Renaming Interstate: The Outcome Is Important, But So Is The Conversation
Our office has been carefully listening to the widening debate in our district over the renaming of Interstate Avenue as César Chávez Boulevard. The City of Portland will ultimately accept or reject the petitions being circulated for and against the change. Each person in our office has a perspective on the topic, so we’re not exactly surprised by the major disagreement unfolding in our community. We write about it today however, because we’re deeply disturbed by an undercurrent of racism and mean spiritedness that is weaving its way into the conversation.
It should be pointed out that street name changes are rarely without controversy. A geographic memorial to the past, they touch neighborhoods, social groups and ethnicities that may not identify with the person being memorialized. Take for example the story of the renaming of Crawford Road to Pulaski Road in Chicago in the early 1900s. From Dr. Derek Alderman’s "Street Names as Memorial Arenas":
“The name change sparked a 15-year debate between Polish-American civic activists and business owners located along the named street. In addition to citing the obvious financial costs of changing their addresses, business owners saw the name “Crawford” as a more legitimate commemoration because ‘it honored a local founder while Pulaski had no specific connection to the Chicago area.’ Behind these arguments lurked ‘a sense that the name “Pulaski” was too ethnic to represent West Garfield Parkers, who had largely shed their ancestors’ immigrant histories in favor of unhyphenated Americanism.”
Sound familiar, Portland? It’s funny how much - and how little - can change in one hundred years.
What is clear to us now is that those who view a César Chávez Boulevard or park or school as an empty political gesture are wrong – some Portlanders clearly would benefit from a little exposure to other races, cultures and surnames with accents. We have to wonder if these same people would object to a renaming that memorialized a white historical figure. Would business owners be so quick to cling to Interstate’s “historic” name if their business cards could read “John F. Kennedy Blvd.” instead?
This question is particularly relevant in light of the direction some of the conversations around this issue have been taking. Some of us have personally experienced the ugly side of this debate at community and neighborhood meetings. We’ve learned that activists supporting the change have been publicly heckled and called names. This is not the way respectful, intelligent adults should be acting, and it is behavior that opponents of the change should not tolerate.
While we’re not naïve enough to believe that racism doesn’t exist, it’s always a shock to the system when it rears its ugly head. We recognize now more than ever the importance of the kind of discourse this proposed name change has sparked. Regardless of the final outcome, we hope that our community members are noble enough to condemn the fear-based speculation making its way through the neighborhoods off Interstate and use the City’s political process to respectfully air their opinions for or against the change.
Source: 1. Street Names as Memorial Arenas: the Reputational Politics of Commemorating Martin Luther King Jr. in a Georgia County Derek H. Alderman
Posted on September 21, 2007
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Comments
(Note: Comments are the views of their authors, and no one else.)
Posted by: Maxine Scott - September 22, 2007 09:10 AM
Why is it that whenever a change takes place that it is always North Portland? Barbur Blvd. could just as well change its name.
We here in the area are not happy campers when it comes to throwing every undesirable community (New Columbia Villa) and name changes. Nothing has changed except the buildings and the names. Enough is enough already.
Avenue of the Roses??? Where are the roses??? When and if they are planted who takes care of them? Do we hire a rose police to keep people from molesting them? Who pays for that. Get real folks!
Thanks for listening.
Maxine Scott
Posted by: Karol - September 23, 2007 05:04 PM
Maxine,
What exactly is undesirable about the name, "Cesar Chavez?" As a North Portlander, I'm proud of our area of town's cool street names. As a woman who's children will be considered in the "minority," I'm happy they'll be able to see a reflection of difference.
Its unfortunate that the name is considered undesirable when the work of Chavez has made many, many lives better in Oregon.
Posted by: Dan - September 23, 2007 05:50 PM
To the neighborhoods around Interstate, this has little to do with Cesar Chavez or race and everything to do with local pride of place. To some, street names are hardly important (and yet, strangely enough, they will take the time to write that they are not). To others, street names are literally sign points to where they live, work or grow up.
To have a outside group decide to rename the streets that one lives in is provocative to say the least. At the Overlook meeting, the Chavez supporters spent ten minutes delivering a message that said in so many words, everyone supports this, you have no choice, you should like this, its going to happen anyway. Then they seemed surprised when the atmosphere got heated (although lets be honest, the ugliest moment was when one of the Chavez supporters said "maybe the city would help" defray the costs of the renaming to local businesses which just goes to show how much they know about North Portland.
