Cesar Chavez Boulevard Deserves a Process to Unite Portland

Thank you Sam. I think this makes very good sense. Hopefully this will make it to full council.

That's a good idea. But, I still think Interstate should be renamed someday. I think an ideal name for it would be Rothko Ave. in honor of one of America's most famous 20th century painters who was from Portland and had his first one man show at the Portland Art Museum.
Mark Rothko bio>
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Rothko

Thank you Sam, for taking a stand against having this decision rammed down the throats of the residents of N Portland.

Now if you can enlist the assistance of two more councilors, life would be great!

Thank you Sam for bringing reason back to the table. Nobody is going to feel honored if the process continues to play out as it has.

Dear Sam:
I am so sad that you are not going to help us change the name of Interstate to Cesar Chavez. I hope you will keep your pledge to find a suitable street. I think you will find some very vocal people in each neighborhood will react in the same unwelcoming way that we saw in Overlook and at the community meetings. As you mentioned the objections that were expressed in the public meeting had nothing to do with changing the name of Interstate. Perhaps a some people in my neighborhood feel changed out, but as I went door to door and spoke to my neighbors many of those who did not support the name change gave reasons that were much more related to who is welcome in the neighborhood.

From my point of view, changing the name of Interstate to Cesar Chavez says EVERYONE is welcome in North Portland. I moved here because I wanted to be in a welcoming neighborhood. As I went door to door, I found the majority of my neighbors feel the same way we want North Portland to be a place that is welcoming to all people, of all income groups, all races, renters, home owners all people. By backing away from this you are not helping us develop as a place that is welcome to all. I am so sad.

Why don't we rename every street in Portland? Because it is stupid and pointless and is a waste of money.

The magazine Portland Monthly has a very good article about re-naming streets, pointing out that re-naming a street that begins and ends in an area of the city that is already diverse really does nothing to bring awareness to the whole of Portland. The author suggests re-naming a street such as Broadway, which bisects the city and crosses the class barrier that the Willamette river represents; such a change would have much more impact.

I think a street in outer NE or SE makes more sense as more Latinos live in that area and will see and use it on a daily basis which will honor Chavez and inspire them at the same time.

We are discussing honoring a great American. A great American who severed his country in the Western Pacific in the aftermath of World War II. A great American, who as civil rights leader believed in the power of Democracy. He gave a voice to people who were so disenfranchised that they could not be heard. A great American, who helped create change in our Oregon Agricultural Industry. Using less harmful chemicals in the growing of the food we eat is now as popular as it is marketable. However, this is not a new concept. He knew that harmful and deadly chemicals should not be used. His efforts have help take toxic chemicals off the shelves of our markets and out of the hands of our children.

As Americans and as Portlanders we have the opportunity and the obligations to preserve history in the names of our Avenues and Boulevards. It reminds us of our past well perceiving our history for future generations. There have been previous efforts to honor this great American in this way. A city’s streets are a refection of how the society has developed and evolved. Let us show how far we have evolved as a city and finally give this great American the honor of a Boulevard in his name. Caesar E. Chavez Boulevard is a refection of how far Portland has come.

This debate is a reminder of how far we have yet to go.

But thanks to the efforts of this committee's we are reminded “Si se prede”!

A long time ago, my family was one of many who ate
no grapes or lettuce because Cesar Chavez said to boycott
them. I also joined in marches to show support. I wish
that some time ago, someone had asked for the help
and ideas of those of us who were here back then to
find ways to really honor this man. I wouldn't have
been for renaming a North Portland street at this time, but I would
have been thrilled to gather,in say, Pioneer Courthouse
Square to once again sign up---this time to honor him.
I was not at any of the meetings simply because in my
24 years in Kenton, I have quit going to any of the
meetings of the neighborhoods just because of the
inappropriate reactions of many of the neighbors. At
75 who needs the aggravation?

Thank you so much for delaying this. I feel like North Portland was being singled out for name changes. I still think the mayor should offer up his street and rename it. It costs a lot of money to do all these changes, for what? Build something new for Chavez.

Thank you for using this approach. I doubt highly if people on Hawthorne, NW 23rd over in Sellwood or on Broadway would be less passionate about the name of their street being changed without due process. I think the Mayor needs to stop dumping street name changes on North Portland as if they wouldn't care. I don't even live in North Portland anymore but I still love the area and have ties to the area. No one wants this needless change shoved down their throats. Try some other area and see what happens. We who grew up over in North Portland and those who live there now don't want this change. No one supports this and I always thought the people were the ones with the rights and that "elected leaders" were suppose to follow their wishes. Guess most of the leaders forgot-especially good old Tom.

Thanks for listening, responding and working positively toward a compromise solution. You have shown a willingness to change your goal, your opinion, your desire in light of new and relevant information. An important attribute, in my opinion, for those who lead.

I say leave our current street names and find a new process that includes popular opinion. The idea that city officials can act alone to decide these changes is wrong. People overwhelmingly support keeping Interstate Avenue as is. It is not racist to want to preserve your own area's history. I'm proud that people want to preserve it. Thank You

just cause they can yell louder. I support the name change and I appreciate the Mayor sticking to his guns. I also understand since he is not running again he has that luxury.

The are folks in North Portland that support the change. And that wonder where the traditionalists were when many working class were displaced from North Portland. Or when a sex shop opened across the street from a school.

Don't spend money renaming streets, use it to repair them.

Sam,

I voted for you as a commissioner and will be voting for you as mayor. You've always tried to bring the city together. The mayor tried to push through renaming north interstate without caring what the neighborhood felt or the majority of portland thought. From the beginning it seems as if your office would of been good to handle the rename process being in charge of transportation

The mayor walking out on the city council shows what a mess this truly became and shows that Potter is against anyone who disagrees with him. It would of been an easy way to just side with the mayor and rush through his personal mission of changing north interstate to cesar chavez but this wouldn't of been right. Your and Randy Leonard's proposal of more process makes sense. Thanks Sam.

