Which city would you rather have change its name?

[Big Abraham]

Neither should change their name.

[Big Abraham]

Wait, Leesburg was named in 1758.  Robert E. wasn’t even alive when it was named so why would it be renamed?  

Leesburg is named after Revolutionary War general Lighthorse Harry Lee. Not surprised BRTD hates American independence.

It's actually named after Thomas Lee in particular who was a colonial governor of Virginia and Harry Lee's great-uncle. Remember, Leesburg was named in 1758 - Light-horse Harry would have been 2 years old at the time and the War of Independence still nearly two decades away.

[Big Abraham]

Wait, Leesburg was named in 1758.  Robert E. wasn’t even alive when it was named so why would it be renamed?  

Leesburg is named after Revolutionary War general Lighthorse Harry Lee. Not surprised BRTD hates American independence.

It's actually named after Thomas Lee in particular who was a colonial governor of Virginia. Remember, Leesburg was named in 1758 - Light-horse Harry would have been 2 years old at the time and the War of Independence still nearly two decades away.

Either way, it's not even the objectionable Lee.  Obviously most Lees did some bad things in the settling of Virginia but if they are somehow so evil we need to rename the town then we'll need to rename half the towns in Virginia.

Plus I don't get renaming towns.  The names get a life of their own.  When I talk about Leesburg I'm not referring to a guy named Lee.  I'm referring to the town that happens to be named for him.  The town name is a way to refer to the collection of people and houses that make the town, not the man it is named for.

It's just silly. I remember pointing this out when BRTD made his "REEE Columbus, Ohio needs to be renamed now!" thread, but America itself is named after a slaveholder and slave-trader, Amerigo Vespucci. I suppose we ought to rename the entire American continent because slavery offends our contemporary sensibilities?