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My Point of View By Brad Kramer

Our community recently celebrated Memorial Day to honor those who sacrificed their lives for our nation. The Freeborn County GOP would like to express our condolences to all who have lost loved ones or those they served with in defense of our nation and thank the VFW, and the other veterans organizations who organized events. My own family has attended the services at Graceland for the past several years, and it’s one of several ways we teach our children and now grandchildren to honor our fallen and foster an appreciation of what service to our nation means.

As summer kicks off and we enjoy time on the lakes, grilling and enjoying the sunshine, June also brings about divisive events and monthlong pride celebrations. Most Americans do not support what pride stands for. The word “pride” historically refers to excessive self-regard or arrogance, often considered a vice in many philosophical and religious traditions, including Christianity, which is influential in Freeborn County. Framing pride as a celebration of identity is elevating personal identity above values like humility, unity and sacrifice. Pride is a departure from virtues that prioritize family, faith and collective responsibility.

Instead of fostering unity, pride events, like the one promoted by the Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB), and therefore by the city, are divisive, emphasizing specific identities over the broader community. This event alienates those who hold traditional views, creating a rift where we should have community cohesion if other events were sponsored instead. What happened to promoting events like the parks passport that encouraged families and visitors to do wholesome activities in our community? The CVB’s promotion of pride events are endorsing a polarizing agenda rather than focusing on universally appealing tourism initiatives, such as our beautiful natural resources, local history or family-friendly festivals. The city’s promotion of pride events takes away the focus and resources that could go to those events that we could all support, instead of a very narrowly accepted lifestyle.

Another concern is the impact of gender ideology on youth, particularly irreversible medical procedures. Some de-transitioners, like Chloe Cole, have publicly opposed allowing children to medically transition, arguing that minors lack the maturity to make such decisions. Cole, who began transitioning at 12 and de-transitioned at 16, has testified that medical professionals pressured her into the irreversible procedure, likely due to financial gain.

A 2023 Gallup poll found that 69% of Americans believe transgender athletes should compete only on teams matching their sex assigned at birth, up from 62% in 2021.

Biological males, even after hormone therapy, retain physical advantages, such as muscle mass or bone density, which disadvantage female competitors. In Albert Lea, where high school sports are a community cornerstone, parents worry that policies allowing transgender participation undermine opportunities for girls, aligning with the majority view that sex-based categories should be preserved. Biological boys in the locker and bathrooms with adolescent girls is another concern that many parents are not OK with.

Pride events focus on adult-oriented elements, such as drag shows, which are inappropriate for children. We question why the CVB promotes an event that could expose youth to mature themes, rather than focusing on inclusive, family-friendly activities.

Opposing pride events and pride flags and similar propaganda being promoted in government buildings, like the CVB/Chamber/ALEDA office and social media sites, is not hateful or “phobic.” Most Republicans believe as I do: that free will is vital and we’re not seeking to ban same-sex relationships or other lifestyles that pride events promote. I personally have good friends I respect who are gay and am certainly not afraid of them nor promote hate. It is possible to have two truths: that we can believe that a lifestyle should not be promoted publicly and with government promotion, while not hating people.

Most people would agree that we all have our own faults. I am no better than anyone else. We all have skeletons in our closet or faults or sins, so to speak, but that doesn’t mean we want to publicly display them and push them onto children and into the public sphere, like pride events do and have government push those lifestyles using our tax dollars and resources.

Albert Lea’s government must do better. End this ridiculous event. Host events that honor veterans and proclaim June as Veterans Appreciation Month. Host truly family friendly events that build and glorify the nuclear family to strengthen marriages, support families, build patriotism and promote family values that built the most prosperous nation in the history of the world. It is time for our community to move past these events and end the CVB and government organizations from hosting, sponsoring or promoting pride events. The CVB does not exist to promote their director’s personal social agendas, while using CVB social media to create division in the community.

Brad Kramer is a member of the Freeborn County GOP Party.