Letter to the Editor - A Stain on the Heritage

You'll want to remember this moment. Help us record what's happening in Decorah. Dear Editor, I'm writing to express my displeasure and disappointment that the Winneshiek County Fair is including an appearance by the band Confederate Railroad in the county fair this summer. Glorifying the hate and racism of confederate America should have no place in a public venue like a county fair. The band's claim that confederate symbols are a part of southern heritage does not justify spreading the hate and racism that those symbols embody. I'm sure that there were other choices of country rock bands that would have appealed to your audience. By hiring a group that uses and so promotes symbols of bigotry and hate, the county fair itself is endorsing that bigotry and hate. I don't live in Decorah or Winneshiek County. My ancestors can be found in graves in Decorah and Orleans township. While not a resident, family and ancestry gives me a strong bind to Decorah and the surrounding community. The values you support by promoting bigotry and hate are a stain on the heritage that this region represents. Decorah actively promotes tourism and I would be surprised if the taxpayers whose dollars are spent doing that would support promoting hate and racism at the county fair. Roald Henderson Albany, Wis. Local opinions lead to local action—submit your thoughts to DecorahNews.com now!