Name change to lake Calhoun? (Minneapolis: tree, reservations, water)

[Laggard]

Originally Posted by Mason3000

During that era people were racist & if you listen to the words Abraham Lincoln used to call black people & the way he described them, the politically correct would be outraged.

I would hope that everyone would be enraged. Because it was of a different era doesn't excuse what may have been some ugly attitudes.

[Ghengis]

Originally Posted by Laggard

I would hope that everyone would be enraged. Because it was of a different era doesn't excuse what may have been some ugly attitudes.

Might as well start with taking all those slave owning, presidents off the currency and put people like Mr Rogers, Kermit The Frog and Big Bird in their places.

[Laggard]

Originally Posted by Ghengis

Might as well start with taking all those slave owning, presidents off the currency and put people like Mr Rogers, Kermit The Frog and Big Bird in their places.

I'm not saying that they should or should not be on the currency. Just how idiotic it is to toss the PC bomb at anyone who recognizes the shortcomings of certain historical persons and questions whether or not we should glorify said persons.

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by uptown_urbanist

^ Calhoun was the Secretary of War who sent people to survey the area for/around Fort Snelling. The surveyors named the lake for him, since he was the boss.

The lake was also named for him (1817) before he started publicizing his views on slavery (1830's and 1840's), at least according to Wikipedia.

[xandrex]

Originally Posted by uptown_urbanist

Where do we draw the line? If we rename Calhoun, are we going to start going through the name of every street, lake, etc. in Minneapolis, making sure that the person in question had no objectionable views? Realistically that's not going to leave us with much other than the numbered streets and avenues.

This really is a very good argument. If we look at any of the roads that were named after the founders of Minneapolis or rich families or whatever who adorn our street signs, it's likely that many of them harbored racist beliefs. We should be able to honor history, not remove it.

If Calhoun was known ONLY for his racism, this would be different. He is not. It shouldn't be a big deal to let the name remain.

[MnMomma]

Better rename the Nobel Peace Prize too. Alfred Nobel did much more to support death and destruction than peace.

History is what it is. It happened. We can give everything new "feel-good" names but the history is still there. Why not use the names as starting points for conversations; I love reading local history articles and learning about what/who made this area--the good and the bad. It's easier not to repeat history if you know what the history is.

[sandlapper]

Originally Posted by uptown_urbanist

There is a very big difference between going out and actively honoring someone today, versus naming a lake for someone nearly 200 years ago. The lake was named at a time when slavery was legal in much of the United States, and when many people held opinions that many of us today would find offensive. (and it was not named for his actions or for his views) Where do we draw the line? If we rename Calhoun, are we going to start going through the name of every street, lake, etc. in Minneapolis, making sure that the person in question had no objectionable views? Realistically that's not going to leave us with much other than the numbered streets and avenues. It would be a different question if we were considering naming the lake for someone TODAY, but we can't erase history.

Just because slavery was legal at the time doesn't mean it was right. Drawing the line should be pretty simple, if one’s actions are of integrity honor them, if they are rat feces don't. Does the statute of limitations expire? Do we remember the person for who they were before they displayed unfavorable characteristics, or do we remember the legacy they left? In South Carolina he is remembered for his "legacy".

[uptown_urbanist]

Originally Posted by sandlapper

Just because slavery was legal at the time doesn't mean it was right. Drawing the line should be pretty simple, if one’s actions are of integrity honor them, if they are rat feces don't. Does the statute of limitations expire? Do we remember the person for who they were before they displayed unfavorable characteristics, or do we remember the legacy they left? In South Carolina he is remembered for his "legacy".

Of course it wasn't right. But do you REALLY seriously advocate that we go through and change the name of everything which was named after anyone who believed in things that we no longer believe? There would be literally almost nothing left. And while we're at it, we better be naming everything today as just pure numbers or random letter combinations, as there are very likely things today that people in 100 or 200 years will find offensive. The lake's name was just a nod to his job as the surveyor's boss, that's all. He wasn't "honored" for anything other than his position in the United States government. The line needs to be drawn somewhere. This proposal is political correctness gone crazy.

[Mason3000]

Originally Posted by sandlapper

Just because slavery was legal at the time doesn't mean it was right. Drawing the line should be pretty simple, if one’s actions are of integrity honor them, if they are rat feces don't. Does the statute of limitations expire? Do we remember the person for who they were before they displayed unfavorable characteristics, or do we remember the legacy they left? In South Carolina he is remembered for his "legacy".

Sandlapper, how do you sleep at night knowing you're living on land stolen by white men from natives, many of whom are this very evening are living on reservations? Same way you live with Lake Calhoun or President Washington, etc, etc, etc.

[audadvnc]

Eliminating racists and evil-minded plutocrats from the base of available names for parks and streets would be a problem, similar to removing adulterers and sex scandal perpetrators from Congress - there wouldn't be anybody left.