arlington-cemetery-confederate-memorial

What to do with Arlington Cemetery’s Confederate Memorial.

The Pentagon says it must come down, but the process of determining what comes next has only just begun.

MY SAY: At the end of the Civil War, General Grant told his troops to "Refrain from celebrations in the field," and that, "The Rebels are our countrymen again." The Rebels are our countrymen again. Profound. Aside from the historical significance of retaining Confederate memorials, there is a moral consideration and one of American identity. Confederates didn't just disappear after the war, they became loyal American citizens again, and their ancestors are our friends, family, neighbors and colleagues. Remembering the PEOPLE is more important than remembering the CAUSE. This is the larger point missed by the committee to end all things Confederate on government property, including military installations, cemeteries, town squares, streets, roads and highways, parks and former battlefields.