Tto Whom It May Concern,

I write you today in order to encourage you to keep the monuments at Monument Avenue as they are and as they have always been.  This is not about intimidation or any "Lost Cause" it is about preserving history. You cannot teach history if you destroy it, and the intolerance of those demanding alteration and removal reveal a tactic used by both Marxists and Nazis in history that makes me very uncomfortable. We must stop pandering to this kind of ignorance. When we see a problem in society we must put our energy into  solving it, not taking our anger  out on historic objects. Removal is not only a detriment to history and to the landscape, it costs money and resources that could be better used elsewhere and does nothing to solve the root problem.

The Civil War's history should not be distilled down to a comic book plot  of absolutes it was more complex than that, and to deny that is a disservice to the country and the future.  We also need to focus more on problems actually facing society and direct our energies into that worthy endeavor.  If we acted with more honor, integrity and morality ( which is not to desecrate the memorials and graves of the dead ) if we acted more like Robert E. Lee, we might well have a better, more genuine, and ironically, less divisive society. We should follow his example not malign him; and to understand why this is important we must teach the next generation. Can't do that if we destroy this historic area that has been part of our landscape since 1890.

Please count me against any change, and consider changing the focus of city council on solving real issues like crime, poverty, and infrastructure.

Thank you

Joshua Day

Roanoke Virginia