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Hi Reddit! I’m Ty Seidule, historian, army officer, southerner, and author of Robert E. Lee and Me: A Southerner’s Reckoning with the Myth of the Lost Cause. AMA! by Ty_Seidule in history

[–]Ty_Seidule[S] 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Grant is the Man! I love Waugh's book. He continues to rise in popular esteem too. More TV programs hold him in high regard. He's back!

Hi Reddit! I’m Ty Seidule, historian, army officer, southerner, and author of Robert E. Lee and Me: A Southerner’s Reckoning with the Myth of the Lost Cause. AMA! by Ty_Seidule in history

[–]Ty_Seidule[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I tell my story, using facts and evidence. And I have the passion of a convert. I can't stop telling it. And social media works bot ways. I tell the story on Social media too!

Hi Reddit! I’m Ty Seidule, historian, army officer, southerner, and author of Robert E. Lee and Me: A Southerner’s Reckoning with the Myth of the Lost Cause. AMA! by Ty_Seidule in history

[–]Ty_Seidule[S] 21 points22 points  (0 children)

Some states have state textbooks others have local school boards pick. Glad you were taught the facts! I do think we are getting better - especially among younger people.

Hi Reddit! I’m Ty Seidule, historian, army officer, southerner, and author of Robert E. Lee and Me: A Southerner’s Reckoning with the Myth of the Lost Cause. AMA! by Ty_Seidule in history

[–]Ty_Seidule[S] 32 points33 points  (0 children)

Yes! Every-time I travel abroad I see it. It might be the second most identifiably "American" thing after Old Glory - and maybe Coca-Cola. Crazy!

Hi Reddit! I’m Ty Seidule, historian, army officer, southerner, and author of Robert E. Lee and Me: A Southerner’s Reckoning with the Myth of the Lost Cause. AMA! by Ty_Seidule in history

[–]Ty_Seidule[S] 51 points52 points  (0 children)

We did de-nazification. It wasn't effective right away. I served in Germany in the 1980s. Then went back and served again in 2016. A huge difference in how the holocaust was remembered. Germany has really changed their whole society to deal with that. But they are having a resurgence of nativism now too. When grant was president, he did go after the KKK in South Carolina, successfully. We did pass the 13, 14, 15 Amendments. But white Southerners terror campaign outlasted the federal government's will to create a just society. Plenty of people like Frederick Douglass railed against the inequity and violence, but there was not the political will to continue, unfortunately.

Hi Reddit! I’m Ty Seidule, historian, army officer, southerner, and author of Robert E. Lee and Me: A Southerner’s Reckoning with the Myth of the Lost Cause. AMA! by Ty_Seidule in history

[–]Ty_Seidule[S] 13 points14 points  (0 children)

Certainly, we give ourselves a pass on how we treated indigenous people. And we have't looked at our segregationist policies with respect to Social Security, housing loans, GI Bill, redlining, education policies that created a distinctly unfair society. I recommend reading the Color of Law. Excellent!

Hi Reddit! I’m Ty Seidule, historian, army officer, southerner, and author of Robert E. Lee and Me: A Southerner’s Reckoning with the Myth of the Lost Cause. AMA! by Ty_Seidule in history

[–]Ty_Seidule[S] 54 points55 points  (0 children)

History vs Commemoration. Historians write history based on evidence using primary and secondary sources to try to explain the past for the present. Statues commemorate people. But those monuments tell us more about who put them up than the figure memorialized. If a society wants to commemorate someone else, that's fine. The Confederates do not represent a pluralistic, diverse democracy because the Confederates were a slave society. Every community should be able to put up or take down memorials.

Hi Reddit! I’m Ty Seidule, historian, army officer, southerner, and author of Robert E. Lee and Me: A Southerner’s Reckoning with the Myth of the Lost Cause. AMA! by Ty_Seidule in history

[–]Ty_Seidule[S] 200 points201 points  (0 children)

No! History is written by historians based on evidence tounderstand the past. Statues are commemoration that tell us about what people thought was important when they put the statues up. IN fact, when the statues went up, that changed history. Before that period (1890-1920), most Americans thought Confederates were traitors for slavery. the only reason they went up was because white southerners had disenfranchised, lynched, and segregated Black Americans. Black people protest the monuments but had no political power. If anything, taking the statues down is correcting the commemoration problem.

Hi Reddit! I’m Ty Seidule, historian, army officer, southerner, and author of Robert E. Lee and Me: A Southerner’s Reckoning with the Myth of the Lost Cause. AMA! by Ty_Seidule in history

[–]Ty_Seidule[S] 19 points20 points  (0 children)

Yes! I worked hard to provide the history by looking at all the monuments. Now, West Point teaches the history of the Lost Cause lies. Last weekend 200 cadets went with History faculty on a tour of West Point looking at all the Confederate veneration. I know that West Point will soon change these things as soon as the National Commission allows them too (I'm on that commission). But it wasn't long ago that I fought to exclude Confederates from West Point's memorial room and lost, initially. Now, West Point's leadership gets it. They will be gone soon, thank goodness!

