Posted on 12/09/2007 1:13:53 PM PST by ruination
PORTLAND, ORE. -- Fourth Avenue ambles for 30 blocks past high-rise office towers, regional banks, upscale retailers and such urban landmarks as the county courthouse and City Hall.
Fourth also rolls through one of Portland's most prominent symbols of diversity: Chinatown. An ornamental red and gold gateway inscribed with dragons and Chinese characters greets visitors and evokes ties to the Pacific Rim. Red and gold street lamps, a gift from Taiwan, line the street near restaurants that specialize in dim sum.
This is not the street that Latino activist Marta Guembes wanted to rename in honor of Cesar E. Chavez, the labor organizer and champion of migrant farm workers.
Guembes had set her sights on Interstate Avenue, a road in north Portland lined with small businesses, and nearer to the city's growing Latino community. But when some neighborhood associations objected, City Council members selected Fourth.
The alternative soon proved unpopular. After a series of acrimonious, racially charged public hearings, the council reversed course and declared an impasse.
Renaming city streets in Oregon's largest city usually isn't an epic struggle. The city recently renamed Portland Boulevard as Rosa Parks Way.
Chavez Boulevard, however, struck a nerve.
Unlucky timing hurt the cause, said Jack Corbett, associate professor of public administration at Portland State University, with the public spotlight on the growing Latino population.
"Part of the reaction here parallels reaction of parts of the American public to the marches last year of immigrants demanding better treatment. Sort of a 'how dare they,' " Corbett said.
Chavez Boulevard activists "demanded Interstate," Corbett said, and "that is just not Portland style. It's a violation of Portland's notion of civic civility to have a group make such a demand."
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
I don’t suppose anyone pointed out to the activists that Chavez hated and opposed illegal immigration...did they?
I thought that the loons in Portland might be just crazy enough to want to honor Hugo.
I don’t think it matters much to them. They’re just using Chavez as a vehicle, like they’re using MLK in the photo.
And another whiney victim is born. My paternal grandparents came here - legally - from Germany right before WWI. I don't think this woman has a clue what being insulted really means.
Doesn’t Chavez Street run right between Lenin and Stalin Street. Portland should be so proud.
No wonder many of us in Orygun call Portland's Mayor Tom Potter "Mayor Moonbeam" and the City Council the "Rainbow Council"
I would never live in the People's Republik of Portland, errr...I mean Moscow on the Willamette
(stop the world, I want to get off!)
I remember Interstate being a pretty crappy street when I lived there.
Interstate is still crappy. I thought they should have picked a street in Hillsburrito...err,,,..Hillsboro.
Big turnout in that picture.
I’m getting tired of a handful of activists being able to drive public policy.
I was thinking the same thing: Hugo Chavez
If Fourth Street runs through Chinatown, why aren’t they trying to rename it for Mao? Or for the Cultural Revolution?
At least it was Cesar and not Hugo that they were planning to honor.
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