I think I have more historical knowledge than most readers having 29 semester hours in History and read hundreds of military history books. Slavery was only one reason for the Civil War and most of the Confederate soldiers had no slaves and did not want or need any.

A great many officers had slaves because they came from wealthy families. Some were regular army and went to West Point. Robert E. Lee put down the John Brown rebellion and was offered command of all Union Armies. He turned down President Lincoln’s offer to fight for Virginia.

Statutes and monuments of the leaders of the rebellion should not be removed because they did or did not have slaves. They fought because they didn’t want the federal government telling them what they could and couldn’t do (Sound familiar?) Former slaves had slaves if they could afford them. Some slaves were treated as expensive livestock. Some were treated very well and others were not. The outside slaves were often overseen by another slave. The inside slaves were often treated like family. Slaves were needed because cotton and tobacco crops were labor intensive and labor was in short supply. Indentured Europeans had stopped coming and were more expensive. They were only available for seven years and did not withstand heat.

The only Confederate leader I think should be despised is the guerilla leader, Nathan Bedford Forrest. For those who don’t know of his treatment and murder of black soldiers and civilians during the Civil War, should educate themselves about the Fort Pillow Massacre. The other thing he is famous for is founding the Ku Klux Klan. I think his identity should be treated here like Germany treats Hitler.

The radical white supremacist groups need to be put down, destroyed, and forgotten about. These radical groups hate all other races and ethnics along with Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, and Hindus.

How can our President support these groups when he has several Jewish people around him including his daughter and son-in-law? His business committees resigned because he included the protesters in his statement.

These people have not read nor care about the Constitution and its Amendments. They have their own agendas and most of us don’t fit into it.