Robert E. Lee descendant: I was 'disheartened' to hear Trump comments about Confederate general

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

A descendant of Robert E. Lee said Saturday that he was "disheartened" to hear President Trump laud the Confederate commander as "a great general" during a campaign rally Friday in Lebanon, Ohio.

“Last night I was disheartened to hear Donald Trump, our president, make comments about Robert E. Lee as a great general, as an honorable man. These were far from the true,” Robert Lee IV said in a video he posted on Twitter on Saturday.

Link to tweet

Trump prompted immediate backlash during the rally after saying Lee was a "great general" and claiming that former President Abraham Lincoln had "developed a phobia" because "he couldn’t beat Robert E. Lee."

"He was going crazy. Lee was winning battle after battle after battle. And Abraham Lincoln came home, he said, 'I can’t beat Robert E. Lee," Trump said.

Robert Lee IV, who is reportedly the great-great-great-great-nephew of the Confederate commander, said Trump's remarks show "he supports an idol of white supremacy and of hatred.”

https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/411286-robert-e-lee-descendant-i-was-disheartened-to-hear-trump

[CatMor]

1. Good for him to speak out with the truth about his ancestor ...

I wonder who wrote that for trump because I doubt trump even knows when the Civil War took place. Is it history according to Stephen Miller.

[keithbvadu2]

2. Official republican position - Lincoln was our nation's greatest leader

Official republican position - Lincoln was our nation's greatest leader

This is the official position of today's republicans.

From the 2004 GOP Platform

"One hundred and fifty years ago, Americans who had gathered to protest the expansion of slavery gave birth to a political Party that would save the Union - the Republican Party.

In 1860, Abraham Lincoln of Illinois carried the Republican banner in the Presidential election and was elected the Party's first President. He became our nation's greatest leader … and one of our Party's greatest heroes. "

Haven't seen them contradict that in any GOP Platform since.

[pangaia]

5. Of course that was when the parties were reversed, as it were.

[keithbvadu2]

7. Yes,,, but the GOP Platform was 2004

[pangaia]

10. Yes, I know.

I just mean that the positions of the 2 parties has changed over time.

[keithbvadu2]

12. Southern GOP 'loves it' when told: Thank God you republicans won that war.

Southern GOP 'loves it' when told: Thank God you republicans won that war.

[Cha]

3. Gawd.. who knew that would happen! Thank

you, Robert E Lee IV.

trump's such a fucking DumbShit just like his wife and not fit to serve/

[pangaia]

4. WOW ! Powerful, deep heartfelt, truthful statement.

[Shoonra]

6. I never thought I'd being doing this but ...

I have to defend the reputation of General Robert E. Lee from the comments of one of his relatives.

Lee grew up in an era when one's state citizenship was as valued as one's national citizenship. His decision to accept command of the Army of Northern Virginia was not an easy one and, when he did it, he simultaneously manumitted his slaves, rather than selling them. He was a consummate strategist, considerate of his troops, and, when forced to surrender, kept the welfare of his soldiers and their families uppermost in his mind.

Though he fought for the Confederacy, after the war he was the only member of his church that would share communion with a Negro. He also defended the reputation of the man who had beaten him, Gen./Pres. Grant.

We might as well argue over the virtues of leaders in wars in which claim might be made of US Imperialism, such as the Mexican War, the Spanish-American War, and a few other military adventures.

[Scruffy1]

8. Except Lee's Slaves weren't Lee's.

The slaves at Arlington were inherited by his wife and her father had already set a date for their freedom before he died. .

[keithbvadu2]

9. "when one's state citizenship was as valued as one's national citizenship"

He took the oath to the nation, not the state.

He betrayed that oath.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

13. Did you play the video?

He said nothing about Lee as a tactician but instead called him out for fighting to maintain the institution of slavery.