Trump: 'Robert E. Lee was a great general'

[Formerly Once-Ler]

Wait.  Did you just ping yourself?   

I did 

[catfish1957]

So.... has anything really changed?   If the North represents what constitutes the big-government radical left now.... and the South represents small-government conservatives and anyone else that does not want government control of everything.... it seems to have not changed all that much.  Especially considering how the Democrats are content to burn it all down in their fit of rage over having lost the 2016 election.

I have always had a maybe over-simplistic theory of why that is true, and some of it comes from my genealogical research.

In my research, I have found that in the minus some minority populations of Dutch, German, and a few other that

(1) Northern population was consisted of 90% English 10% Scottish and Irish.   Realize that even though their immigration was to escape Britain, their inbred mindset was around support of a centralized monarchy

(2) The southern population was more aligned to a 50/50 split among England vs. Scotland and Ireland.  These people are more independent minded in the spirit of William Wallace.  They much more preferred minimal  government, and as people strongly hated people meddling in their affairs.

[catfish1957]

@catfish1957
To many Americans the Confederacy stands for slavery and the statues of confederate soldiers is a reminder of the worst of humanity that should not be idolized.  But I absolutely agree it should never be forgotten that the good guys won.  The only thing worse than a damn dirty rat, is a damn dirty confederate rat.  Like Lee.

@Once-Ler

Ahhh come on.  Of my 7 direct ancestors who fought in the WBTS only one had slaves.  What about the brave soldiers who fought to defend not only they homeland, but their way of life and livelihood.  Would you have fought to defend your family?   I think demonization of those guys and all of their descendants like you just did is despicable.  Slavery was flat out wrong, but to besmirch an entire population for that is not only short sided, but historically uninformed.

[Silver Pines]

@corbe

 

[endicom]

Wait.  Did you just ping yourself?   

Maybe he listened to those telling him to go ping himself.

[XenaLee]

I did 

No coffee yet?  Same here.   lol

[XenaLee]

Maybe he listened to those telling him to go ping himself.

LMAO!  The voices that say "go ping yourself"?  lololol

[skeeter]

@Once-Ler

Ahhh come on.  Of my 7 direct ancestors who fought in the WBTS only one had slaves.  What about the brave soldiers who fought to defend not only they homeland, but their way of life and livelihood.  Would you have fought to defend your family?   I think demonization of those guys and all of their descendants like you just did is despicable.  Slavery was flat out wrong, but to besmirch an entire population for that is not only short sided, but historically uninformed.

My ancestors fought for the Union, one died at Antietam. I agree with you completely - Lincoln was gracious and prescient enough to acknowledge that these were our countrymen and the war was water under the bridge. Without the south we wouldn't have won the American revolution.

[Silver Pines]

Don't you be dissing Robert E. Lee on a thread Catfish and I are on.  We've got that Southern heritage down.

@edpc

As a Virginian, not quite.  @edpc is correct.  My husband was talking about it yesterday.

That said—-and I’ll probably get flamed to hell and back—I am so tired of fighting the Civil War over and over.  Preserving slavery wasn’t a winning position.  Doesn’t make me love the South any less, or have less respect for the Southerners who died, or view the battle flag as a hate symbol.  But we lost and I wish we could move on.

[catfish1957]

My ancestors fought for the Union, one died at Antietam. I agree with you completely - Lincoln was gracious and prescient enough to acknowledge that these were our countrymen and the war was water under the bridge. Without the south we wouldn't have won the American revolution.

 

I have one ancestor who was killed at Shiloh.  I was very very lucky that in the Confederate's widow pension application, a family friend who fought with him gave a very painstaking account of his death, and even location which happened to be almost the same time as General Sidney Johnston.  (100 feet to the west). 

https://www.nps.gov/places/shiloh-battlefield-albert-sidney-johnston-monument.htm

A number of years ago,I visited the park and stepped it off the 100 ft.  I tell you,  it gave me chills

[NavyCanDo]

If the North had Lee, the war would have been over quickly. He was a great General. We can argue against the succession if it was a noble cause or not, but what can't be argued is the South had a great General in Robert E. Lee.

[skeeter]

I have one ancestor who was killed at Shiloh.  I was very very lucky that in the Confederate's widow pension application, a family friend who fought with him gave a very painstaking account of his death, and even location which happened to be almost the same time as General Sidney Johnston.  (100 feet to the west). 

https://www.nps.gov/places/shiloh-battlefield-albert-sidney-johnston-monument.htm

A number of years ago,I visited the park and stepped it off the 100 ft.  I tell you,  it gave me chills

There's something other worldly about those sites.

