Albert Lea was named after its founder Col. Albert Lea of the Confederate Army in 1835.

People seem to be unaware that the Civil War was not fought over slavery. It was fought over money. The South didn’t feel adequately represented in Congress so they tried to become their own country with their own flag.

This nonsense over the Confederate flag being flown at this year’s Albert Lea Independence Day Parade is absurd. It’s part of our nation’s history. It’s part of our own local history.

On a side note I ask these questions: Are we going to change our town’s name because it’s after a Confederate? If a white man was flying the American flag and shot an African-American man, would we be taking down our nation’s flag? Why is our country so distraught over the actions of Dylann Roof associating his representing of the Confederate flag with that of our country’s history? His actions did not represent the South. He does not represent our united nation.

 

Athena Berg

Albert Lea