by Soledad 25 Replies latest social current
There was a great documentary by a independent black film maker about this issue. The films topics ranged from this issue, how many communities protest the changing of the name for business reasons to how bad many of the streets named after MLK are (economically,violence).
Its like the joke Chris Rock said that if you are lost on a street named after MLK, RUN!
I did say that. re-read my post (and the article). my point was that the objections are baseless and are racially motivated (see below)
I read your post, and also the comments of some of the people who were complaining of the practicality of the issue. You continue to insist that any efforts to oppose legislated changes of one's street are simply racially motivated, you have no credibility as far as I am concerned.
There are SO many more ways to honor people than shoving meaningless change down their throats. And if they don't comply, calling them "racist". Ugh!
Is Blacksheep feeling guilty or something. Or maybe your just angry at stupidity the way I am. It would help to get a perspective on the 'real' history of this country and understand why different people feel the way they do on this subject. This isn't an easy discussion.
Yeah, alot of us were there during the riots. Things were very different in the 60's for people of colour and hadn't really improved for the majority until things had heated up so much, something had to give. I'm thankful that there was a man like Martin Luther King,Jr. who took a peaceful approach at getting basic human rights honoured. Without that example of love being shown by some prominent figure, we would have had a major bloodbath on our hands in this country. I know that for a fact, being a little boy growing up in that time period.
Some folks are still fighting a battle to have recognition for contributions made by people of their colour. They weren't asking for P.Diddy Avenue. These are the same people who had to look at George Washington Ave. Do you guys understand what I'm trying to say? They have that right to at least try for something like that. And, the White Supremacists' prescence was enough to turn this thing into a racial issue. Do you think you would have backed down if you were black?
So there is a lot of deep seated animosity among people still in this country but I don't have to be apart of that hatred.
I'm the great-grandson of African slaves and Native Americans. Do you even understand the implications of this? Do you understand how trauma is passed along from generation to generation? Taking away the slavery spin, I know it's bad enough without having that in your history. Life is bad enough.
I know the accounts of former slaves and the only thing I know to do is to let all of that crap go and carry on into a new day with others who might have a family history that is contrary to what my family experienced.
Thunder Rider:
I'm sorry some idiot said that to you. Next time tell the fool you had nothing to do with the massacre of all the black businessmen that ocurred in St.Louis in the early 20th century and stop being a coward and taking it out on the innocent.
The problem here seems to be that they didn't ask the people who lived in the town what they thought about it.
I think Martin Luther King Jr was a wonderful man and did great things, but changing a street sign on the basis of one request, without at least getting the general consensus of what the rest of the population thought was a mistake.
I have always thought that Martin Luther King day should be in April, when he died, not his birthday. To me that brings him more honor, because it would be when he became a martyr for civil rights. That's just me...it just seems to make more sense. Just a petty thing the date.
I think one of the greatest ways he was honored was by U2 with their song In the Name of Love...makes you wonder how many white teenagers in the 80s start actually thinking about the man in a new light.
Is Blacksheep feeling guilty or something. Or maybe your just angry at stupidity the way I am. It would help to get a perspective on the 'real' history of this country and understand why different people feel the way they do on this subject.
Guilty? Guilty for what? If all that it takes to erase history and make people feel better about everything is to RENAME a street, then bring it on. It would indeed be worth it.
The problem, I repeat, is that one woman decides that a street name needs to change, the council votes it any without asking anyone. All of a sudden, the street's name changes, which is costly to change and disrupts people's lives (oh, I know, such minor "inconveniences shouldn't matter to anyone who isn't a "racist.")
The bottom line, is at the end of the day, renaming the street is NOT going to elminate prejudice and racism; in fact, how it has been handled so far has probably done more to promote such problems.
Here's an interesting article, where a Latino man is against renaming a street in honor of another admired Latino. Hopefully you can be a bit more open minded about the impact such changes can have on people as opposed to pulling out the "racism" lable.