With all of the real problems and the shortage of money
in our city, Why do you clowns waste time & money on stuff like this?

On the Oregonian opinion page this morning, there are several letters supporting Potter and re-naming a street to honor Chavez. I note that the supporters live in SW, NE, and SE Portland - which would indicate that a street in one of those areas should be re-named. Sam's proposal to open up the process to include all areas of Portland certainly makes sense.

I live in N Portland and feel this change is being considered without residents input. I will not vote for anyone in the future who votes for this change.

Why do people move here and think they need to change our history? These street names have signifigance to me as a life long resident of portland. None of the name changes have been for the better in my opinion. They had character and memories.
If they need a street name change to feel welcome here, they have a problem I think. They obviously didn't like where they lived before either.

Thanks for holding up on this issue. Years ago my father visited from Calif.,just after Union Ave. was renamed, and had a hard time finding my house. He lived in Portland in the 40's & 50s', and was sure he would not have any problems find it.

This renameing is very confusing to visitors with maps made prior to the change or who used to live here and are sure they know thier way around.

Who has to pay for the new street signs? Why should businesses and residents have to pay to change thier stationary, busniness cards and other items? Who is going to pay for them to contact family and business assc. of the changes?

Unless it is those who want the change to be made, the change should not be made.

Please respond if you think I am wrong about this.

Thank You for serving us and our city.

Say what?
MLK and Rosa Parks did do something that effected EVERY American !!
What Cesar Chavez did only effect a minority of American and illegals working the in the fields and very little to do with Portland!
Does this make him a good candidate for renaming a street in Portland?
I think not.
Heck,, Jimmy Hoffa effected more Americans then Chavez!!
Should we rename a street after him?
Sincerely, Jim M.
SE Portland

PS, I will vote against any commisioner in the next election that votes for any street to be renamed for Chavez,,

Don't understand!!! Who decides to change the names of the steets of a neigborhood. We are a neigborhood. We know the people that run the businesses on Interstate by name. When we walk from our homes to the local bowling alley or resturant,stores,beauty salons on Intestate Ave. I have lived in North Portland my whole life. Do we not count? We don't want every street name in our neigborhood changed. We live here in Arbor Lodge, Overlook area because we like it here.

I think a better and more organized way is for the city council to keep a list of approved names. When a new street or park or building needs a name it's right there ready for naming. There will be some controversy (of course) when a name approved later on the list seems more appropriate but a lot of the anger will be gone because it's on the Approved List.

I live in St Johns. There are a large amount of Hispanics living here. Ever think about renaming Fessenden??? People have a hard time pronouncing and spelling it besides endangering your life trying to cross it. There are very few businesses to impact and a future streetcar on this street would go a long way to
revitalizing this part of the neighborhood. Actually, Cesar Chavez Street and Streetcar sounds good.

Growing up here in Portland in the 50's and 60's in a working class family, Cesar Chavez was someone I greatly admired. I haven't bought any commercial grapes since I learned about the grape boycott about 1972.

I think naming a street for C. Chavez is a great idea, but I would vote for a street that doesn't already have a great name. The first ones I thought of were Greeley, on the North side, and Holgate, on the South side.

Thanks for this opportunity... I wish we could have a city-wide vote.

Just wanted to thank you for trying to make this a fair and public process.

After the no-process Rosa Parks renaming, and this laughably dishonest Chavez "if you oppose this you're racist" debacle, it's becoming increasingly clear that the Council has decided that North Portland is intended to be the dumping ground for street renames.

Perhaps during this process you could work with the Council to clarify just how many of our streets we can expect to see renamed over the next 10 or so years.

Another option is to work with long range planning to create an overlay zone "SRD" for Street Rename District.

That would add some facade of legitimacy and predictability to these sort of things. The Council could point to the map instead of telling people they hate if they don't want to see their streets renamed.

Much as the controversy surrounding the wildly unpopular renaming of Portland Blvd after Rosa Parks, a sreet with no bus line ironically enough, it cannot be overstated that our community's resistance to this option is not based on racial indifference. Rather it is about protecting what little history we've left to preserve following years of hostile occupation by guileless real estate peddlers, flippers, developers and yes, Californians.
If one must insist of the racial overtones of said topic, one might also consider the potential racism concerning the choice to rename a fairly sundry avenue over that of say, SW Vista?
This well-intentioned gesture is simply not the will of the people.
Stick to your guns on this one Sam.

...than when people who perceive themselves historically aggreived think that that gives them license to accuse their opponents of trying to oppress them when all that's happening is that they're being asked to take the time and do the work to get majority community buy-in for their proposals.
Thus, I, the foreign-born son of a Salvadoran mother whose English (while now excellent) was not her first language, who grew up in a bi-cultural and bilingual household and who have read García Márquez and Don Quixote in the original, am among those accused of racism for opposing a top-down unrepresentative street-renaming process. Never mind that I'd do the exact same thing if they wanted to use the same process to change the name to Jefferson Davis St. or Mother Theresa Parkway or Whitey Ave.

Dear Sam,

Time's up for the debate. So many racial inflated meetings and public hearings are enough. Chavez deserves an Up or Down vote today, not after Mayoral Elections or when it's convenient.

Dear Sam,

Maybe you can remind Mayor Potter and the Other Council member's Who they work for and who put them into office.It was not the Minority But the Majority .And last time I checked Majority Rules ....Now I hope Charlene McGee and Others Who are into the Bullying and Intimadation Of elected offcials do Remember those who Vote's against this .....And when The member's of the City Counil That voted against this stay in Office Or Move to a higher Office ..They also remeber The the lack of support they really do have .........

