[@Skepic] I think you're confusing me with buying into what I've been told to by others, but (without meaning to sound condescending) I try to be an historian and I don't trust history books unless I know the primary sources or are recommended them by people I trust. This isn't a mythological depiction of Lee, but the facts. And as I said earlier, the Confederacy was different than the 'Southern pride' neo-confederates of today. And I believe I already mentioned that condemning them for being 20 years behind the Union and blaming them for that is a fallacy. 

The confederate statues being linked to slavery, is like if the English empire was taken over by France in the 18th century and the English today would be synonymous with malevolent invaders, simply because they weren't allowed to continue after their Imperial era to the modern day relatively benevolent country they are.