[Ads-l] famous or infamous?

[Laurence Horn]

> On Jun 10, 2020, at 1:44 PM, Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at GMAIL.COM> wrote:
> 
> Paradigm case.
> 
> Yahoo News:
> 
> "Fort Lee is named for Gen. Robert E. Lee, the infamous Confederate
> commander."
> 
> It would have been easier (and less condescending to everybody) just to
> leave out the value judgment (if that's what is).
> 
> JL

If also would have been easier and less condescending if they’d realized Fort Lee is actually named for General Charles Lee, who served under Washington.  I remembered that from one of those McCullogh books about the Revolutionary War, and wikipedia confirms.  Now Charles Lee himself was both famous and infamous (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Lee_(general)), court-martial and all, but for insubordination and other alleged offenses, not including being a Confederate commander. That would have been no mean feat, since he was dead by the end of 1782.

LH
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