Posted on 07/28/2018 8:44:34 PM PDT by yesthatjallen
In discussion of possible changes, report also asks, Whats next and where do we stop?
Known as both the father of Texas and the namesake of the states capital, Stephen F. Austin carved out the early outlines of Texas among his many accomplishments.
He also opposed an attempt by Mexico to ban slavery in the province of Tejas and said if slaves were freed, they would turn into vagabonds, a nuisance and a menace.
For that reason, the city of Austins Equity Office suggested renaming the city in a report about existing Confederate monuments that was published this week.
Also on the list of locales to possibly be renamed: Pease Park, the Bouldin Creek neighborhood, Barton Springs and 10 streets named for William Barton, the Daniel Boone of Texas, who was a slave owner.
To be sure, the identified streets and parks are only suggested for reconsideration. And the city, Bouldin Creek, Pease Park and the Barton-related landmarks a group that includes Barton Springs were included in a lower-tier list of assets for secondary review in the report. Still, the report did identify several streets staff consider related to the Confederacy and worthy of more immediate action. Those streets are:
Littlefield Street
Tom Green Street
Sneed Cove
Reagan Hill Drive
Dixie Drive
Confederate Avenue
Plantation Road
The city estimates that it would cost $5,956 to rename the seven streets.
While the cost of such changes might appear reasonable, opposition to similar renamings has tended to revolve around the inconvenience and expense faced by longtime homeowners and business owners who must deal with a new address. Complaints along those lines surfaced earlier this year when the Austin City Council changed the names of two streets recognizing Confederate leaders.
Before the council renamed Robert E. Lee Road as Azie Morton Road and Jeff Davis Avenue was changed to William Holland Avenue, the city gathered input from residents along those streets. A majority opposed the changes, which occurred in April.
Some accused the city of whitewashing history.
The latest report acknowledged the likelihood of opposing viewpoints and nodded to inconveniences to businesses and residents and the view that changing the names could be considered a threat to historical preservation. It also asked whether the proposed changes reside on a slippery slope.
Whats next and where do we stop? the report asks.
Any changes to road names would require public hearings and action from the City Council. Before the city changed the two street names in April, the citys staff had reached out to all residents to seek their input.
A change to the citys name, meanwhile, likely would require an election since Austin would have to be struck from the city charter and replaced.
The report also identified numerous historical markers related to the Confederacy on city property that could be targeted for removal. Those include a marker for the Confederate States of America thats located at Congress Avenue and Cesar Chavez Street.
However, the city would need approval from the Texas Historical Commission and the Travis County Historical Commission to move them.
Any new street names might fall in line with a 2017 recommendation from the Austin Commission for Women that called for the city to address gender and racial disparities in the naming of public symbols. The commission also suggested preference should be given to individuals connected to Austin and having a positive relationship and history with the community.
The Equity Offices report concludes, It is essential to acknowledge that societal values are fluid, and they can be and are different today compared to when our city made decisions to name and/or place these Confederate symbols in our community.
It is also important to acknowledge that nearly all monuments to the Confederacy and its leaders were erected without a true democratic process. People of color often had no voice and no opportunity to raise concerns about the citys decision to honor Confederate leaders.
Confederate monuments is a 'foot in the door' issue.
Once they get you to concede events in the past were driven by racism and white supremacy everything pre-Civil Rights movement in our past becomes illegitimate.
They've been working on this for decades changing the names of schools, public buildings, parks, etc. and replace them with their CR heroes.
Their goal is to purge the past and make the Civil Rights movement the new benchmark for founding of the United States.
Rename Austin as Pussytown?
How about Ho Chi Minh City?
Let’s rename Washington, D.C. to “Capitol City.”
The State of Washington could be named “That State in the Northwest Corner.”
While we are at it, can we get rid of everything already named for Der Obamafuehrer?
vagabonds, a nuisance and a menace.
Prophetic.
Let’s purge the Civil War, any talk of slavery, reparations is off the table, period.
No need for Affirmation Action, etc since the perceived need has been erased from history.
Does that include Bummerville, California?
I’ll claim “River City” for Cincinnati.
How about Mecca, so we can bomb it.
And every place named for Robert KKK Byrd.
Austin is the state capitol. The whole states needs to vote on this, not just the inhabitants of scum city.
“Known as both the father of Texas and the namesake of the states capital, Stephen F. Austin carved out the early outlines of Texas among his many accomplishments.”
Rename the city after the Austin Motor Company. Call the city “Austin.”
It makes sense because there used to be a guy that drove around town in one of the Austin cars.
King County in the state of Washington did a similar things several years ago. Crime went down, income went up, and everyone was so pleased.
It was fabulous!
Libtards ruin every thing. Then they move on to ruin more things.
The renaming of Texas towns and counties should fail with threat of force if needed.
I object.
Austin is named after my ancestors.
Leftist must be thinking of changing it to “SANTA ANNA”
The name “Leningrad”’s available.
And any street with “X” in its name.
Marxtown. Or how about Stalinville? Friggin’ America-hating commie pigs.
“Any new street names might fall in line with a 2017 recommendation from the Austin Commission for Women that called for the city to address gender and racial disparities in the naming of public symbols. The commission also suggested preference should be given to individuals connected to Austin and having a positive relationship and history with the community.”
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That settles it. Austin will be renamed after Leslie Cochran.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leslie_Cochran
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