Last week in Richmond, Virginia, a crew took down a statue of Robert E. Lee dating back to 1890. There has been a rise in conversation about Confederate monuments all across the country for several years now. Why are they there? Why are they still there? What do they represent? There is a divide that has formed among Americans who want to see the statues fall or remain. Some say the statues are markers of “American history”. On the other side, some call the statues “symbols of hate and racism”.

The fact is that Robert E. Lee, regardless of how great of a general he was, fought for slavery to be expanded. Some will raise the question, “Many former Presidents owned slaves, so why do they get statues?”

Simply put, the slave-owning presidents did not commit treason against their country. Many presidents were involved in a terrible and brutal practice. However, they did not withdraw themselves from the United States and mastermind its near destruction, and in the process, killing thousands of Americans.

On top of that, they did not, in some cases, fight to expand slavery. Thomas Jefferson, who was a slave owner, and who committed several despicable acts, wanted to dissolve slavery. Jefferson hated the slave trade and even outlawed it while he was President.

Another slave-owning President, George Washington, privately wanted slavery to be dissolved gradually. Even though these men did not practice what they preached in many circumstances, it is clear that the tide of anti-slavery sentiment was moving quickly.

Robert E. Lee and his comrades, whether they wanted slavery to continue or not, fought for its survival. They spat in the face of the United States and tried to destroy the principles on which the Constitution was built upon. Abraham Lincoln finally put the nail in the coffin to destroy slavery in the United States. The southerners knew he was going to. The southern states hated Lincoln for his anti-slavery and emancipation stances. So when Lincoln won the 1860 Presidential election, without carrying a single southern vote, they rebelled. They would not allow their inhumane practice to die.

These Confederate monuments should not be standing. For the people who claim it’s “a symbol of our history,” The United States has plenty of museums and libraries that tell our history just fine. The purpose of these statues is to glorify the Confederacy. Many of these statues were built by believers in the “Lost Cause”. In several cases, the statues were built to intimidate Black Americans in certain cities. Confederate sympathizers continued to push the “Lost Cause” narrative after the war, to combat the real reason they fought. They wanted to cover up the brutal truth of slavery and lift a narrative of “fighting for states’ rights and freedom.”

I personally think Robert E. Lee is one of the greatest generals in American history. His strategic mastermind and ability to rally his troops were second to none. However, he was a traitor to the country. He was a traitor to the Constitution. He was a traitor for fighting against the 13th amendment. He should not be glorified with statues and monuments. His story and battlefield ability can be perfectly displayed in museums and libraries.

Article by Payton Hannah