And maybe you can Remind King Potter that he is not the Ruler Of this City ....He is Just an Employee ..

Sam,

Majorities aren't always right.

Segregationists in the Little Rock Community of Arkansas, Anti-Semantic groups around the world including Nazis, Homophobics accross the US and traditionalists.

Progress always bring a political prize in times of change.

Where do we stand in Portland today and tomorrow?

...if Interstate Avenue's name isn't changed, so, while I agree with MBT that majorities aren't always right, the (numerical) majority IS right in this case, and should have the determining say in whether its landmark street name is changed or not.

I wasn't at any of the meetings, but I don't doubt that some benighted idiots scattered among the opponents of the name change said some ugly racist things. For that I'm embarassed, and disgusted. That does not mean that the accusations of reaction and racism apply to the majority of those who oppose this name change. My liberal cred is as strong as anyone's here, I think. "Liberal" should not mean "supporting a top-down, undemocratic, unrepresentative process because some liberal brethren had good intentions in proposing something."

I want to see Chavez honored as a great American, and not the object of further strife. Honoring an important American hero should have been a civilized process.

It started badly when the city council chose not to follow it's own guidelines for renaming ANY street. It has now degenerated into a Kindergarten brawl, complete with name-calling, bullying, and tantrums from all sides.

We missed an opportunity when the city renamed Portland Blvd. for Rosa Parks. Instead of a relatively obscure North Portland street, we could have honored Mrs. Parks far more suitably by naming the new downtown transit mall for her. After all, she made her contribution to the cause of Civil Rights from a bus seat.

Stick to your position, Sam, and work on Randy and Eric to change their minds!

Sam, today is the time to Act. Not when it's appropiate.

FROM MARTIN LUTHER KING JR

"One of the basic points in your statement is that the action that I and my associates have taken .in Birmingham is untimely. Some have asked: "Why didn't you give the new city administration time to act?" The only answer that I can give to this query is that the new Birmingham administration must be prodded about as much as the outgoing one, before it will act. We are sadly mistaken if we feel that the election of Albert Boutwell as mayor. will bring the millennium to Birmingham. While Mr. Boutwell is a much more gentle person than Mr. Connor, they are both segregationists, dedicated to maintenance of the status quo. I have hope that Mr. Boutwell will be reasonable enough to see the futility of massive resistance to desegregation. But he will not see this without pressure from devotees of civil rights. My friends, I must say to you that we have not made a single gain civil rights without determined legal and nonviolent pressure. Lamentably, it is an historical fact that privileged groups seldom give up their privileges voluntarily. Individuals may see the moral light and voluntarily give up their unjust posture; but, as Reinhold Niebuhr has reminded us, groups tend to be more immoral than individuals."

"I had hoped that the white moderate would understand that law and order exist for the purpose of establishing justice and that when they fan in this purpose they become the dangerously structured dams that block the flow of social progress. I had hoped that the white moderate would understand that the present tension in the South is a necessary phase of the transition from an obnoxious negative peace, in which the Negro passively accepted his unjust plight, to a substantive and positive peace, in which all men will respect the dignity and worth of human personality. Actually, we who engage in nonviolent direct action are not the creators of tension. We merely bring to the surface the hidden tension that is already alive. We bring it out in the open, where it can be seen and dealt with. Like a boil that can never be cured so long as it is covered up but must be opened with an its ugliness to the natural medicines of air and light, injustice must be exposed, with all the tension its exposure creates, to the light of human conscience and the air of national opinion before it can be cured."

http://www.africa.upenn.edu/Articles_Gen/Letter_Birmingham.html

And he was right. But be serious, how can ANYONE consider these two situations equivalent in any way shape or form? Please. Quoting Dr. King's "Letters from a Birmingham Jail" in this context trivializes his work and vision.

If Interstate Ave. doesn't get renamed for César Chávez...

...will anyone be denied service in a restaurant if he or she has the money to pay the check?

...will anyone be passed over for a job or promotion if he or she is qualified for it?

...will anyone be denied housing, or the right to cast a ballot, or anything else because of his or her skin color?

No to all of them. (Don't get me wrong, unfortunately and embarrassingly, all of these still happen, but NOT because some street hasn't been renamed.)

This false framing of normal everyday controversies as civil rights issues is why many people don't take some latter-day activists seriously. Dr. King was writing about real civil rights issues, and he'd be appalled at this attempt to use his words to justify the unrepresentative, "my-way-or-the-highway" process this has been so far.

Mark my words, if this top-down renaming edict passes on November 15th by a vote of the City Council, a good number, probably a majority, of North Portlanders will resent the folks who cast those yes votes for a long time. Again, it's THE PROCESS that we'll resent, not the late César Chávez or his name.

I think MLK makes a great point.

Clearence Thomas also reiterates in Time magazine (Nov.08) he was told by T. Marshall to "do what he could in the time being".

We certainly do not have different buses or different restaurants, if activists, like the Cesar Chavez Cmte. had not spoken.

Every decade has different challenges, today is Sam's turn to show his light and legacy that will follow him.

I am also sure people in Little Rock, AR felt the same way about Change as Opponents in North Portland.

Si Se Puuede Sam!

MBT--
So now you're saying that getting a particular street named after an ethnic minority hero is a civil right on par with being served in a restaurant or being able to cast a vote? Wow. What's next, the "right" to have a pony?

How about instead, living wages for all, affordable and accessible housing and health care for all, good educational opportunities for all, a clean environment for all, etc.?

But no, by all means, campaign for this cheap and easy civil "right."

WAY TO GO MBT!!!

