As a direct descendant of Lee, I am always mindful of his thoughts not only on secession, which he was not in favor of, but also his feelings after the end of the war. His comments, which have been brought to light in these turbulent times, still bear repeating: “I think it wiser, moreover, not to keep open the sores of war but to follow the examples of those nations who endeavored to obliterate the marks of civil strife, to commit to oblivion the feelings engendered" I am not from your community, but I understand its history and fine traditions. With regard to this relic, though, I can promise you that Lee would be sad that it exists in the first place. He would be sadder still to learn that its existence causes even an ounce of division in the country that he so diligently worked to reconcile after the close of the war.