[BroJoeK]

jmacusa: "Self-righteousness is just a phony form of respectability."

jeffersondem: "Brings to mind the obituary for General Lee written by the New York Herald."

The New York Herald in the 1850s, like today's media, claimed to be unbiased, but was, in fact, staunchly pro-slavery and pro-Democrat.
After the war the NY Herald naturally wanted to reestablish the old North-South Democrat alliance and so made a point of praising Confederate heroes.

US Grant, also an admirer of Lee, was elected President in 1868, Lee died in 1870, and by 1876 the work of the NY Herald in reuniting Democrats, North and South, paid off in a disputed election, which lead Republicans to remove Union troops from Confederate states and so restored Jim Crow rule, effectively nullifying the 13th, 14th & 15th Amendments for nearly 100 years.

So, it all had nothing to do with "self-righteousness" and everything to do with raw political power.
Honoring Lee helped put former Confederate Democrats back in control of former Confederate states.

[wardaddy]

What complete utter nonsense

Lee had near total respect from former combatants except some radicals

[jmacusa]

I meant to point Joe that self-righteousness can lead to an exalted feeling of power for the few , power that is often undeserved and more often exploited at the expense of the people