Bringing progress and equality to Portland is demanded from all our leaders. Sam needs to make a decision on whether to conform with the status quos or have the courage to take a brave step.

I am sure it is not easy to be unpopular, but that is leadership and it is a civil rights and equality issue.

No matter how hard traditionalists try to portray it as a minor and unimportant event in order to prevent the digestion of reason and progress.

It is an issue for progressives today and a civil rights stand for our city.

"I had hoped that the white moderate would understand that law and order exist for the purpose of establishing justice and that when they fan in this purpose they become the dangerously structured dams that block the flow of social progress. I had hoped that the white moderate would understand that the present tension in the South is a necessary phase of the transition from an obnoxious negative peace, in which the Negro passively accepted his unjust plight, to a substantive and positive peace, in which all men will respect the dignity and worth of human personality. Actually, we who engage in nonviolent direct action are not the creators of tension. We merely bring to the surface the hidden tension that is already alive. We bring it out in the open, where it can be seen and dealt with. Like a boil that can never be cured so long as it is covered up but must be opened with an its ugliness to the natural medicines of air and light, injustice must be exposed, with all the tension its exposure creates, to the light of human conscience and the air of national opinion before it can be cured."

Do not cave to this line of thinking that says "you're just like Bull Connor et al. if you don't agree to change Interstate Avenue's name willy-nilly."

Your constituents in North Portland will remember your principled stand as expressed in your statement above, and vote accordingly. Even bi-cultural, bilingual from childhood ones like me (the ones who aren't slaves to identity politics, anyway).

Why not rename 4th Avenue?

Wouldn't it be nice if Commissioner Sam and the rest of City Hall could proudly proclaim on their websites, letterhead and business cards:

Commissioner Sam Adams
Portland City Hall
1221 S.W. Cesar Chavez Boulevard
Portland, OR 97204

Let's face it, what is the significance of "Fourth Avenue"? It's JUST A NUMBER! The Latino Community can then be proud that one of the busiest and main thoroughfares in downtown Portland - one that houses the County Courthouse, City Hall, and a slew of other significant businesses, would have "Cesar Chavez Boulevard" addresses.

Then at the north end of Cesar Chavez Boulevard (at the railroad tracks near Union Station) could be a massive redevelopment plan complete with a Cesar Chavez statue that MAX encircles.

It sounds like wonderland. This is not about appeacing Latinos. This is about our city's stand on equality and civil rights.

I am sure Sam knew about the "available streets" list when the Cesar Chavez Cmte. was referred in the first place. Now that it has a progressive and political price, we are back pedaling. Come on.

...about _denying_ everyone but the Chávez Committee and three Commissioners and maybe 80% of North Portland (scientific poll done for KATU) residents their right to keep the street name as they want it.

We shall see whether this stands long term, assuming it goes through for now. After all, once King Tom is out of office, there's nothing to stop people from going through the normal process to get the old name back.

I guess I don't understand why it HAS to be Interstate and there's no flexibility about picking another arterial. Why not Killingsworth? Why not Broadway downtown? If it's about making a statement for equality, why MUST it be Interstate? What makes renaming Interstate more a statement about equality than renaming Broadway?

"This is about our city's stand on equality and civil rights."

How? No one has presented a sensible, legitimate answer to this question: how is this a civil rights issue?

Here's a second question: why are the basic concepts of deliberative democracy being ignored in this case?

Here's a third question: have the individuals and groups attempting to push this down the throats of the majority of the community considered the repercussions of doing so? By attempting to force something like this in an underhanded way you are betraying the trust of individuals that support civil rights, equity, and deliberative democracy. In other words, you are poisoning a wellspring of support for no good reason.

...the Mayor and the Chávez Committee apparently subscribe to the philosophy expressed in the old Yogi Berra quote--"Winning isn't everything, it's the ONLY thing." As long as everything goes their way, and EXACTLY their way, they don't care how they got to that result, or how many people they pissed off. I guess that makes them feel that they're "the Deciders" or something.

Dear Sam,
Thank you for supporting the North Portland neighborhood. I was stunned when I heard that a committee wanted to change the name. I could not figure out any reason other then some one needed a project. I was at a garage sale 3 blocks from my house in the Overlook Neighborhood when I heard a woman asking people to sign a petition. One of the ladies at the garage sale was from Seattle and told the woman "I'm not from here". The woman with the petition said "it's Ok we just need your support", the garage sale lady said "No, I'm not from from Oregon". The petition woman pressed it saying she just needed the support. I was appled, she wanted someone that no only didn't live in the area but was from another State to support changing the name of a street. I felt betrayed, I thought the Chávez Committee said they had the neighboorhood's support, it's clear to me they were not looking for neighborhood but any support they could get and then claim it the people wanted the change.

I applaud your stand on Interstate Avenue. I think if the city council members would step back and see the situation for what it is, all would agree with your proposal.

Please, fight for the people and stop this street renaming.

LLaBeck

According to excellent research by Isaac Laquedem, "Chapter 17.93 of the City Code sets out stringent criteria that must be met before the City can rename a street to honor a deceased person. One of the criteria is that the City cannot rename the street if the existing name is of historical significance. In this case the existing name is of historical significance, representing not the whim of a defunct developer but (I surmise) the decision of a long-ago mayor (likely Mayor George L. Baker, whose term started in 1917) and his Council to commemorate the opening of the first bridge between Oregon and Washington by renaming the street leading to the bridge in celebration."

So why is the City Council being allowed to break accepted and established criteria for naming the streets of Portland?

