Messing With Texas

I'm split on whether or not it's okay for the University of Texas to have all those statues of Confederate leaders on campus. I think that people who bitch about a big statue of Robert E. Lee should calm down and be quiet. On the other hand, I think a statue of Jefferson Davis might be a little much. So why the difference?

I think it's because people aren't nostalgic for the values of the Confederacy, nor do they want to go back to that time period. Rather, their ancestors fought and died in large numbers to protect something, a culture, a society, in which they deeply believed. Robert E. Lee seems to commemorate that history and that sacrifice, whereas Jefferson Davis seems to more concretely represent the outdated values.

Let it not be said that I'm all right with Confederate ideals or the glorification thereof. (I spent four hours yesterday watching Gone With The Wind, though.) I just don't think you should go to the campus of the University of Texas and be shocked or offended by statues of Davis or Lee. Like...you were expecting...?

In closing. Jefferson Davis? Wellll.... General Lee? Definitely.