To all who read this may you not forget what America stands for. May you not forget that America stands for freedom and that freedom is not free. I know this for I have seen the struggle it takes to gain independence. I have seen the hardships of war, and the cursing, the screams of pain. War is not to be taken lightly. I have seen many protests against war in my days. It's almost as if people nowadays don't understand how tough it is to be fighting in a war. I am a confederate soldier who was on the CSS Virginia. The Soldiers and Sailors monument was dedicated to the men that fought in the Civil War. My soul remains inside the monument. I see all that goes on around the monument. From large crowds gathering to protest to families having a peaceful picnic on the grass. I feel the warmth of summer to the bitter coldness of winter. I want people to see the monument and have it remind them of the terribleness of war so that they themselves to not make the same mistake again but I also want people to have a peaceful feeling as they walk past the monument. So that they know that America is a safe place.