The City of Portland is thinking of re-naming Interstate Avenue for Cesar Chavez. I remember that he did a lot for getting better pay for primarily migrant farm workers but I don't recall that his work did much to benefit the average Portland citizen. Recently what I see is a "frenzy" to re-name Portland streets to honor people in recent history. Way before any of those should have been honored George Washington Carver should have been honored. He found so many discoveries fore the use of primarily the peanut but it benefited all races, both genders and much of his work is still valid today, all while a member of a race looked down on. Now that is a legacy! One person explained to me why he had not been honored locally: "He was a scientist and scientists don't get awards , the awards go to people work in the political arena". If we wanted to honor a union leader for advancing the cause of his constituents I would think the first president of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers would be a high contender. His major drive was for electrical safety in the industry as half of the linemen died in on the job accidents at that time. Apparently the job as Union President didn't pay well if at all and he died in office working as an electrician in an electrical accident. All electricians in Portland are directly affected by electrical safety originally spearheaded by this person while all Portlanders benefit from improved electrical safety. I can't remember his name, perhaps he needs a street named after him so we can remember him. Both of these heroes did their work before Cesar Chaves was.
The other day I heard that one of the Portland politicians had inferred that if you weren't for the name change you were racist! I am not sure how that person knew it was racist not sexist or ageist but that one really torqued me. If I were neutral to begin with on the subject that comment alone would have taken me through NO straight to HELL NO! After all if a proposition is so weak that a supporter needs to use the "'ist" card to support it then the proposition shouldn't be passed.
I know where Interstate avenue is and have internalized where it is changing a street name always dumbfuses me, doesn't Portland create any new streets that could be named for him?
Lastly, the Tram had massive over-runs, we have sewage overflows, the police dept has shot mentally deficient and drugged stupid (as opposed to drugged dangerous) persons apparently due to lack of training, the water bureau is expensive and appears surly. Do you think the majority of the citizens of Portland think changing the names of any Portland streets is a priority use of city commission time?

Philip P. Straka
10732 NE Prescott ST
Portland Or 97220

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-9oBB3pqa0

Commissioner Adams, I generally agree with your approach to this issue,but I'm puzzled by your statement that you "do not fault the advocates for the process that has been used. They have proceeded based on the early advice they got from City Hall."

The City Code sets out a clear process that must be followed by anyone who wants to rename a street after a famous person, and in this case the advocates didn't follow it. They seem to have ignored it, which isn't a way to make friends in a city that's driven by process, and the shrill few who shout "racist" at anyone who points out that they haven't followed the rules don't make any friends for their cause.

I propose a bigger and possibly better solution for naming a street for Cesar Chavez. I respect the desire to honor Chavez as well as the great investment that those living and doing business on Interstate Avenue have already made. I suggest that the city council and the mayor move beyond their currently fractured process and petition the state of Oregon to name the apparently nameless stretch of Interstate 5 running from the Rose Quarter to Jantzen Beach as Cesar Chavez Freeway.

It has a bigger profile than Interstate Avenue and runs through the same part of the city. Yes, it would require action by the state, but the entire section of freeway is within the City of Portland. If the entire council and the mayor made this request in unison, they might even get support from the state and federal officials representing the region.

The city could even assist the state with the cost of replacing signage and branding of the stretch of freeway. A far better use of time and money than the alternative legal and emotional wrestling match that they are currently pursuing.

The point is to honor the man. I have seen little honor in either side of the current debate.

Why do people move here to Portland and think they need to change our history? These street names have historical signifigance to me as a life long resident 50+yrs. of Portland.

A. Miller, Where do you come from? The same part of the country that the commissioners came from.(we don't research enough)
Us who live and grew up here know better. This part of I-5 does in fact have a name. It was named after the North Portland Street that was there before the freeway. Maybe named for a different State but it still has a name...can you guess the name? Do the research....

See this is the problem....lets just rename a street. To heck with the history of the area.

Call it "equality and civil rights issue, We'll get it changed", is the attitude. They yell, RACIST if they don't get their way!

My question is where do the people that want this come from? Where did they grow up? NOT HERE!

Why a street? Give him a Building, a Park, or a Statue.

STOP Renaming OUR streets!

My mistake on the name of Interstate 5 on the former Minnesota street corridor. I didn't know it had a name. How could I since nobody calls it that, it is not on maps, Oregon Department of Transportation doesn't consider it official, and I have never seen a sign calling it that. But I do know the history of the street and the houses on it being condemned. If you feel strongly about the name Minnesota Freeway, and the history it invokes, then you should do something about that. Otherwise it would appear the perfect candidate for the name Chavez. Give it a higher purpose.

For the record, since brought it up, and falsely assumed otherwise. I come from here. My family came across on the Oregon Trail before this was a state. My ancestors placed their names on geographic features and roads without bothering to ask the previous residents nor those to come later their opinions.

I believe in honoring and understanding history, but if I, my family, and others didn't believe in change, this place you are defending wouldn't exist in the first place.

Back to the real issue. The city needs to follow their stated processes, in this and many other arenas, or change them.

I can't believe a small but well represented group is pushing this through city council using the race card. For some reason I feel the need to qualify my statements by saying that I have a degree in Latin American Studies and fully appreciate the struggle our Latin citizens have gone through. Cesar Chavez certainly is a hero deserved of recognition.

However, I am also a North Portland resident who does not understand why Interstate Avenue was picked as the street for renaming. It doesn't seem to fit the neighborhood or community at all.

I also resent that this is the second name change in as many years and that it's being pushed through with limited public process and an unwillingness to consider alternatives.

I already miss "Portland Boulevard"....

If you add up all the cost that renaming a street cost the business community and the city to print the signs. It would be more cost effective to just name a NEW street. It creates enough headaches when trying to find a business and see that the street doesn't exsist any more.
Look what happened when we HAD to change UNION St to MLK. Did it improve the street NNNOOOO!! just caused headache, for business and consumer.
It makes more since to create a new streets with the names you want.
Lets start getting real and make the money we pay the government be spent more wisely!!!

