Wow, 104 voting members (200-ish attending) at Overlook, 74 voting in Arbor Lodge. And yet detractors say nobody goes to Neighborhood Association meetings. Impressive. Thanks for reporting, Amy.

The vote was pretty much by racial lines...that's the most interesting part of the debate and that is something that should get some coverage. The minority in votes, the minority in town and curiously, no one thinks that a reason TO change the name?

Yet again, this process has uncovered some severe ignorance in our community.

Amy, did you hear the same racial slurs that others heard at the meeting?

Kudos to the Portland Mercury and Amy Ruiz for taking the lead on bringing this issue to light so citizens are aware of the Interstate change before it is a done deal. Other news sources have really dropped the ball until the Merc reported the true story about the irregularities surrounding this proposal and the law waiving that went on last year to force the re-naming of Portland Blvd to Rosa Parks Way. (I often wonder how Mrs. Parks would have felt about the way Portland Blvd was renamed for her by eliminating the civil rights of the people living and working on it.)

I truly believe that people recognize the need to honor Rosa Parks and Cesar Chavez, just not this way. Our laws governing street re-naming are very fair and guarantee the involvement of the residents and business owners on the proposed street as well as the community at large. Portland Blvd residents were not informed about or included in the street name change. Our laws and rights were waived and we were not given official notice of the street name change until after the public hearings and the city council vote were over. It was Portland Blvd for 87 years and Interstate has been so named for 91 years! Haven’t Americans been accused by older countries of not having any real history? Well at this rate, we won't.

Maybe the time has come to demand that the city council and mayor actually obey our laws the same way we have to. Maybe the time has come to talk about other methods of honoring national icons. Maybe we could find ways to honor our heroes in a way that does not erase history or disregard the input of the home and business owners whose lives are affected financially and emotionally by the proposed commemorations.

Cesar Chavez cared about the quality of working conditions and the future prospects of the migrant worker. His Foundation (www.ceasarchavez.org) would most likely be very glad to accept the estimated $100,000 for the new street signs to further his life’s work.

Rosa Parks also has a Foundation (www.rosaparks.org)and what she cared about was children and furthering their education and chances in life. They spent around $26,000 on the new street signs and again, I’m sure her representatives would have benefited from that money to continue Mrs. Parks’ dreams as well.

Please don't turn this into a race issue. The community is not against recognizing Cesar Chavez. Last night, when one of the community members offered to have a dialogue about other options for recognizing Mr. Chavez, the Cezar Chavez committee was not open to that. Perhaps if the committee was really willing to work with the community, this wouldn't be such a divisive process.

I heard rude comments fly from both sides last night. Unfortunately, I think that happens when people feel very strongly about an issue.

pk, let's get real. nobody's turning it into a race issue. It already IS, whether you want to admit it or not. Why are people so afraid to talk about it? there's clearly a lot of confusion and pent up frustration that the community has having trouble articulating. Ignoring the elephant in the room isn't going to help anyone.

PK - I have to say - without malice - that when one is a person of color, every thing becomes an issue of race. It's hard to escape because it is a reality. There is no reason to scream "RACISM" from the highest hills, but the conversation should be open enough to allow the possiblity as a PART of the discussion.

While the issues of money and stress and time ring true, the issues of folks being afraid just the names of Cesar, Rosa, and Martin attract low income people are also being tossed around and that is hurtful.

We all have a the power to effect change and make our neighborhoods be what we want them to be. That neighborhood could be a ultimate symbol of diversity, with the lovely names that have been heroes to many. Instead some of the comments from the Overlook and Arbor Lodge meetings are reflecting less of the diversity that North Portland has come to symbolize.

So if people disagree with street re-naming as the correct way to commemorate someone it automatically makes them racist? I don’t know of a single person who doesn’t think Mr. Chavez deserves recognition. So is street re-naming the only way? Whatever did we do to honor someone before we re-named streets? Oh yeah, we erected statues, named buildings, fountains, parks and brand new streets for them. Are these commemorations no longer even considered?

Hopeful, I presume that's spoken as a person of color. The melanin-impaired can't understand what that's like -- not really.

I was there last night. I didn't hear any racial epithets first-hand, but it was a big room. The Oregonian reporter heard one, spoken softly, and made much of it. Rude comments from both sides -- I'd agree with PK on that. Neither side was too interested in cooperating with the facilitator or the chair.

Frankly I expected it to be far worse. With the Rosa Parks debacle fresh in the neighborhoods' minds, the timing of this was dreadful. Someone in the Mayor's office should have realized that sending the committee into North Portland with no room for compromise in their position would go badly. The City shouldn't repeat its errors -- and the Chavez Committee shouldn't have to take the heat for those errors. But that's the reality. All this was entirely predictable. Sad.

