Failure to rename street for MLK called a sad sign

The Grand Rapids Press ^ | Wednesday, March 31, 2004 | Ed White and Jim Harger

[pete anderson]

Here in Austin MLK runs right between the University of Texas and the State Capitol. Along the way is the State History Museum and very likely the future site of the George W. Bush Presidential Library.

[CollegeRepublican]

MLK is pretty bad here in Baltimore. But then again you are hard pressed to find a nice area of Baltimore out side of Harborplace.

[dakine]

What college are you at? My son starts UMBC in the fall...

[CollegeRepublican]

I'm still waiting for an explanation of why "people of color" is acceptable, but "colored people" is not.

It has to do with whether racist white people have ever used the term to describe blacks/African American/Colored people/The N word in a derogatory manner. If that word is or was used in a negative way only "they" can now use the word and us honky's can not use it. So I guess, people of color was never a racist saying.

I think it also has to do with the inflection of your voice when you say something that could be deemed to be racist. You can picture a racist calling some "colored boy" or something like than, but it would just sound funny if a racist was trying to be mean and said, "boy of color" or "people of color."

[CollegeRepublican]

I went to Swarthmore College from Fall of 1997 and graduated in Spring of 2001. I have lived in Anne Arundel Co my whole life, except for college.

[Thinkin' Gal]

Most of the MLK streets with which I am familiar are in areas of towns that are noted for drug dealers and prostitution.

Must be those "Noah's Ark" neighborhoods.

If you don't travel in pairs, you just don't travel.

[moodyskeptic]

"It's very important when you see something that stands for you. It gives you self-esteem," said Burrell

A university study 2 years ago examined the whole "black teenage self-esteem problem" and was surprised to find no self esteem problem. In fact, the opposite was true, they had too much confidence and self esteem... to a fault. Their esteem was built on a house of cards and shallow posessions. Fashion, hair, jewelry, cars, etc.

As you might imagine, the sudy was quickly buried by the press. Doesn't fit the template.

[10mm]

Since the people of color want to rename city streets after their leaders, I wonder when the gay activists will demand the same?

No way in hell I'm living on Hershey Highway.

[10mm]

LOL! Just read your post. I've already had several of mine removed, so what's one more?

[aculeus]

I'm still waiting for an explanation of why "people of color" is acceptable, but "colored people" is not.

How about some prepositional diversity?

Why just people of color? What's wrong with people in color? With color? From color (to honor the ancestors)?

[Denver Ditdat]

Next time, instead of changing XYZ Street to Dr. Martin Luther King Boulevard, let's honor one of the men who fought other battles to keep their fellow Americans free. I, for one, would love to see a "Benjamin O. Davis Way" or a "Lee Archer Road" instead of yet another MLK street sign. Come on, politicos, there are plenty of other black Americans who deserve recognition. You do them a disservice when you focus exclusively on Rev. King.