VMI To Remain True To It’s Purpose of Graduating Cadets And Will Not Remove Statues, etc.

As much as I support the renaming of 20th century US military installations such as Bragg and Hood, I agree with the decision to preserve the names and monuments at VMI. Hood and Bragg had absolutely nothing to do with the history of their namesake installations or the battles in which US soldiers fought after passing through their gates. Stonewall Jackson had EVERYTHING to do with VMI. I read Gen. Peay's entire letter. It is excellent. He obviously listened to and engaged with a variety of stakeholders.

The result, if Gen. Peay is able to execute as well as he can develop a plan, will be a preservation of VMI's Civil War History, including and especially the Battle of New Market, without turning it into the focal point of its entire history. One would hope that the likes of George Marshall can be seen as integral to VMI's history as Stonewall Jackson; the former being infinitely more consequential to the US and world and the later being specifically consequential to VMI's very foundations.

As a side note, I completely get the zeitgeist of VMI. Virginians, notably my Grandmother's family, saw their state almost as a country and culture unto itself. I remember visiting Lexington, VA as a child and visiting Gen. Jackson's grave. I can tell you that if Gen. Jackson was a "staunch Christian", as Gen. Peay suggests, it was mostly attributable to his 2nd Wife, Mary Anna Morrison, my Grandmother's great Aunt. My sister's first and middle names are Mary Morrison and its not coincidental.
 
General Peay is always so thoughtful and impressive. I've seen him speak several times and I'm pretty sure he's never misspoken or looked at a single note. One day there may very well be another statue added somewhere on that beautiful post.
 
I read an article this past week about the irony of Lexington, VA being a blue town. I didn't know that. The town is already taking the name of Jackson off many places, buildings, etc... Even the health system that owns the hospital in Lexington is renaming it.

I had to salute Jackson statue as a Rat. I didn't see it as saluting Jackson per se. Basically, as a Rat, I saw it as maintaining the discipline to do what was required of me as Rat. In this case, the requirement was saluting as you exited Jackson Arch. I saw it as no different than double timing up the stairs and squaring corners. Character building they said.
 
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"cb7893 said...
if Gen. Jackson was a "staunch Christian", as Gen. Peay suggests, ..."

I don't know, or suppose too, if Jackson, Lee et. al. were 'staunch Christians' in truth.

But, if they waged a 'crusade' to save and/or establish as law the right to possess stolen persons as mere property, or if they "loved their Virginia" more than their brother they did so in contradiction to Christianity's plain teachings.

The bed the Southern sympathizing church made for its congregants was, 'shorter than a man could stretch himself on and the coverings narrower than he could wrap himself in'. Those leaders chose a narrow patriotism contrary to the very tenets of Biblical faith.

Give honor to Gen. Jackson for his prodigious abilities as a soldier but don't wrap him (or the CSA) in the garments of Christianity and hold him forth as an example: it is too great a contradiction to justify.
 
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Disagree, but what’s great about our country is our ability to do so. Respect your viewpoints, but it is worthwhile to look at what some of these leaders did for their communities Especially, Generals Jackson and Lee, for both black and white...
On point, VMI is unique in USA’s higher education today: it is a small and rigorous completely military college. 100% Cadets, nothing else. The men and women at VMI are all cadets, and they live an uncommonly austere and spartan life. Unique to the other “military” colleges in the USA, the MAJORITY of VMI Grads commission into the US military. Aside from the SAs, VMI is unique to anything out there. God bless them for holding true to their values, mission, and principles.
 
#007Boa said:
"cb7893 said...
if Gen. Jackson was a "staunch Christian", as Gen. Peay suggests, ..."

I don't know, or suppose too, if Jackson, Lee et. al. were 'staunch Christians' in truth.
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Nor do I. I was simply shading in some of the blanks, knowing that his wife was the daughter of a long line of Presbyterian Ministers going back to Scotland that didn’t stop at her generation.
 
Landy91 said:
Disagree, but what’s great about our country is our ability to do so.
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Agree, but not sure Generals Lee and Jackson would agree. Didn't Jackson and Lee defer from their oaths to protect our great country and go to war against it?

Do you believe the Confederate States of America, the nation that Generals Lee and Jackson fought to establish, would afford the same 'ability to do so' to someone not of their class or race?

Your post disagrees with an opinion that was not expressed in my reply to cb7893. The post offered neither opinion nor inference that Gen. Jackson should not be studied at VMI.
 
#007Boa said:
Agree, but not sure Generals Lee and Jackson would agree. Didn't Jackson and Lee defer from their oaths to protect our great country and go to war against it?

Do you believe the Confederate States of America, the nation that Generals Lee and Jackson fought to establish, would afford the same 'ability to do so' to someone not of their class or race?

Your post disagrees with an opinion that was not expressed in my reply to cb7893. The post offered neither opinion nor inference that Gen. Jackson should not be studied at VMI.
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If you look back several weeks ago there were several threads regarding the renaming of US Military installations named after Confederate Generals and the removal of there statues from public places.There was a variety of opinions, for the most part measured and respectful.

You may want to check it out.
 
Measured and respectful is a great way of describing that thread. I am thankful that there is meaningful discussion surrounding these issues, but tearing down statues and re-naming buildings is a snap judgement call to a much larger issue. History is the greatest teacher and you can't erase it to make the current climate more palatable. I applaud VMI for recognizing the importance of their history and founding and preparing the future leaders of our great Country. Hey @Landy91 - just want to go on record that it is ok if you compliment one of the other SMCs......Just sayin:)
 
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