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Failure to rename street for MLK called a sad sign
The Grand Rapids Press ^ | Wednesday, March 31, 2004 | Ed White and Jim Harger

Posted on 04/01/2004 11:43:14 AM PST by FourPeas

A Grand Rapids commissioner who led the unsuccessful drive to rename Franklin Street for Martin Luther King Jr. said he has no immediate plan to return with a request for a commemorative designation and those who support changing the name say they have not given up.

Third Ward Commissioner Robert Dean said the 4-3 vote against changing the name of Franklin was a "sad commentary" when "you still have a majority of residents and businesses on that street saying this is what they want."

"I think it really changed the process" of renaming streets, Dean said.

Four commissioners -- Lynn Rabaut and Rick Tormala of the 2nd Ward, and James Jendrasiak and Roy Schmidt of the 1st Ward -- never wavered in their opposition Tuesday, a week after emotional appeals from residents and community leaders who said the slain civil rights leader deserved more than just a city park with his name.

Mayor George Heartwell joined Dean and 3rd Ward Commissioner James White in supporting the name change.

Heartwell even apologized to Dean, saying he didn't think the change was "such a big deal" until he heard passionate voices at a hearing March 23.

Commissioners who voted down the change said they would endorse King commemorative markers on Franklin, much like Cesar Chavez Way on Grandville Avenue SW.

Dean said he has no plan to pursue it. Instead, he will wait to hear from the Racial Justice Institute, which started the campaign to change Franklin's name two years ago.

However, the institute's director, the Rev. David May, said the effort to officially change the name likely will continue.

May said naming Martin Luther King Park and Rosa Parks Circle did not come easily, and neither will changing the name of Franklin Street.

"Seemingly, in Grand Rapids at least, there is a persistent resistance to name changes that involve people of color," May said. "We find that disturbing."

May was among more than a dozen people, mostly blacks, who sang "We Shall Overcome" as they left the meeting on the sixth floor of City Hall. There were tears and pledges of political retribution against the commissioners who voted no.

The four commissioners gave several reasons. Rabaut noted that a park is named for King, and Tormala said a commemorative designation with creative signs actually "would be better."

Franklin Street is a mix of low-income housing and distinguished brick residences worth $200,000 or more.

It has pockets of businesses, several churches, Martin Luther King Park and the headquarters of Grand Rapids Public Schools. The Clark Retirement Community is near the eastern border with East Grand Rapids.

In other cities, streets named for King are "usually associated with depressed areas," said Roxanne Wilda, 53, who has lived on Franklin in the Ottawa Hills neighborhood for 20 years and was concerned about her property value falling.

"Of course," she said. "But how many people would tell you that?"

A few doors down, Irene Hazenberg said Franklin's rich history would be disturbed by a name change. The city's public school headquarters was the original site of Calvin College.

"The idea is to honor a black man, but in doing so they're creating many divisions," Hazenberg, 43, said of the debate. "Why not (U.S.) 131? Most of us say the name is a great idea -- just don't take our street's name."

At Franklin and Fuller Avenue, standing next to the ball diamond at Martin Luther King Jr. Park, Frank Burrell III said the rejection would hurt morale, especially among young blacks.

"It's very important when you see something that stands for you. It gives you self-esteem," said Burrell, 42, a youth leader who grew up on Franklin.

Joseph Booker was walking with two nephews near the park. He said a commemorative street designation for King "might work."

"There might be other ways, too. Maybe a new city building," Booker, 59, said. "Dr. King wouldn't make a ruckus about it. He wasn't that type of person. He won the Nobel Peace Prize."

Press Reporter Barton Deiters contributed to this report.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events; US: Michigan
KEYWORDS: mlk
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To: gov_bean_ counter
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.
41 posted on 04/01/2004 1:47:45 PM PST by pete anderson
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To: dakine
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.
42 posted on 04/01/2004 2:01:32 PM PST by CollegeRepublican
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To: CollegeRepublican
What college are you at? My son starts UMBC in the fall...
43 posted on 04/01/2004 2:03:45 PM PST by dakine
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To: Keltik
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."
44 posted on 04/01/2004 2:10:24 PM PST by CollegeRepublican
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To: dakine
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.
45 posted on 04/01/2004 2:11:57 PM PST by CollegeRepublican
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To: gov_bean_ counter; dighton; hellinahandcart; aculeus; general_re
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.

46 posted on 04/01/2004 2:14:49 PM PST by Thinkin' Gal
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To: u-89
"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.
47 posted on 04/01/2004 2:24:10 PM PST by moodyskeptic (weekend warrior in the culture war)
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To: truthingod
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.

48 posted on 04/01/2004 2:25:06 PM PST by 10mm
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To: BSunday
LOL! Just read your post. I've already had several of mine removed, so what's one more?
49 posted on 04/01/2004 2:27:06 PM PST by 10mm
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To: Thinkin' Gal; gov_bean_ counter; dighton; hellinahandcart; general_re; CollegeRepublican
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)?

50 posted on 04/01/2004 2:48:36 PM PST by aculeus
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To: FourPeas
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.
51 posted on 04/03/2004 9:46:05 PM PST by Denver Ditdat
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