demanded that the Army rename two Brooklyn streets that are named after generals in the Confederate military. But General Lee Avenue and Stonewall Jackson Drive won’t be changing their names anytime soon because the Army has rejected their requests for, cough cough, social justice.
Those streets at Fort Hamilton, said the Army in their letter, are named after men who are “an inextricable part of our military history.” As such, they will continue to be memorialized, no matter how bent of out shape it makes a handful of politicians with nothing better to do with their time.
“After over a century, any effort to rename memorializations on Fort Hamilton would be controversial and divisive,” Deputy Assistant Chief of Staff Diane Randon said in the letter. “This is contrary to the Nation’s original intent in naming these streets, which was the spirit of reconciliation.”
Both Lee and Jackson, of course, were proud members of the U.S. military decades before the Civil War. In their time as leaders in the “Union,” as it were, they both served at Fort Hamilton at various points in their careers.
Clarke was unhappy about the response, telling the New York Daily News that the fight was not over. These monuments are deeply offensive to the hundreds of thousands of Brooklyn residents and members of the armed forces stationed at Fort Hamilton whose ancestors Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson fought to hold in slavery,” she said. “For too many years, the United States has refused to reckon with that history.”
Please. Sometimes it feels like the United States does nothing OTHER than “reckon with that history.” Is Clarke serious? Nothing else in our national past gets as much attention as the enslavement of blacks. We’re certainly not suggesting that this is an era of our history we should cover up or strive to forget, but let’s get real. The idea that we’re somehow trying to whitewash that history just doesn’t pass the smell test.
Besides, that has nothing to do with what’s going on here. These memorials are not suddenly “deeply offensive” to anyone. They are the left’s newest cause celebre – a rallying point around which they can create a problem where none exists. It’s so much easier to build a “problem” out of straw and then knock it down than it is to actually address the issues facing the American people here and now, in the present moment. And we’re sure it makes for a great donation strategy as well.
These activists have plenty of sway when it comes to Democratic-run city councils in New Orleans and corporate stores like Amazon…but they don’t have any when it comes to the U.S. military. So we’ll enjoy this little smackdown of political correctness for the time being, even if we know that, like Clarke herself said, the fight is not over.
I’ve never seen one in a good ‘hood...
Then of course, we can change the names of Saint Thomas, Los Angeles, San Diego, St. Petersburg; all Christian and specifically Roman Catholic names that surely indicated an intolerant attitude toward cherished American values like sodomy and abortion.
We wouldn’t need them if teachers actually taught history
That shouldn’t be up either.
I think that unnecessarily takes things to absurdity. The challenge, which I think has common support, is removing hero status of confederate leaders. Yes, some go further, but I think reasoned discussion can find a line for what is acceptable or not. And, yes, this is a moving target that will change has our nation evolves. Nothing surprising about this.
I don’t feel guilt by association because I no longer hold any kinship with the SeattLunatics. So I don’t care about the lenin statue. Actually I think it’s appropriate for the town - they can have it, and all the misery it inspires.
The US Congress has repeatedly stated that Confederate veterans are US veterans.
Fort Bragg
Fort Lee
Fort A. P. Hill
Fort Stuart
Fort Benning
That doesn’t make them heros to be memorialized in statues. Time to move these to museums before the rest are destroyed. Painful for some, but in the end they will be gone. Do it the easy way or the hard way. I’d prefer they be saved, moved, protected, put in a museum, allow our kids and future generations learn about the Civil War, about all these important aspects of our history.
Dear Dr. Scott:
Respecting your August 1 inquiry calling attention to my often expressed admiration for General Robert E. Lee, I would say, first, that we need to understand that at the time of the War between the States the issue of secession had remained unresolved for more than 70 years. Men of probity, character, public standing and unquestioned loyalty, both North and South, had disagreed over this issue as a matter of principle from the day our Constitution was adopted.
General Robert E. Lee was, in my estimation, one of the supremely gifted men produced by our Nation. He believed unswervingly in the Constitutional validity of his cause which until 1865 was still an arguable question in America; he was a poised and inspiring leader, true to the high trust reposed in him by millions of his fellow citizens; he was thoughtful yet demanding of his officers and men, forbearing with captured enemies but ingenious, unrelenting and personally courageous in battle, and never disheartened by a reverse or obstacle. Through all his many trials, he remained selfless almost to a fault and unfailing in his faith in God. Taken altogether, he was noble as a leader and as a man, and unsullied as I read the pages of our history.
