I am really tired of people being accused of racism just because they don't agree with Maria Lisa Johnson.

I don't agree with you, Maria Lisa! Signed, The Racist Puerto Rican

"...they’ve had two hearings, at least 300 people each": Three hundred people each? Really?

"...what more public input could they get that would not be extending an abusive and racist platform for folks?”: "Abusive and racist"? Was she at the meetings? I was. "Abusive" is relative, but the meetings were no more abusive -- on either side -- than any American political debate on a controversial topic. Let's not pretend to be naive. "Racist"? I didn't hear anything racist. I heard stupidity -- from both sides. "Racist" specifics from the meetings would be appreciated.

The racial component to this dilemma is being blown entirely out of proportion.

More questions, as I muse on the issue:

"...two hugely attended public hearings": Yes. Hugely attended by people saying "no" to the name change. Should those people NOT be heard? Why? Should they be assumed to be racists? Why?

"Please don’t think I’m accusing you of racism, because I’m not": No, of course not. Methinks thou dost protest too much, Matt. Why should we NOT assume this is an implication of racism? Did you hear Leonard's statement at the Oct. 25 hearing? Did you hear his comments later? Did you hear the heartfelt "mea culpa" consistently present there? Do you think all that was just a lie?

Why, Matt, are you so opposed to a settlement that might satisfy both sides of this artifically produced argument?

...Why should we assume that the issues in North Portland will show up elsewhere in town? Why do you discount ENTIRELY the singular issues that North Portland brings to this discussion?

Maria Lisa: WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN during this discussion? Why didn't you put your two cents in earlier, when it might have made a difference? Why are you showing up now?

Thanks to the leadership of the Chavez committee and Marie Lisa Johnson, I have decided that anyone who disagrees with from now on shall automatically be labeled a homophobe!

Additionally, I have also decided that I don't even need to LISTEN to their response as to why they may not actually be a homophobic bigot. I'll simply walk out of the room. Just like the Chavez Committee!!

From the St. Johns Sentinel: "Potter was not the only person to walk out of the hearing early. Martha Guembes and Jose Romero, co-chairs of the Cesar E. Chavez Boulevard Committee, both left immediately after concluding their testimony before council. They were the first speakers called."

The irony here, when this whole thing started, is that I was totally "pro-Chavez Avenue" and was embarrassed by my fellow neighbors (in Overlook in my case). However as time went on and increasingly shrill and accusatory statements kept being made from the Chavez committee and individuals like Maria Lisa Johnson, I changed my mind. What once seemed an admirable project revealed itself to clearly be motivated by arrogance and ego with no intention whatsovever to respect or acknowledge diversity in community thought.

My BIGGEST question, however, is also an ego driven concern; Is an individual who once agreed with the Chavez committee but does no longer considered a racist?

"Please don’t think I’m accusing you of racism, because I’m not."

Would that be like me asking you about your realationship with your wife, Matt, and then ending with

"Please don't think I am accusing you of beating your wife, because I'm not."

To the general question of whether or not I was talking about "white people", the person I contacted and invited to be on the new task force was Roy Jay, the President of the African-American Chamber of Commerce.

And just to avoid any confusion, Matt, no...he is not white.

Anyone who can show up Matt "I'm the shizzle from the Londizzle" Davis up has got my vote! Every time! Sam who???

To avoid being called a racist, I'll just let Sean Cruz, a member of the Hispanic community in Portland sum up why M. Johnson's approach here and throughout the process has probably been so divisive and ill-received by so many: http://blogoliticalsean.blogspot.com/2007/10/word-on-cesar-chavez-renaming.html