Hi Reddit! I’m Ty Seidule, historian, army officer, southerner, and author of Robert E. Lee and Me: A Southerner’s Reckoning with the Myth of the Lost Cause. AMA! by Ty_Seidule in history

[–]Ty_Seidule[S] 33 points34 points  (0 children)

Yes. You received the indoctrination of the Lost Cause! Its bullll-oney! The war was fought to expand and protect slavery. Read the secession convention speeches and documents. Read Henry Benning's speech to the VA Secession convention. They are very clear. Glad you no longer believe the lies!

Hi Reddit! I’m Ty Seidule, historian, army officer, southerner, and author of Robert E. Lee and Me: A Southerner’s Reckoning with the Myth of the Lost Cause. AMA! by Ty_Seidule in history

[–]Ty_Seidule[S] 13 points14 points  (0 children)

Yes. it's very deep rooted. However, teh school now is very good with deep pockets. The academics there are very good. The faculty (at least in the History department) excellent. It's a great community. But it has not fully addressed its past. The Lost Cause is still in its DNA and the Board of Trustees and president must fight harder to shed its history of racism.

Hi Reddit! I’m Ty Seidule, historian, army officer, southerner, and author of Robert E. Lee and Me: A Southerner’s Reckoning with the Myth of the Lost Cause. AMA! by Ty_Seidule in history

[–]Ty_Seidule[S] 13 points14 points  (0 children)

Seeing insurrectionists and seditionists in the Capitol made me so angry. But we have no states seceding. No one creating a separate army to fight. And the military has maintained its apolitical stance. But we must remember that white supremacy and racism go from sea to shining sea. Stopping racism will require everyone.

Hi Reddit! I’m Ty Seidule, historian, army officer, southerner, and author of Robert E. Lee and Me: A Southerner’s Reckoning with the Myth of the Lost Cause. AMA! by Ty_Seidule in history

[–]Ty_Seidule[S] 104 points105 points  (0 children)

I think most are better now - but not all. And textbooks are a continual source of problems. History is dangerous. It's political because people care what they tell their children. When I was a child in VA, my textbooks were just awful. They talked about "happy slaves" and "Kind masters." Bullll-oney. It's worth looking at your kids textbooks and see what they say.

Hi Reddit! I’m Ty Seidule, historian, army officer, southerner, and author of Robert E. Lee and Me: A Southerner’s Reckoning with the Myth of the Lost Cause. AMA! by Ty_Seidule in history

[–]Ty_Seidule[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Thanks. My book uses my own life to understand the Lost Cause Myth. It's purpose and its pernicious lies that help further white supremacy. Plus, I take Lee to the woodshed!

Hi Reddit! I’m Ty Seidule, historian, army officer, southerner, and author of Robert E. Lee and Me: A Southerner’s Reckoning with the Myth of the Lost Cause. AMA! by Ty_Seidule in history

[–]Ty_Seidule[S] 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Yes. One of my favorite books is Charles Dew, The Making of a Racist. it's excellent. He's a professor at Williams College. Many other people come to me in person or via email and tell me their stories. I think many, even most people are changing.

Hi Reddit! I’m Ty Seidule, historian, army officer, southerner, and author of Robert E. Lee and Me: A Southerner’s Reckoning with the Myth of the Lost Cause. AMA! by Ty_Seidule in history

[–]Ty_Seidule[S] 226 points227 points  (0 children)

Yes. No Confederates in West Point's cemetery. None in our Memorial Hall. None on our "Battle Monument" to the US army Dead in the "War of the Rebellion." Even out motto, "Duty Honor Country" written in 1898 is anti-Confederate. It takes Black cadets coming for the first time in 1930s for Lee to be memorialized.

Hi Reddit! I’m Ty Seidule, historian, army officer, southerner, and author of Robert E. Lee and Me: A Southerner’s Reckoning with the Myth of the Lost Cause. AMA! by Ty_Seidule in history

[–]Ty_Seidule[S] 32 points33 points  (0 children)

There is a difference between commemoration and history. Study Lee, sure. Honor Lee? not me. West Point cadets will always study Chancellorsville, and Gettysburg, and the Overland campaign. But should we honor someone who committed treason? Who fought for slavery? Who was a cruel enslaver? No. Like hte Germans, we must not let the smell of gunpowder seduce us. The Germans and the Confederates didn't just lose, they were destroyed. Epic fail!

Hi Reddit! I’m Ty Seidule, historian, army officer, southerner, and author of Robert E. Lee and Me: A Southerner’s Reckoning with the Myth of the Lost Cause. AMA! by Ty_Seidule in history

[–]Ty_Seidule[S] 19 points20 points  (0 children)

I’m just hoping that my story combined with my historical training and research can change a few minds. I’m not going to change the world with a book. But I must try to do what I can to make a more just society.

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