Sons of Confederate Veterans Press Release July 24, 2001
July 24, 2001
Subject: Robert E Lee Elementary School, Birmingham, Alabama.
The Alabama Division, Sons of Confederate Veterans and its Birmingham area Camps, have recently learned of a move to rename Robert E Lee Elementary School. We state here for the record that we are very much against renaming this school. We cannot help but think that the move to rename the school is just another example of the plague of political correctness presently sweeping our state and our nation.
For the many decades of its existence, Robert E Lee Elementary School, which is part of the Birmingham School System, has educated literally thousands of children of all races under this name. Apparently with no ill effect. We wonder why the move to change the name now? In an era of morally bankrupt public figures, our children are in desperate need of role models. There are few if any individuals, either past or present, that can measure up to the example set by General Robert E Lee.
In the years preceding the War Between the States, Robert E Lee was an exemplary student at West Point. As a military officer, he served his country well on its rapidly expanding frontier and gained honors during the Mexican/American war. When it came to the practice of slavery, Robert E Lee, was against it. After inheriting slaves through marriage, he freed them. This is in stark contrast to Union General Ulysses S Grant who kept his slaves until forced to free them in 1866. Robert E Lee did not favor the secession of the Southern States. While not favoring secession, General Lee could not bring himself to raise his sword against his home state or its people. It is on this principle that he turned down the offer to be Commander-in-Chief of the Union Army. When it became apparent that his home state of Virginia and its people would come under attack from the north, he regretfully resigned his commission in the U.S. Army and offered his services to his home state.
As General, commanding the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, he held off and constantly defeated a superior foe for nearly four years. His tactics and those of his subordinates are still studied by military minds all over the world today. When the Army of Northern Virginia took the war north, they were under strict orders from General Lee to respect private property and not make war on civilians. Again, this is in stark contrast to his counterparts in the north who made war on civilians as a matter of policy. General Lee was a devout Christian who encouraged religious services throughout his Army. This included services for all different denominations including services for Jewish soldiers serving in the Confederate Army.
Another example of General Lee's Christian character occurred in the immediate aftermath of the war. This example describes his reaction to the first black man attending the Episcopal Church in Richmond after the war. When the communion was offered, this man went to the communion rail and held out his hands to receive his bread and wine. The congregation was in an uproar, and the priest did not know what to do. General Lee quietly got up from his pew and went to the front. He knelt next to the man at the rail, and raised his hands also for communion. What a telling statement. We can think of no better example to emulate in today's environment of racial division.
When the South was finally overcome by superior numbers, General Lee did more than any person alive at the time to heal a broken and intensely divided nation. By his example, General Lee helped make permanent what was at best a tentative peace during the horrible and vindictive years of reconstruction. Since the fortunes of war went against the South, General Lee found himself basically destitute at the wars conclusion. His personal character was such that he turned down instant fortunes offered to exploit his name. Instead, he chose to help rebuild and become president of Washington College (now Washington/Lee University). General Lee knew full well that what the South needed most was educated people in order to rebuild their devastated homeland. Instead of an instant fortune, he choose once again to serve the people and land he loved.
We sincerely hope that before the Birmingham School Board arbitrarily changes the name of Robert E Lee Elementary School, they might do some in-depth and unbiased research of their own into the true character of this great man. If they do, we think they will find that General Lee is an outstanding role model for today's youth and that there is no good or valid reason to change the schools name.
This press release is made on behalf of the Alabama Division, Sons of Confederate Veterans, and the following Birmingham Area Camps:
Fighting Joe Wheeler #1372
Forrest Camp #1435
Capt. William Houston Shelby Camp #1537
Capt. John Marion Deshazo Camp #1563
Jonesboro Guards Camp #430
Capt. Mortimer Jordan Camp #84