Lets see if this gets posted!!

Sam –
Thank you, and Randy, for proposing a sound and fair solution to this issue. While I certainly agree that renaming one of Portland’s major streets in honor of Cesar Chavez is a good idea, I can not support doing so without the community’s support. The street renaming resolution and process you proposed is the best way to ensure that this, and future street renaming, is done in a manner that best reflects the desires of the community – the Portland way of doing things.

I marched as a young college student with Cesar Chavez (didn't know him personally) and boycotted grapes. I marched on behalf of Angela Davis, too.

I am, personally, an immigrant woman. Cesar deserves better than this. At first, I didn't care one way or the other. Now, the point is totally lost, if there ever was one.

I am ashamed of the way my neighborhood groups responded. But, I had resigned from my local group a year or two ago over the way things were done.

We all belong where we choose to be. The is no special status for your family history that is passed to you. Give that up! Likewise, there is no special status because you have been done wrong, no matter which side of this street you are on.

This "honor" has been lost on both sides.

Pick up you gauntlets and go home.

I whole-heartedly agree that while I would support that we honor Cesar Chavez, North Portland doesn't need to be hit with another street to be re-named. I was already dissapointed that there wasn't another option for Rosa Parks Ave., like perhaps the suggestion that we rename a main downtown transit mall street. On to Chavez - why not a park? It seems right here in North Portland we have a park named Columbia Park, and Columbia Annex park. What is the historical significance there? I'm sure there are several others with names that could stand some transformation. In my opinion, A park speaks more to community than a street.

Thanks for standing strong on this one.

Does anyone alive still care? I nominate Terwilliger Boulevard for renaming to Cesar Chavez Boulevard.

Name a park not a Historic street. Very costly for the city for sign changes all up and down Interstate - also for many businesses. It makes sense to name a park or install a statue.

Since when is it OK for politicans to unilaterally decide they don't need to follow the rules? What is the point of having a process set out if you are not going to follow it? The people vote for their representatives to do the will of the people, and to follow the process set forth in the constitution and municipality by-laws. I think it is ridiculous that the City Council is trying to ram this through without following procedure, and giving those affected a voice. There seems to be no willingness to consider alternatives. And to add insult - anyone not agreeing to this change is accused of being 'racist'. This is outrageous!

I personally am not in favor of renaming streets lightly. I am a native Portlander, and I think we have a right to preserve a sense of our own city's history as well. I still drive regularly on "Portland Boulevard", and I drive daily on both "Front Avenue" and "Union Avenue". This isn't taking anything away from Bill Naito, MLK or Rosa Parks, but I am just not sure that having their names hanging on a bunch of graffiti-covered street signs is really the best way to honor them. How about a nice Park, that won't require all surrounding businesses to incur a lot of expense? OR, how about renaming City Hall, or a courthouse? The Federal Building was renamed without all the controversy, after all . . .

Once you're finished with Interstate, how about pursuing the renaming of Stark Street after Harvey Milk? Not only was he a historical name in gay history, he was also an elected official in his city of San Franciso until he was murdered by another peer.

Now, a historic figure who truly has a Portland and Northwest connection, and who has not been recognized, is Mr. Woody Guthrie. A legendary folk singer, songwriter, and crusader for worker and human rights, Guthrie lived for a short time at 6111 SE 92nd Avenue in the Lents neighborhood while writing songs for the Bonneville Power Administration in 1941. He'd actually stopped in Portland before that and got himself arrested on vagrancy charges. Of course, Mr. Guthrie might see the irony in naming a street after him in the city of which he wrote, "Portland is a place where rich ones run away to settle down and grow flowers and shrubbery to hide them from the massacres they’ve caused. Portland is the rose garden town where the red, brown, blackshirt cops ride up and down to show you their finest horses and saddles and gunmetal. Mentally Portland is the deadest spot you ever walked through. She’s a good 30 years behind Seattle" (Library of Congress LP)."

How 'bout naming one of our major streets after Woody Guthrie -- a titan of American song, the true torchbearer to the likes of Bob Dylan, the author of "Roll On, Columbia, Roll On," "This Land is Your Land," "Portland Town," and "Way Up in That Northwest."

Thank you, Commissioner, for a more reasonable, transparent approach. I hope you are successful in delaying any decision on what to name for Cesar Chavez until there can be a full public discussion.
I live just off of MLK and was surprised and dismayed to see Portland Blvd renamed without any neighborhood input. I totally support honoring courageous Americans in the public realm, but I really don't care for renaming streets seemingly on a whim. It takes away our sense of "rootedness" for those of us who live here. It has nothing to do with whomever the honoring is intended - it has everything to do with the neighborhood's sense of place. Let us decide for ourselves how to honor Mr Chavez and Rosa Parks.
Thank you for all of your good work.

There have and will continue to be people who make positive changes to our society. There are positive ways to honor people but to honor someone and at the same time create such a division is just wrong.

People who grew up and continue to live in areas of Portland feel a connection and a sense of history to their community. By changing names of streets to honor one person at the same time can and will have a negative effect on so many more people.

Please look for a way of honoring those people who have done great things but in a more positive and less intrusive way.

Sam - and those who are reading these posts (some very thoughtful and informative; some not so much):

This feels like an important defining moment for us - not just those of us who live in North Portland, but for the entire city. And I'm not referring at all to whether Interstate gets renamed or not - that's almost become a side issue in the face of what is a needless and utterly heartbreaking wrenching apart of this community due to an ill-conceived and even more poorly implemented process. And make no mistake, this has everything in the world to do with process: who feels heard, who feels understood and respected, and, just as importantly, by whom.

