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Bill[_12_]

Keyser Soze wrote:
On 8/20/17 10:38 AM, wrote:
On Sat, 19 Aug 2017 17:34:54 -0400, Keyser Soze
wrote:

On 8/19/17 4:36 PM, Tim wrote:
On Saturday, August 19, 2017 at 9:15:29 AM UTC-5, Keyser Soze wrote:
On 8/19/17 10:06 AM, wrote:
On Fri, 18 Aug 2017 15:04:46 -0400, Keyser Söze
wrote:

Many historians consider Truman in the top 10 of presidents.

Many historians consider Robert E Lee a great general and an honorable
man but you think he is just a traitor.

I wouldn't dispute Lee's military prowess. An honorable man wouldn't
have taken up arms against the United States.

He didn't. He took up arms to answer the call of his beloved state of Virginia.

"With all my devotion to the Union and the feeling of loyalty and duty
of an American citizen, I have not been able to make up my mind to
raise my hand against my relatives, my children, my home. I have
therefore resigned my commission in the Army, and save in defense of
my native State, with the sincere hope that my poor
services may never be needed, I hope I may never be called on to draw my sword..." Lee

I've seen the quote before...it's just another rationalization. An
honorable soldier might have resigned a commission and stayed home. He
wouldn't have quit one side to take up arms with the enemy. And what was
he defending his native state from, the abolition of slavery? That's
some honorable position.

You miss the point that the State of Virginia was of more concern to
him than a bunch of politicians in another state. This was a time when
most people lived their whole lives within a 100 mile radius of where
they were born and they more closely identified with their state than
the federal government. Bear in mind the only federal office they
actually voted on was their house members and there was very little
the federal government controlled in their lives. The state government
was the government.

No doubt that was why the country was called the *United* States of
America. Lee was a traitor and seditionist. You haven't anything that
would convince anyone otherwise.

Yup. states were a major part of the name. Sort of like the European
Union. Separate governments combing for a specific purpose.