[catfish1957]

There's something other worldly about those sites.

I agree.  At the Vicksburg Battlefield park, I felt a distinctive tug on the back of my shirt.   I am sure there is some plausible explanation but.......

[catfish1957]

@edpc
.  But we lost and I wish we could move on.

Sorry Cat....   But when comes to WBTS threads, it is Moth to Flame time.

[skeeter]

I agree.  At the Vicksburg Battlefield park, I felt a distinctive tug on the back of my shirt.   I am sure there is some plausible explanation but.......

I visited Gettysburg very early one morning after some business in Harrisburg. Arrived at The Angle, alone, just as the morning fog was lifting. A very odd feeling.

[Formerly Once-Ler]

@Once-Ler

Ahhh come on.  Of my 7 direct ancestors who fought in the WBTS only one had slaves.  What about the brave soldiers who fought to defend not only they homeland, but their way of life and livelihood.  Would you have fought to defend your family?   I think demonization of those guys and all of their descendants like you just did is despicable. 

Hopefully you will judge me less despicable than confederates who killed and died to own slaves.

[catfish1957]

Hopefully you will judge me less despicable than confederates who killed and died to own slaves.

No, but I will judge you that way for the other 6 non-slave holders who killed and died defending their homeland.

[austingirl]

DJT just went up two notches for me tonight.  Would have been 3, if he would have called Sherman the son of a bitch he was.

 

[austingirl]

@Once-Ler

We all lost 150 years ago you f'n idiot!  We lost the great Republic our founders gave us for a long period of time but it ain't over yet homey!  We may yet restore it!

Well said!

[austingirl]

He overestimated their honour, and underestimated their desire for power.

This.

[austingirl]

There's something other worldly about those sites.

Yes, there is. Especially Bloody Lane at Antietam.

[Suppressed]

So.... has anything really changed?   If the North represents what constitutes the big-government radical left now.... and the South represents small-government conservatives and anyone else that does not want government control of everything.... it seems to have not changed all that much.  Especially considering how the Democrats are content to burn it all down in their fit of rage over having lost the 2016 election.

Exactly.  You've laid out the similarity of times very clearly.

[Emjay]

Hmm.............so now it's Trump the historian? Who knew?
Granted, Lee was the superior tactician in the War, yet the North won because of it's superior "weight",
as well as the circumstances of history.
Charles Adams, Lincoln's Ambassador was decisive, as he persuaded Britain to remain neutral.
By the mid-19th century, the South was Britain's natural economic ally supplying the cotton that kept the great mills of Manchester, Birmingham and Cardiff humming, a catalyst for Britain's economic power.
Also Britain was approaching it's zenith of Empire w/a Navy that went wherever and whenever it chose.
Had Britain allied w/the South; it could have closed all, ALL, our northern ports in an instant.
Further, Canada remained a Crown Colony after our revolution, housing some 50.000 British Regulars;
which would have directly threatened Boston, New York and Philadelphia.
Wonder if Thucydides Trump mentioned any of this?????????????????????

Wow!  Thucydides Trump???  He wasn't reciting history, he was commenting on Robert E. Lee, and what he said was true.  Some college professors were chatting before bed and one old chap prepared to leave the group and remarked, "I always take a little Thucydides before retiring."  After he left, another old dude said, 'He takes whiskey before retiring, why call it Thucydides."

[Emjay]

@Once-Ler

Are you that dense?  My contention is that there are factions (apparently including you) who wish nothing more than to erase an integral part of our history.  Included in that history is much bravery and honor on both sides of the battlefield.

I also see your side remains complicit in defending the left racist factions who are digging up Confederate generals and destroying confederate statues.  Wonder if you are going to be the same way when other institutions that you might hold near and dear get destroyed by the leftist zealots.   Nice job bubba.

@catfish1957   My Mother's side of the family kept everything, so I am fortunate to have inherited the letters my great something grandmother got along with her Confederate widows' pension.  The letters were very old South and a bit flowery, not much like government letters today.

[Silver Pines]

Sorry Cat....   But when comes to WBTS threads, it is Moth to Flame time.

@catfish1957

What's WBTS?  I think I needed more coffee, lol.