The evidence of this: the frequency of people talking about one another instead of to one another. Interests to become ossified into positions, which few if any are prepared to alter - espeically now that the exchange of insults is what is passing for "dialogue" on the matter. What is most saddening is that this renaming proposal had the potential of raising some awareness and appreciation of the richness of this community, but now has only added yet another fracture. And may I be so bold to add that, at least from where I sit, spokespersons from all sides of this issue have contributed greatly to this exceedingly unfortunate denouement. But it doesn't have to be this way - there may still be time to repair some of the damage, heal the wounds, and really LISTEN to different people's perspectives with an open mind and open heart.

What I would plead for at this point is to heed Sam's advice - take a time out, deep breath, just stand down. Understanding the stress of a community and managing that tension effectively is a central task of public leadership - not taking a stand and sticking to it no matter what. What this issue fairly begs for is a process that simply isn't amenable to doing adequately in the time the city council (or mayor) has made available to do it.

The future of this community - not to mention its faith in and relationship with its governing body - is at stake. Surely that's worth taking more time to consider a community conversation that could strengthen our ties, and not potentially and irrevocably sever them.

Robin Teater
North Portland/Arbor Lodge Neighborhood

North Portland community has missed a great opportunity to stand up and stand out in many Portlander's eyes by failing to embrace the honor of having one of its main streets renamed after a great American leader and advocate for non-violent change.
In reacting with such a negative tone, so often, this community has further offended many Americans of hispanic origin...the fastest growing segment of the broader community.
In addition the opponents to Cesar Chaves Blvd North Portland have generated a ton of negative buzz in the press and media, giving an unfair and inaccurate impression.
But last and most important, North Portlanders have are missing a grand opportunity to create even more new energy up and down this transportation corridor...imagine a Cinco de Mayo parade down Cezar Chavez Blvd. from Kenton to the Rose Quarter. This failure leaves me sad and reflects poorly on all Portlanders. Que Lastima.

Thank you, Sam!
I really appreciate you listening to the people who live in North Portland.
Maria Cabanilla

Another vote against renaming Interstate. Does the City plan to reimburse all the owners affected for their time and costs involved in the change? I suppose this is sort of like a tax on those affected, not the City as a whole.

What bothers me most about the support of some politicians for this proposed change, and the previous re-naming of Portland Blvd, is that it is a very high profile method of appearing to do something about serious community issues, without actually doing anything substantive.

The only thing I learned from the Rosa Parks change was that my city government really does not care about the the feelings of my local community, and that pandering to special interests is alive and well. The residents along Interstate are at least getting a public hearing or two . . . the Rosa Parks change did not follow the City's own procedures. For what it's worth, many of my older African American neighbors still call MLK by its original name, Union Avenue. You want to spend some money on equality? How about cleaning our streets the same way you do in swanky NW Portland, posting signs and clearing the streets of cars and hosing it down . . . right now you meander a street sweeper around all the cars, leaving the vast majority of garbage and leaves behind.

I do like the idea of picking a street in a non-hispanic area, wealthier part of town, that makes some sense, if honoring the man and educating the public is really the mission.

Sam, I grew up in Vancouver, arrived there during WW11.
Interstate Ave will always be just that to me. If a street is chosen to be renamed for Cesar Chavez I think it would be more applicable to have it in the Latino community. Probably some street in SE. Division would work for me. It could start at 92nd and with the help of Gresham run out to it's intersection with Powell.
Rob Brostoff
Cascade Locks, Or

For pete sack name a park or somthing.It wont cost as much leave the streets alone......

I really hope you do not support this and invest the almost the million dollar ($1,000,000) the city will have to spend on that in repairing the 10-year paving backlog we have instead! If you end up supporting this I will start a committe North-Portland-not voting-for-Sam-for-mayor.com in the next election. I hope you can talk to the other comissioners to make an effort to follow a process that involves all.

Thank you for being relevant- (I apologize in advance for the jab at Potter). You and Commissioner Leonard have proposed a process that is in the best interest of all Portlander's by stating that we as residents are relevant to decisions that impact our neighborhoods. The renaming of a major street in Portland to honor Cesar Chavez is a glorious thing and should bring out the best in us, not the worst. The issue with the renaming of Interstate is not racism-but a feeling that community input is merely a token gesture. Many honest, sincere and pro-Chavez suggestions have come forth from residents of the neighborhoods and no doubt may have already been considered by the Cesar Chavez Committee. I do have a question- Will the Cesar E Chavez Street Naming Committee identified in your resolution consist of only those members of the original Cesar Chavez Committee, or a mix of Portlanders selected by council?
That might be a dumb question?

Thanks in advance for pledging to vote against the name change tomorrow. The tactics used to rename Ptld Blvd reminded me of Bush going into Iraq, and this round is even worse. And, in this of all neighborhoods, which has been jerked around over and over again, every time a politician needs a quick fix or is afraid to stand up to bullying. What ever happened to The City That Works and Process?

I support naming streets after famous Americans. The group proposing the name change should be responsible for all costs of renaming a street, not the residents and businesses. If they raise the money to completely cover the costs, to the residents, businesses and city, then it should be seriously considered by the council.

Over SW Broadway Ave, at PSU, on the pedestrian overpass is inscribed the motto "Let Knowledge Serve the City." One of the United Farmwrokers offshoot groups, Rural Legal Assistance, succssfully sued UC at Davis, CA to stop technical progress in agricultural harvesting-Why? Because they would lose jobs! Since then we have been left behind in farm machinery by European countries, Japan and Australia. And our country has been flooded with illegal immigrants, who supposedly come to do agricultural work but take other jobs instead.

