Posted on 07/15/2008 1:24:40 PM PDT by SwinneySwitch
A downtown Laredo street bearing the name for more than a century of a Mexican hero was changed by the Laredo City Council on Monday to remove offensive connotations it may have against Arabs or Muslims.Since moving to Laredo nearly 30 years ago, Kamel M. Shrek has studied the meaning of "Matamoros," which means Moor killer or Moor slayer.
The phrase was used as a battle cry by the Spaniards during the battle of Clavijo in 844 AD, according to Shrek's research, meant to encourage killing of Muslims.
After becoming a nickname in Spain related to killing Catholic Spain's Arabic and Berber Muslim enemies, it transitioned into a surname that later moved to Mexico when the Spanish settled, Shrek said.
The hate message has never been the intent behind Matamoros Street in downtown Laredo; rather the historic downtown street is named after Mariano Matamoros, a hero from Mexico's fight against Spain for independence, city officials said.
For this reason, Shrek asked the city to name the street Mariano Matamoros or M. Matamoros to clarify it is not "a word intended to insult or hate" but represents a hero he and others continue to respect.
City Council agreed to the change after hearing from Planning and Zoning Director Keith Selman the logistics of making such a move.
There are 111 addresses on Matamoros Street, Selman said. Those would require a name change for postal services, 911 operations and signage.
Selman clarified that whether or not the council chose to change the name, "It still be named after Mariano Matamoros. It's not a prescribed activity."
Shrek was elated after council's vote to change the name to M. Matamoros. He had lobbied for such action through letters to the editor but finally chose to approach City Council, as he felt that in a progressive 21st Century such an offensive name should not be maintained.
"That shows us freedom and democracy in action," Shrek said.
(Ashley Richards may be reached at 728-2538 or by e-mail at ashley@lmtonline.com)
Waiting for the Shrek pics and references to appear.
Meanwhile, the border town in Mexico named Matamoros, across the river from Brownsville in Tamaulipas, is still named Matamoros, and they are not wringing their hands and whinging about being politically incorrect. What a load. What an enormous and truly stupid waste of time.
Why doesn’t the City of Laredo just BUY the entire street and raise hogs......
No word yet about Calle Matapolicias, Avenida Cortacabezas, and Via El Pais Se Esta Derrumbando.
Because Kamel M. Shrek is a Muslim from Libya.
“Shrek” references have arrived. The fairy tale and film character is an ogre. Shrek comes from the German word for terror and/or the Yiddish word for fear. It looks like this particular Shrek is doing his job.
So, his name is Kamel “Terror” - a bit like Camel Terror. Read that any way you wish...
Thanks, now for pics??
This is very reminesent of the Abenaki word "squaw" as well as the Iriquois feminine singular "squa" form for commonnouns, and the debates that engendered.
In the end the Abenaki kept their application for federal recognition as an Indian tribe on the table despite the ambition of so many other Indians who wanted their memory erased. NOTE: The deal was there's federal money on the loose for recognized Indian tribes based on the number of members. Many tribes feared Abenaki recognition would cut into the loot so they campaigned to just expunge that tribe from history.
Then, too, a lot of more primitive types were fond of calling Abenaki women "whores".
This stuff never ends ya' know. Now we have a bunch of border people demanding that an American street be understood to mean something nasty in Spanish, although it does sound like an excellent idea, eh!
If you want on, or off this S. Texas/Mexico ping list, please FReepMail me.
If this PC nonsense even reaches deep into places like Laredo, we’re doomed.
Well ,from what I’ve heard, there are many Muslims coming across the border.
Reckon they speaky Mezzcan.
Just the opposite. Orwellianism in action.
Laredo IS and has been for some time a hotbed of the idiotically PC and the idiotically multicultural, as it is. The have a school called “Texas A&M International University” which, seems like to me, should be funded by both nations, but isn’t, and in fact is funded solely by the state of Texas. The only thing “international” about it is the illegal aliens studying there. Check out the local newspaper occasionally.
AAAAAAUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!!!! STFU! Have you NOTHING better to be an activist about? How pathetic!
...but I don’t really feel strongly about this...
Colonel, USAFR
LOL! Gen. “Blackjack” Pershing died 60 years ago today. Coincidence?
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2045956/posts
Cry Matamoros and let loose the dogs of war!
PC Alert
Matamoros, IN
Matamoros, OH
Matamoros, PA
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