Why does their need for recognition and honor have to be a take-away from existing community and history.

The committee to rename shows no compassion or concern for the feelings of the people who have lived in N. Portlnd for years and years, yet demand that they get what they want.

This is bad politics, and bad dynamics all the way around.

This is decidedly NOT a race issue among anyone I know in N Portland, resident or business owner. Nor is it about disrespecting Chavez in any way...Most of us have offered compromises (renaming parks, public buildings, etc) along with our disagreements...And what has the Chavez Committee offered by way of compromise? **sound of crickets chirping**

Oh, and you want to see what NO INTEGRITY IN THE POLITICS looks like? Try to find a link to the "No to renaming" Ipetition on our Mayors' website...It isn't there, only the "Yes." Apparently he'd love to hear your opinion, so long as it aligns with his. Disgusting.

I was there last night too. It's not my neighborhood, but as an observer, I believe that there is a percentage of people who just dislike change. I get that. I'm not big on change either. It's hard and I have to adjust to new things and I hate that.

But, I also felt that the people speaking against the change had no idea how their mean-spirited words were received by the latinos, including myself, in the room. I spent my high school years as the only Mexican in a small white town and despite that experience I've never felt the hate and ignorance that I felt last night. I didn't feel like I was in friendly, progressive Portland anymore. I was fighting tears most of the evening. I would rather you call me a beaner to my face than to hear you preface every comment with, 'this really isn't about race,' 'Or, I have nothing against Cesar' or 'I know a nice hispanic lady,'In fact, once you say that I pretty much expect to be insulted.

That's my take. But what do I know, I'm just a mexican, right?

Marissa, you state you are not from the neighborhood. Where do you live? What main street goes through your neighborhood? Can we rename it?

Mr. Jose Romero lives in Tigard. Not even in the city of Portland and he wants to come to my neighborhood for 10 yrs and my city for 37 and rename it without first chatting with me and my neighbors. That is what angers me.

Everyone is throwing out the issue that the neighborhood associations aren't necessarily representing the neighborhood demographics. This is AMERICA people. In order to get things done, one must participate and act. If those who are not being represented aren't participating out of their own free will, then they really don't get a vote do they?

Do you really think Cesar Chavez made the changes he made with everyone sitting back and allowing him to do it? No, he had to fight for it as a poor immigrant farmer. So, if the people who want this soooooo bad aren't coming out to the meetings, that tells me they don't really want it as bad as they think they do.

So Portland is only progressive if we re-name our streets? This is not as simplistic as just not liking change. The issue is how the change is being effected. The mayor and city council already subverted laws to force a re-naming last year and got away with it, so doing the same thing again is okay as long as it's something you want? Two wrongs do not make a right.

As for the last line of your post, how does that help anything?

Marissa's comments are just jaw-dropping. Wow, such a victim. I can see why she was near reduced to tears what with all the big, mean, bad crackers suggesting renaming parks and buildings and endlessly expressing their respect toward both the man and the culture being represented. Oh yes, what a bunch of incivility she must have suffered last night! Oh the shame I feel! But HER FEELINGS, what of her tender, sensitive FEELINGS? Well, gee, I guess we should just start basing ALL civic planning on feelings. Here's mine: I'm GAY and the fact that there isn't a Matthew Shepard Freeway makes me FEEL really sad and bad. So change the 5 to the "Matthew Shepard Blessed Martyr Expressway" RIGHT NOW or I will know you for the obvious, clear and demonstrable HOMOPHOBES you are!
Gimme a break.

People who do NOT live or work or have some vested interest in the area of N. Interstate Ave. should not be able to cast their voice as to our character and street names!

What part of WE don't want to change the name to anything do you NOT understand?

This isn't about stationary or bigotry. We don't want to change it because we like the name N. Interstate Ave. It has meaning to US! The street named "N. Interstate Ave." has existed for 90 years. Generations before us know it as that and hopefully so will those who come after.

95% of the people who have signed Potter's petition DO NOT live or work in our neighborhood. You want to make changes? Change a street name in your own neighborhood.

I have listed below on-line petitions against and for the changing of the name:

PETITIONS to oppose:

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/Keep_Interstate_Ave_Alive/

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/keephistoricalinterstate

pro-change

(www.portlandonline.com/mayor)

KHW makes the salient point: Not from this area then...um, F off. Make changes in YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD. But when potter, adams and the rest of these louts figured "Oh well, these wanks are less organized (or politically connectted) than those in, oh say The Pearl, or Irvington, or NW...We'll just ram this on them" bespeaks the troubling ilLiberlism of their power. LOOK at KHW's polls: PRO CC blvd votes come in from as far away as Washington DC? Huh? And mind you, potter has no ANTI CC Blvd link on his official website so he doesn't see that WE (residents, business owners, etc) are united against this, because he doesn't want to. How vile. Oh, sorry if you are sobbing uncontrolably now "Marrisa" but you ARE THE PROBLEM. Your emotions, particularly as "an observer, not from this area" are utterly meaningless. And As to "Karol and all the other "pro" voters in these comments:" Name yer zip code, honey, or f off in denigrating MY motives.