Stop liberal hypocrisy. Don't rename anything after these boneheads.

No Name Change .. Enough Now .. Portland Native .. Since 1927 ..
And here is a great blog I found doing a Google search.. scroll down for good pictures.

http://cafeunkown.blogspot.com/2007/09/interstate-this-blog-caf-unknown-is-not.html

Maybe this one will work better...Then scroll way down to: previous Posts & click on the 2ed one...

If I-84 can be called "The Banfield", why can't I-217 or HWY 26 be called "The Chavez"? Limiting an honorarium to one neighborhood demeans Mr. Chavez- his influence was, and is, felt Statewide and Nationwide.

Thank you!!!!!!! You renewed my faith in city hall. You have my vote for mayor. I feel like this is the first time people who live in this nieghborhood have been listened to.

Let's see, the shoving a name change on Interstate didn't work so hot, so what next? Let's shove it on everyone on SW 4th without process either to atone!

You've really outdone yourself now, you didn't learn very well from Vera, she at least knew enough not to piss everybody off at once. I've never seen darker comedy in the CoP and I grew up here! How can you screw up something this simple this badly?

I look forward to more reactionary and behind closed doors decisions once you are mayor. Stick to buying Homer Williams parking spaces. Congratulations!

Thank you for 'getting it'. It is the westside's turn for a name change. In this entire debate I never heard a negative word about Cesar Chavez. This was never about him, it was about a small group of latino 'leaders' who wanted to prove that they could force the council to make this change to a community that had already had their share of name changes. Their reaction to 4th avenue proves that it was always about their own power and self aggrandizement.

Thanks, Sam, for staying steadfast despite the Chávez committee's packing the room with supporters of the Interstate name change. The street named for Chávez is both more prominent and more important, being downtown.

I live in North Portland and work on 4th. Changing 4th avenue is more of a personal hassle to me than changing Interstate, but 4th is a better choice.

It has more pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicle traffic, higher visibility, and is bordered by several City buildings (including City Hall), our downtown mall, and a park. I don't think you could find a single outside objective observer who would disagree that renaming a prominent downtown street would be a greater honor to Chavez (or anyone else) than renaming Interstate.

However, the renaming committee came out strongly against choosing a more prominent and visible street to honor Chavez. Apparently that's an insult. A greater honor is an insult. They'd rather force the rename on an area that already feels abused by the City, than take a greater honor for their supposed cause.

They've lost their way. The North Portland residents who've been recklessly and spitefully accused of racism for opposing *another* unsupported street rename, have known that for a while. Now it is clear as day for everyone else.

So thank you. Both for providing an even greater honor for Chavez, and underlining just how absurd this situation has become.

In the future, please follow the City rules regarding street renames. They're there to protect the Council as well as residents and neighborhoods.

While I am not exactly a fan of naming ANY street after Cesar Chavez, I'd rather 4th Avenue be renamed than Interstate, for that 4th Avenue doesn't have a symbolic meaning to its existing name. (And I say this as being employed on S.W. 4th Avenue.)

However, I am most frustrated at the total lack of compromise that the Latino activist community has shown. They feel that there is no compromise - it MUST be Interstate and nothing else.

WHY?!!! Show me ONE valid reason why it must be Interstate Avenue. Did Cesar Chavez lead a massive rally down Interstate Avenue? Did he live in the neighborhood? Is there a huge Hispanic/Latino community along that street? NO!

I believe one activist stated publicly that we (the non-Latino community) should give something to them, like we owe them something. Excuse me, but NO WE DON'T. I don't owe any community anything, except maybe the Native Americans (for whom we took their property from), and the Japanese community that unfortunately were jailed against their will and in violation of nearly every federal law after the attack on Pearl Harbor - and the most we could muster to that event is a small plaque inside the entrance to Hall A at the Expo Center, and the artwork at the Expo Center MAX station. Why don't we rename Marine Drive (west of I-5) to honor those individuals that were imprisoned without committing a crime?

Frankly if they don't want 4th Avenue renamed, they have lost their cause (to name a street after a farmworker leader) and we should stop the debate altogether - NO STREET gets renamed. The City has more important things to worry about than renaming a stupid street and finding money to replace street signs - like creating affordable housing, providing a quality transit system to the entire city of Portland, improving our schools and parks, enhancing our police and fire departments and 9-1-1 system, improving street conditions, etc. How much time was wasted on debating just one miniscule issue when we could have made a lot of progress towards improving the City as a whole?

In fact, I even liked the idea of the co-signing of "Cesar Chavez Boulevard/Historic Interstate Avenue"; which could have been combined with signs proclaiming the road as the historic route of U.S. 99W, the main north-south highway through Oregon before I-5 was build. Why did those few individuals get shouted down without any consideration towards their meritous idea?

This was a waste of time and showed the divide between Portland's residents and the few that want to push their agenda on everyone else. I thought Mayor Potter was going to improve community relations but clearly this was a FAILURE. I honestly don't know if Mr. Adams can do this - after all, he has shown his partianship to bicyclists, with little regard towards motorists (why can't bicyclists be asked to pay more towards bike improvements? Shouldn't there be an idea to have a bike registration fee/bicyclist license/bike sales tax?)

Only in Portland could the gateway road to Chinatown, complete with its ornate arch, be named after somebody of Hispanic origin. The symbolism of naming the street that runs in front of City Hall after Chavez is lost by what identity this causes our economically struggling Chinatown is facing. This is certainly likely to be the impetus for the few remaining Chinese businesses that still remain in Chinatown to make the exodus as many others have done before them to SE 82nd Avene.

I am 79 year-old, born in Portland's old St. Vincent's Hosp., a native. I strongly disagree with anyone who wants to rename ANY existing Portland s