The folly of renaming
streets
OLD habits die hard, specially the bad ones. This is true of city councils as it is of individuals.
Take that strange tendency of councils to change the name of streets for the flimsiest of reasons. One example is New York Street in Cubao, Quezon City. It carried that name for close to half a century, if not longer. But just a few days ago, all the street names bearing the name New York Street were changed to Pablo P. Reyes Sr. Street in the blink of an eye, and without so much as the courtesy of a public hearing.
The bottom line, is at the end of the day, renaming the street is NOT going to elminate prejudice and racism; in fact, how it has been handled so far has probably done more to promote such problems.which just proves MY point and Gespro's point: the reactions of this particular community in FL re-opens those old issues, not promotes them. They cannot be erased. again, follow carefully what these people are really saying, and try to see the whole picture here: A business owner told local newspapers that property values would fall, saying streets named after Dr. King were a guarantee of economic blight. a white supremacist Web site is praising the Council's change of heart. |
think about the impact that has on the people involved!
(sorry about the spyware)
a white supremacist Web site is praising the Council's change of heart.
Surely you don't think that the Council reversed its decision based on seeking approval from a white supremacist group. Obviously, there were people who had non-legitimate reasons for not changing the street name, but there were very many legitimate concerns as well. My guess is that the council took the legitimate concerns (of which there were many).
Trying to push an agenda through without consulting/discussing it with the people who will be affected by it is pretty much doomed to fail, and unfortunately, the fallout took many forms. Again, you don't just ramrod something like this.
Why do so many cities feel the need to name a street after MLK? I can understand naming streets after him in his home town, any cities where famous speeches were given or have any other notable point of historical value. The city I live in has an MLK street. All the major citites in the state have a street named after him. The man never gave a speech here, never stayed overnight here, never stopped here on the way to somewhere important. He never visited some of these other cities either. Nothing of any historical value with him involved happened at any of them. Yet they all have streets named after him. I don't see the need to name a street after someone who really has no local connections. The only exception to that may be Presidents and then only in certain cases. Washingtons, Lincolns and Kennedys are okay, Bushes, Clintons and Johnsons, I don't think so.
Nothing of any historical value with him involved happened at any of them. Yet they all have streets named after him. I don't see the need to name a street after someone who really has no local connections -undercover
LOL Are you being goofy on purpose? Do you not know the history or are you not reading all of these posts? The contributions that people have made, other than the "Top 40" of the great American forefathers, are not in your face everyday. If we're not reminded, we will forget.
Some folks would rather forget and then stay isolated with others who resemble themselves. Is that you? I know too many people of colour who live like that and when we isolate ourselves like this we tend to get that us and them mentality. It's not right no matter who you are IMHO...
I'm not trying to cause trouble here but it seems a lot of non-blacks [you like that?] need to look at the history beyond what school or the media tells you.
I personally look at myself as being colourless but there's always someone down here in the South that will remind me of the legacy of the past. It's on me to look beyond the black and white division and make a difference. I'm hoping eventually we all will get beyond stuff...
It's 2004 and we're still fighting for respect," said Ms. Pickett, who was among about 20 protesters at Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue and Eighth Street on Thursday afternoon. "They've put out all these excuses about the process not followed, but it's racism, plain and simple."~~ Article
http://www.npr.org/display_pages/features/feature_1602178.html
Jan. 19, 2004 -- There are some 650 streets in the United States bearing the name Martin Luther King -- and more are added every year.
The contributions that people have made, other than the "Top 40" of the great American forefathers, are not in your face everyday. If we're not reminded, we will forget.~~GESPRO
Why the words black, white and racism must be mentioned every time someone disagrees? How many streets need to be named after this man? How many national holidays must be made for him?
He lives on in the 650 streets, high-byways, blvds, etc. not to mention the National Holiday, parks, receration areas, etc etc named for him, he will not be forgotten.
And those screaming he will be are trying to skew the matter at hand. I think racism is bellowed at times just to assure that people will be heard even though none exists at times.
Cassi
