Such is the pettiness of the Lost Cause mindset.
Luckily for Thomas, he put love of country and doing right before the opinions and prejudices of his relatives and neighbors.
Lee, on the other hand, was just after the war, and today, widely recognized and respected both north and south of the Mason/Dixon line. Lee is also known as a man of honor and character by all but a few, like yourself, whose fierce hatred for the South has clouded your judgement.
I respect Lee very much. He was an excellent warrior and a perfect gentleman in every aspect of his deportment. He is one of the greatest men the US has ever produced. He had just one fatal flaw: he valued the opinions of his social set more than he valued his oath of service to his country. He chose popularity, and he is still popular. Good for him.