From deep conviction, I simply say this: a nation of men of Lee’s calibre would be unconquerable in spirit and soul. Indeed, to the degree that present-day American youth will strive to emulate his rare qualities, including his devotion to this land as revealed in his painstaking efforts to help heal the Nation’s wounds once the bitter struggle was over, we, in our own time of danger in a divided world, will be strengthened and our love of freedom sustained.
Such are the reasons that I proudly display the picture of this great American on my office wall.
Sincerely,
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Here in Richmond we have an entire avenue called Monument Avenue which features statues to J.E.B. Stuart, Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson, Matthew Maury (pathfinder of the seas whose charts are still used).
Should we tear them down and rename it MLK Blvd?
Thank you for sharing.
Many people do not know the story of a black man kneeling for Communion at the alter St Paul’s Episcopal Church shortly after the war, shocking the congregation, blacks always went after whites.
A tall lone white man strode to the front and knelt beside him to receive the Lord’s Supper. Soon others, black and white followed. That man was Robert E. Lee.
Are there going to be any riots in Robert Lee, Texas? That would interesting to see with all the native Texans that would show up to protect that town (county seat).
That dumb azz Sharpton probably doesn’t even know that Robert E. Lee was once Superintendent of West Point.
[Why wasn’t this controversial 99 years ago, 80 years ago, 50 years ago, 20 years ago. What has brought on this sudden sensitivity]
The direct consequence of younger generations not learning/knowing true history in perspective.
“The direct consequence of younger generations not learning/knowing true history in perspective.”
—
That,and Barack Obama who emboldened certain groups and allowed riots.
NONE of this would be happening if Obama had not been elected.
.
[That,and Barack Obama who emboldened certain groups and allowed riots.]
Yes, the great divider. This is the continuing aftermath.
People like me pointing out that the slavers, segregationists and KKK are all democRAT. And that neither Debbie "Washrag" Schultz, Hitlary nor Burnie could tell you the difference between a socialist and a RAT.
They are trying to eradicate their embarrassing history, notice how they have recently disassociated themselves from Jackson and Jefferson as their figureheads. (Never hesitate to remind them of Klansman Robert Byrd).
Some of the blacks actually think Lincoln was a democrat. The RATs are probably afraid of losing the black voting bloc since Trump started speaking to them, asing them "what have you got to lose?". They can't afford to lose both the black vote and the Mexican vote.
(See my tagline)
And go ahead and change the names of all the Army bases in the South. Almost everyone of them is named for a Confederate general.
A tall lone white man strode to the front and knelt beside him to receive the Lord’s Supper. Soon others, black and white followed. That man was Robert E. Lee.
Like so much of the Lee stories, it's likely apocryphal and originated for reasons much different than those attributed to it today. The first account if from a Richmond newspaper some 40 years after the incident is alleged to have happened:
"Col. T. L. Broun, of Charleston, W. Va., writes of having been present at St. Paul's Church, Richmond, Va., just after the war when a negro marched to the communion table ahead of the congregation. His account of the event is as follows:‘Two months after the evacuation of Richmond business called me to Richmond for a few days, and on a Sunday morning in June, 1865, I attended St. Paul's Church. Dr. Minnegerode [sic] preached. It was communion day; and when the minister was ready to administer the holy communion, a negro in the church arose and advanced to the communion table. He was tall, well-dressed, and black. This was a great surprise and shock to the communicants and others present. Its effect upon the communicants was startling, and for several moments they retained their seats in solemn silence and did not move, being deeply chagrined at this attempt to inaugurate the 'new regime' to offend and humiliate them during their most devoted Church services. Dr. Minnegerode [sic., Minnigerode] was evidently embarrassed.
General Robert E. Lee was present, and, ignoring the action and presence of the negro, arose in his usual dignified and self-possessed manner, walked up the aisle to the chancel rail, and reverently knelt down to partake of the communion, and not far from the negro. This lofty conception of duty by Gen. Lee under such provoking and irritating circumstances had a magic effect upon the other communicants (including the writer), who went forward to the communion table. By this action of Gen. Lee the services were conducted as if the negro had not been present. It was a grand exhibition of superiority shown by a true Christian and great soldier under the most trying and offensive circumstances."
Richmond Times-Dispatch. Lower left hand corner under the title "Negro Communed At St. Paul's Church".
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