Song for Cesar Chavez, Mexican American Chicano Cesar Chavez

Cesar Chavez was born a Mexican American, a Chicano

Cesar Chavez lived his life a Mexican American, a Chicano

Cesar Chavez struggled for justice a Mexican American, a Chicano

Cesar Chavez fasted his body away, a Mexican American, a Chicano

…achieving justice for his people

He wore his Mexican American his Chicano body away

…winning justice for his people

Cesar Chavez fasted a Mexican American, a Chicano

Cesar Chavez prayed a Mexican American, a Chicano

Cesar Chavez walked a Mexican American, a Chicano

Cesar Chavez prayed his body away, a Mexican American, a Chicano

…achieving justice for his people

He gave his Mexican American his Chicano body away

…winning justice for his people

Cesar Chavez fasted a Mexican American, a Chicano

Cesar Chavez prayed a Mexican American, a Chicano

Cesar Chavez walked a Mexican American, a Chicano

Cesar Chavez walked his body away, a Mexican American, a Chicano

…achieving justice for his people

He marched his Mexican American his Chicano body away

…winning justice for his people

Cesar Chavez was born a Mexican American, a Chicano

Cesar Chavez lived his life a Mexican American, a Chicano

Cesar Chavez struggled for justice a Mexican American, a Chicano

Cesar Chavez gave his body away, a Mexican American, a Chicano

…achieving justice for his people

He gave his Mexican American his Chicano body away

…winning justice for his people

Honor Cesar Chavez as you will

Honor Cesar Chavez as you will

Honor Mexican American Cesar Chavez

honor Chicano Cesar Chavez

honor the great Mexican-American hero Chicano Cesar Chavez as you will

Cesar Chavez was born a Mexican American, a Chicano

Cesar Chavez lived his life a Mexican American, a Chicano

Cesar Chavez struggled for justice a Mexican American, a Chicano

Cesar Chavez para siempre a Mexican American, a Chicano

...achieving justice for his people

...winning justice for his people

--Sean Cruz, Mexican American, Chicano Sean Cruz
November 2, 2007

Sean,

You have been such a voice of reason and so articulate in this whole unfortunate series of events that you have become my hero.

It breaks my heart that this has turned into something negative that is pitting people against each other, and I think you understand that it doesn't have to be this way and more importantly you are offering real and solid ways to turn it around.

Thank you.

So, back to the start. How do we really honor Cesar Chavez? Could it be by organizing and doing something of substance for working Latinos? I think I am most upset that we could be supporting and advocating for acceptance and unity when the very people who joined the boycott have now been left out of the movement.
We are at a crossroads. Either we make democracy work for every one or we continue with the same model which is crumbling in front of us. Yes, the point will come when we trade the white majority for the brown. The shame is that those of us who have not had a voice in the past will be recognized by our brothers, sisters, mothers and fathers who share our struggle.The true base of inequity is access to economic opportunity.

why not name the day laborer center after him?. honestly I can see him being happier with that rather than having a street named after him... we ARE still going to get a day labor center, right? along with a homeless access center?
I will do you one better, as most people in Portland who are homeless engage in day labor at some point, why not combine the two and call it the "Cesar Chavez Labor and Resource Access Center"... that way we could get two communities behind it and possibly get it build this decade!
or hell, change the "Yeller Line" max to the "Cesar Chavez on Interstate Ave". Blue/Red/Yellow/Green/Chartreuse(they are going to run out of cool colors at some point!)
or rename it "Interstate Avenue, Way of the Worker" like 82nd is "Avenue of the Roses"
honestly, I think that Chavez would be pissed over everyone wasting so much time over soothing egos and guilt.
if you want to rememeber the man, give the people Chavez represented something usefull, not some street named after the guy.
if you are going to use a street, take the west side of broadway (the downtown chunk) and rename it "Cesar Chavez Way" (I am sure the PBA would choke on that one)
or rename PGE Park after him, we could call it "Cesar Chavez/Civic Stadium" and get rid of the last of the Enrong smell around here
how about we rename the town of Tualitin after him
or get U.S. Bank corp to rename their tower after him "U.S. Bank's Chavez Plaza" (that would make the guy spin in his grave)
maybe that Baseball/Football park people are always talking about building, name it after the guy...
I guess my point is that why name a street after the guy in a neighborhood that does not want it, find someone who does want it.

Another bi-cultural bilingual US-American poster here. Give us, the people that live and work on and near Interstate, a VOTE, don't cram the name change down our throats via some select "we-know-better-than-you-do" committee, and maybe we'll be less averse to the name change.

this makes me sad and sick to my stomach.
I am leaving north portland for a neighborhood that the city will not touch...maybe lake o, or maybe sellwood, or even mississippi st., all I know is I have been pushed around long enough and I am not going to continue to live in an area that gets f'ed at every turn....I was willing to stand tall in the midst of shouts of "racist".....why weren't our "leaders"?