Don't condemn the South: Your Say

Letter to the editor:

Commentary writer Jamie Malanowski's piece "Why name military bases after traitors? Column" displays ignorance.

Robert E. Lee, considered to be one of the finest generals in military history, served honorably and valiantly in the Mexican-American War.

As far as dismissing the sacrifice and valor Lee and several other eventual Confederate officers displayed in the Mexican-American War, I wonder if the writer feels the same about the many Union officers who served, such as the infamous Philip Sheridan, who used the "scorched earth" policy before William Sherman's march.

For those who choose to cast aspersions on our country's horrific Civil War, Union or Confederate, the times and conditions of the mid-19th century must be taken into account. And to label the actions of some of the USA's greatest warriors as "treason" is to demonstrate great ignorance, as does the labeling of all as "racists and terrorists." For Malanowski to spew that venom at only Confederate officers is to ignore history.

Daniel P. Elliott; Clemmons, N.C.

Comments from Facebook are edited for clarity and grammar:

It's about time that national attention was paid to the issue of some Army bases being named after Confederate officers.

It's amazing how people actually defend and honor those who turned their backs on their fellow United States citizens.

— Marcus M. Long

Call for removing a flag and changing a few Army base names, and some people complain about a "culture war" against the South. It was a war, a treasonous war against a sovereign nation; those symbols and heroes are forfeit.

— Denise Trudeau

Changing the names of these bases will not change history.

— Jeanine LaMere