Be that as it may, I think the Chavez supporters ultimately understand this. They are not stupid. But they will continue to frame the opposition to the name change as a racist rejection of Chavez, they know that this is the heavy artillery in Portland politics. With very little support in the neighborhoods surrounding Interstate, there only hope is to frame it in terms of bigotry to sway the rest of Portland there way. Without a perception of bigotry, no one would support an issue that has so little support from the people that actually live there. Therefore, bigotry, real, imagined or manufactured by the Chavez supporters is essential to their success.
Posted by: Ronald Reagan - September 23, 2007 08:17 PM
So if we oppose changing the name to Cesar Chavez, then we're racist?
Posted by: Karol - September 23, 2007 08:54 PM
I do not think that everyone who opposes the name change is racist. That flat of an argument doesn't hold water. I do think that there are some comments that I would consider racist. Suggesting that a name change to a neighborhood that already contains Dr. King and Ms. Parks would increase low income neighbors does smack a little racist. This is something I heard and frankly, made me very angry. When I hear things like that said - regardless of their intent - it stings.
Ultimately, the street name decision will be in the hands of the Portland City Council. Ideally, the conversation will stay above board and be mindful of feelings that do prevail with people who's skin color can't be denied and with some consideration that those defensive feelings lie close to the surface.
Posted by: Terry Parker - September 25, 2007 05:49 PM
The concept for renaming allows a community to give honor to a person that has a place in history. But what about the person who originally named the street? Shouldn’t that person retain that historical honor? What about the people that currently take pride in the current name of a particular street they live on, they grew up on, have a business on, etc? With diversity at the heart of the issue, and with all the people that have made their mark in history, who actually makes such decisions, current politicians, the people or both, and which famous people and how many should have streets renamed after them?
Personally I do not see racism as having a real significant factor in opposing the renaming of a street. However, too often, these types of name changes are politically motivated and supported for the wrong reasons, such as to get votes in the next election from a particular faction of the community. If the politics associated with renaming was removed, the Interstate Bridge could be renamed for the great visionary and road builder of the original Columbia River Highway Samuel Hill, and Grand Avenue on the Eastside could easily be renamed for Actor, former California Governor and President of the United States Ronald Regan. The Interstate Bridge is appropriate for Samuel Hill because he was at the ribbon cutting ceremony in 1917 when the first one opened, and Grand Avenue is appropriate for Ronald Regan since he was a member of the Grand Old Party.
Another thought might be to only rename numbered streets that for the most part have no historical significance other than being in sequence, but are also interrupted with streets like Broadway and Park Avenue on the Westside.
If streets are to be renamed, and with a must be of politics removed, a simple process (if not already in place) should be established so anyone could submit a name change request that would allow the community as a whole, not just the politicians, to decide the issue.
Posted by: pk - September 28, 2007 04:26 PM
Jeff, you imply that those of us opposed to the Interstate name change would not object if the proposed name change was to a "a white historical figure", "John F. Kennedy Blvd". If you were listening at the neighborhood meetings and listening to those of us against the name change you would have heard that we don't want the street renamed, period. I don't care if you are trying to rename it Tom Potter Blvd, Chief Joseph Avenue, Florence Nightengale Street or Tenzin Gyatso Way. We don't want historic Interstate renamed!
"some Portlanders clearly would benefit from a little exposure to other races, cultures and surnames with accents" - yes that's true. So, if you are going for exposure, why choose a street in a neighborhood that is already one of the most diverse in Portland?
I see the supporters of the name change continue to say that the reason we oppose the name change is due to racism. As Dan pointed out, making it into a racial issue is probably their only hope for success. If you label all of us who oppose the name change as racists, it makes it a lot easier to push through. If this is a race issue, why did the residents in Overlook vote to support the public recognition of Cesar Chavez in another manner? Why did citizens at the Arbor Lodge meeting ask to work together with the Cesar Chavez Committee to find another way to recognize Chavez in our community (the committee said no, by the way)?