So what percentage of these "CC blvd" people are just grasping at the "look what the blacks" (African-Americans, Africans, blackamericans..what is the current liberal accepted nomenclature??) got? I'm gonna take a guess and say...100% Completely ignorant of the social rights struggle black Americans went through, they will happily combo the illegal Latino struggle and attempt to imbue it with the majesty and honor of the Black. We Want ours!!! Now!!! What a loathesome group of rot...Our "mayor" is a dickless pansy to whatever annoying special intertest catches the polls, but please, as a black man who lives in the 217? Get lost. KJH and env BOTH have owned you...go away.

Env, et al. Wow. I read your posts, then re-read my comment and I have to say I am baffled at how angry you are at little ol' me. I express my sadness at how people acted in public and you attempt to ridicule me? I guess I should thank you for the concern over my emotional well-being? As the "PROBLEM" I may not live in your neighborhood, but I have an interest in my entire city not being a racist cesspool. Luckily, your amazingly angry and spiteful comments have handily proved my point about your neighborhood meeting. I don't personally care about what the street is called. What bothers me is your violent reaction to talking about it and your unwillingness to tell people like NativeBornSon that calling Latinos a "loathsome group of rot" is wrong. If you want people, including elected officials, to listen to your legitimate concerns about cost to businesses, inconvenience to residents, etc. don't be a party to that kind of crap by being a silent witness to it.

THis might come as a shocker to ENV, dieselboi and terry, but I understand why you're frustrated that the commissioners have waived the code. I understand that you're upset about how the Rosa Parks non-process went. I know you care about the name Interstate Avenue and don't want to see it go. So there. Do you want to make fun of my FEELINGS of understanding for your position?

Oh dear, sweet, sad, tear-filled Marrisa. No, fool, I care not about your "understanding" Not at all. As an "observer" of what goes on where I LIVE AND WORK I just want you and your sensitive feelings to fucking go back to YOUR neighborhood and "create change." Gee, I guess I am a gay racist for asking that you effect "awareness" where YOU LIVE because, shucks, I don't like it crammed down my throat where I work/live. Gosh, I suck. Oh, and by the way you HOMOPHOBE, I5 is STILL not call "Matthew Shepard Blessed Martyr Expressway" so SCREW YOU HOMOPHOBE for NOT stepping up for ME.
You DAMN HOMOPHOBE. MARISSA IS A TERRIBLE GAY HATING NAZI NIGHTMARE WHO MAKES ME WELL UP IN TEARS ALL THE DAMN TIME. Her obvious homophobia offends my sensitive gayness so stop it now. And change the name of I5 NOW BITCH.
Mari, your entire worldview, let alone this issue, is an utter joke. Try to get back to making some sense and you may not seem so pathetic. Just because "I'm sad" doesn't mean YOU have meaning. Sheesh.

'I know a GAY MAN,'In fact, once you say that I pretty much expect to be insulted.

That's my take. But what do I know, I'm just a FAG?, right?

Posted by Marissa | September 21, 2007 1:55 PM

Is this a person to be taken seriously in this debate? Never mind "It's not my neighborhood, but as an observer, I believe that blah blah blah..."
Jesus you GD fool, GO AWAY. You are a laughable caricature of a foolish, amateur "agent provacatuer" but clearly you are vastly too stupid to be that. Just curl up, little one, and go away. Let the grown ups talk.

Marissa,
I'm so glad you understand my frustration. Except its not frustration. Its outrage! People are and were just as attached to Portland Blvd as they are to Interstate Ave. The difference is that the proposal to change Interstate actually made it to the public consciousness. I guess they couldn't pull off doing it behind people's backs two years in a row.

Commissioner Dan Saltzman, the one who rammed the Rosa Parks proposal through illegally sent a report to the mayor on his little adventure in street re-naming and he essentially told ole Tom that they wouldn't be able to get Interstate renamed because there were too many businesses along it. That was why Commissioner Dan chose Portland Blvd, because there weren't too many businesses to object. Sandy Blvd was the street first proposed for Rosa Parks, what if any, other streets were looked at for Cesar Chavez? The committee supposedly chose Interstate after "careful consideration" did that consideration include neighborhood input? It would appear not.