Gen. Lee Statue Can Be Removed, Virginia Supreme Court Rules

Mixed emotions on that. The Coliseum in Rome has a horrible racial history as well.

I never gave it much thought until it came up.

By way of historical context, prior to WWI, most Americans never traveled more than 20-50 miles from their place of birth, for their entire lives. They had stronger loyalties to their state or local region than to "America" until sometime after WWII. Yes it seems odd that there should be statues honoring military and political leaders who engaged in armed rebellion, against the US Federal government, standing on public lands. Even in the early 1970's I had friends who moved to Arizona from the Southeastern states. Their parents or grandparents still felt that they had lived through "occupation" by foreign forces when they were growing up before and after WWI.

Having seen the obvious disconnect, I guess I feel the same way as I do about NAZI propaganda art. There is so much really beautiful stuff but its underlying message is disturbing and I have no interest in seeing it publicly displayed.

Keep the statue but put it in a location as historical collection.