President Obama Renames Alaska’s Mt. McKinley To Denali, Social Media Erupts

News One ^ | 08/31/2015 | By Lynette Holloway

[SeekAndFind]

Say goodbye to “Mt. McKinley.” The highest U.S. peak is getting an official name change: http://t.co/I9FfurdnmRpic.twitter.com/6UD9N4knc1

— CNN (@CNN) August 31, 2015

Continuing to flex his executive muscle during his final term as commander-in-chief, President Barack Obama announced Sunday that Alaska’s Mount McKinley was being renamed Denali.

The president used his executive power to restore the mountain to its “Alaska Native name, which has deep cultural significance to the tallest mountain in North America,” reports The New York Times.

The move came on the eve of Mr. Obama’s trip to Alaska, where he will spend three days promoting aggressive action to combat climate change, and is part of a series of steps he will make there meant to address the concerns of Alaska Native tribes.

The mountain’s former name has long been regarded in what The Times notes “as an example of cultural imperialism in which a Native American name with historical roots.”

The 20,237-foot mountain and the tallest in North America was renamed in honor of President William McKinley, who was assassinated six months into his term in 1901.

As expected, social media users responded to the change with praise and condemnation. Here are some tweets:

Obama hasn’t “renamed” anything. He’s just pointed out that white people have been referring to Denali by the wrong name.

— chiller (@chiller) August 31, 2015

@MichaelSkolnik Conservatives and racists, which are one and the same, are about to lose their collective shit! lol

— Corey B. King (@coreybking) August 31, 2015

GOP blasts Obama’s Mt. Denali name change http://t.co/uZ8DGIzV0z | AP photo pic.twitter.com/TmIwXYEHxy

— POLITICO (@politico) August 31, 2015

@TIME ‘Hi I’m POTUS therefore I can do whatever I want so I’m changing the name of this mountain!’ Wait, what?!! 😯

[Boomer One]

We traveled to Alaska about 10 years ago and our guide referred to the mountain as Denali back then. McKinley appeared to be a secondary name for the mountain. Most souvenir producers appeared to prefer the shorter Denali as well. I guess the mountain will now be referred to as Denali, the mountain once known as McKinley. By changing the name, McKinley may get more recognition than ever.

[NKP_Vet]

1. Mt. Ranier in Wash. named for Rear Admiral Peter Ranier.

2. Mt. Hood in Or. named for British Admiral Lord Peter Hood.

3. Mt. Adams in Wash State named for President John Adams.

4. Mt. Jefferson in Idaho named for President Thomas Jefferson

5. Mt. Washington in Oregon named for President Geo. Washington

6. Mt. St. Helens in Wash, named for Brit. Baron St. Helens.

7. Mt. Baker, Wash, named for British Lt. Joseph Baker.

Most of the Cascades are named for presidents or British officers.

[conservaKate]

Alaskans have been trying to get the name officially changed to Denali for 40 years or so. The politicians from Ohio have fought the name change ... and w/ Ohio being important in Presidential politics ... I think that POTUS candidates have not wanted to take on the Ohio delegation.

The mountain has been referred to Denali by Alaskans all along. I also can’t remember a time when it was referred to as Mt McKinley even here in WA state ... not that it comes up a lot in conversation. :)

I guess I say good for Alaska and sorry Ohio.

[dsc]

Another move carefully calculated to leave his enemies feeling helpless and humiliated.

[I want the USA back]

Shows how much he hates this country and its history.

[N. Theknow]

But renaming it to a Native Alaskan name, isn’t that demeaning? If a high school team was named the Denalis, wouldn’t that be demeaning and having people demand that the name be changed?

[fruser1]

Why don’t we just call it “Mt. Redskin”?

[SampleMan]

I don’t care what Alaskan’s call it, and many geological features carry more than one name. Fine.

The Federal government officially adopted the name Mount McKinley in 1917 when Congress passed and President Woodrow Wilson signed into law “An Act to establish the Mount McKinley National Park in the territory of Alaska”, which singled out the area in the Mount McKinley region.

So where in the Constitution does the President get to override laws with executive orders?

[KeyLargo]

BREAKING: Obama taping episode of survival reality show with Bear Grylls in Alaska
Posted by The Right Scoop on Aug 31, 2015 at 11:18 AM in Politics | 3 Comments
By The Right Scoop

President Hollywood isn’t just going up to Alaska to screech about the Armageddon-like dangers of Climate Change (aka Global Warming), he’s also going to be taping an episode of Bear Grylls’ new survival show called “Running Wild” which will air while he’s still president:

http://therightscoop.com/breaking-obama-taping-episode-of-survival-reality-show-with-bear-grylls-in-alaska/

[aposiopetic]

Not just any SUV: one from Government Motors.

[azishot]

Mount 0bama is being created as we speak....

[AustinBill]

Another parting gift from Obama? Alaska’s 3 electoral votes weren’t doing to go D in 2016 anyway, but Ohio’s 18 are now more in play. Watch Trump pledge to rename it back if Obama thinks he can just spring this from nowhere.

[BatGuano]

Best reply of the day!

[T-Bone Texan]

Let’s just all agree to call it Mount Drunk Squaw.