[far sider]

I am not from Seattle but a bloger I follow pretty regularly is. She is all upset about this, not she doesn't like Martin Luther King, but because she thinks the (a) the $500,000 (the cost of the logo change) should be used to feed the poor (as she thinks MLK would have wanted), (b) it will make the county "a target for racists," (c) the logo design will probably be ugly ("...if we're stupid enough to waste all that money, I'm sure we're stupid enough to make a design that will look awful."), and (d) she's afraid the King family will want to charge for using King's likeness. The whole thing strikes me as humorous. She apparently still doesn't realize that modern liberalism is all about style over substance.

Just for fun I googled the actual ordinance "renaming" the county for King County to King County.

INTRODUCED BY: RON SIMS, BRUCE LAING
PROPOSED NO.: 86-66
MOTION NO. 6461

A MOTION setting forth the historical basis for "renaming" King County after the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., instead of William Rufus DeVane King for whom King County is currently named.

WHEREAS, the County of King in the State of Washington was named after William Rufus Devane King by the Oregon Territorial legislature in 1852, and

WHEREAS, William Rufus DeVane King was a slaveowner and a 'gentle slave monger' according to John Quincy Adams, and

WHEREAS, the citizens of King County believe that the ownership of another human being is an injustice against humanity, and

WHEREAS, William Rufus DeVane King earned income and maintained his lifestyle by oppressing and exploiting other human beings, and

WHEREAS, the citizens of King County cherish and uphold the constitutional tenent of the 'unmitigated pursuit' of life, liberty, and happiness for which many citizens of this county have given their lives as a supreme sacrifice to defend these foundations of freedom, and

WHEREAS, the citizens of King County through their various faiths uphold the principle that all mankind was created equal, and

WHEREAS, Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. believed that liberty, justice and freedom were the 'inalienable rights' of all men, women and children, and

WHEREAS, Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a spiritual man who believed all people were created equal in the sight of God, and

WHEREAS, Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. believed in the dignity and self-worth of every individual, and subsequently, gave his life defending his beliefs, and

WHEREAS, Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. a recipient of the Nobel Prize became a national hero whose birthday has been declared a national holiday by his nation's government to be a day of peace, love and understanding, and

WHEREAS, Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. through his persistent and unfailing efforts prompted passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, both of which have benefited all citizens of this nation, and

WHEREAS, Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. inspired people and nations world-wide to strive in a non-violent manner for the human rights, civil liberties, and economic guarantees rightfully due people of all races;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT MOVED by the Council of King County: The King County Council, hereby, sets forth the historical basis for the "renaming" of King County in honor of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., a man whose contributions are well-documented and celebrated by millions throughout this nation and the world, and embody the attributes for which the citizens of King County can be proud, and claim as their own.

BE IT FURTHER MOVED,

King County shall be named after the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

PASSED this 24th day of February, 1986.

KING COUNTY COUNCIL
KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON

(signed by) Audrey Gruger,Chair

ATTEST:

(signed by) Dorothy M. Owens, Clerk of the Council

Updated: Sept. 23, 1999

[HiTech RedNeck]

and (d) she's afraid the King family will want to charge for using King's likeness.

They better research this one REAL good before spending a penny on new copy.

[goldstategop]

This is a far Lefty county. The silly things they spend public dollars on such as a feel good redesign of the county logo. Impressive!

(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")

[RinaseaofDs]

Somebody just crush us with a big rock. Washington is simply infested with Seattle.

[yankeedame]

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT MOVED by the Council of King County: The King County Council, hereby, sets forth the historical basis for the "renaming" of King County in honor of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.....

Were the citizens allowed to vote on this thing??

[mcg2000]

Is there anyone of any standing that could have had more relevance to King County?

[olezip]

If they want to honor MLK they should change the national holiday to "Civil Rights Day" instead of "Martin Luther King Day" to ensure that what he stood for is remembered. After all he was only one of many who affected this change. What the county is actually proposing is silly and wasteful!

[bwteim]

far sider,you forgot the usual **expert** witnesses with emotional testimony to sway the council with claims of inclusivity...
Signed, upset, but not surprised.
- - -

"Dr. King's image makes me think of all God's children living together regardless of race, religion or income," Zion Preparatory Academy **third-grader** Eryn Wells told the council.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2002833481_mlk28m.html

[NativeNewYorker]

I confess, I thought this was pure satire....

[fieldmarshaldj]

Wow, looks like there is homophobia up there in Seattle. Don't they know that Vice-President King was the first gay to serve in the Executive branch of the federal government ? King was the long-time lover of future President James Buchanan. Surely the gay-rights lobby should be up in arms over this attempt to remove the namesake of King County !

[Junior_G]

The most disturbing thing is how commonplace it has become to judge historical figures based on contemporary morals. The ordinance goes to great lengths to denigrate William Rufus Devane King based on the fact that he was a slaveholder, even though he lived during a time when owning a slave was even more acceptable than having an abortion is now.

[NativeNewYorker]

Of course, this is outrageously gender biased...here in Sodom on the Subway, we have a Kings County AND a Queens County...

[D-Chivas]

What is with all these Northern states and their obsession with Southern relics like Martin Luther King?????

It's not like freaking SEATTLE is known for making blacks not eat at the lunch counter, forcing them into the back of the bus, separate drinking fountains, strong factions of the KKK roaming around, or the local Democrats suppressing the black man and woman's right to vote.

[Drango]

it will cost the county $522,255 over five years

Worth repeating.

[Uncle Miltie]

Get to the real point and rename it Lenin County

[B Knotts]

Too bad they don't concentrate on ending vote fraud in King County.

[Hank Rearden]

What a complete crock of crap.

[Osage Orange]

Why not place a picture of Chevy Chase on all Chevrolet's now....

Makes about as much sense.....