Posted by: JJ - September 29, 2007 11:02 AM
My family is 3rd generation North Portland - what about our cultural roots and the history of our neighborhood? Why does city hall continue to allow a few people to speak so loudly that the majority is overlooked. Shame on city hall for caving in to political pressure and even considering the application of a single cultural overtone to such a diverse community! Before Interstate or any other street is renamed, the group driving the initiative should be required to obtain support from the majority of residents and business owners along the entire length of the street. Only then can this city rest assured that everyone has had the opportunity to have their opinion considered. A few isolated, poorly publicized and poorly attended meetings are insufficient to insure full participation and the default outcome is skewed in favor of those who are driving the initiative.
Posted by: Maria-Gracia Cabanilla - September 30, 2007 02:40 PM
As a 100 percent Latina woman who lives in North Portland, I am completely opposed to the Interstate Avenue name change for these reasons:
1) Financial burden to small business owners along Interstate Avenue.
2) I find it offensive that city officials are trying to speak on my behalf. The name change won't change how I feel about my race. I'm proud of my heritage and the name won't make me feel more "empowered'
3) If city officials really care about what I think about it, then I should be allow to vote.
Isn't this my neighborhood after all?
Posted by: Sadie LaRue - October 4, 2007 02:06 PM
Which Portlanders are those who would benefit from exposure to other races, cultures and surnames with accents? Those who already live in North Portland in communities which represent just about every ethnicity in Portland, or those in, maybe, the West Hills, which are not so diverse. It is pretty presumptuous to say those who object to the renaming would not object to using a white historical figure. Am I European-American? Am I Asian-American? Am I African-American? You don't know who I am. All you need to know is that I oppose the renaming of Interstate Avenue because it is part of my history.
Posted by: I just can't support it - October 7, 2007 10:38 PM
The group to rename Interstate Avenue will not entertain any other ideas whatsoever to honer the late Ceser E Chavez. The total unwillingness to work to a agreeable solution is very selfish and shows a total disrespect to the people that would work with them for an agreeable solution. Prior to Overlook and Arbor Lodge neighborhood association meetings to vote wether or not support the change the group had assumed that the neighborhood associations supported the change. This was simply not true. Because of the lies that have been told I cannot support their cause
Posted by: No to Renaming Barbur Blvd. - October 9, 2007 08:43 AM
There have been now TWO suggestions (one here, one in The Oregonian) to suggest renaming Barbur Blvd.
Barbur Blvd. is already named for someone. (Now I can't find the online reference for it, but maybe that should be a history lesson for us all).
I agree that renaming Interstate Avenue is a bad idea but now it just seems like "let's screw someone else over". How about this - find a street/road/highway that no one would mind that it would be renamed?
How many people know what the "Pacific Highway" is? If you named Interstate 5, you're right. How calls I-5 the Pacific Highway? (Or the Tigard Expressway, or the Mississippi Freeway, two of its former names?) Who calls I-205 the "East Portland Freeway"? (Although it is also symbolically named the "Veteran's Memorial Highway".)
Or 217, the Beaverton-Tigard Highway. (Although it isn't in Portland.)
I heard a suggestion to rename Airport Way - why not rename that strech west of I-205 leading to the airport (keeping east of I-205 still as Airport Way, due to all the business parks out there)? (If you think that's confusing, read TriMet's timetable for line 87.)
82nd Avenue might work except it's already been christened the "82nd Avenue of Roses". But 122nd Avenue needs a new name.
How about renaming a downtown bridge? The Broadway Bridge could become the Cesar Chavez Bridge. (Not to mention it's near the Pearl District, so the North Portlanders wouldn't feel like they're getting all the street name change requests.)
Or the Burnside Bridge. Heck, the Morrison Bridge would be better, since cars don't access Morrison Street on the west side.
Of course, we could simplify this matter and get rid of the street naming. Build a new park, put a statue of Cesar Chavez in it, and name it the Cesar Chavez Park. (Heck, Tom Potter's "Day Labor Center" could go there too, along with a Hispanic Branch of the Multnomah County Library, the Mexican Consulate Office could move there...and create a new Little Mexico District to go along with all the neighborhoods Portland has to build, like the very non-Hispanic Pearl District?)
Posted by: CHARLIE - November 21, 2007 04:45 PM
I am Polish and I say rename the street for Chavez