Why the changing of names?

By: Len I. Zayas

   Is ridiculous is not obnoxious the politically convenient habit of using names of streets, schools, bridges and the likes as a way to satisfy the ego of masses or elite, relying on the necessity for money or support that congress, or city council depending of the place, votes or sympathy is pleading at the moment. Those strange names that are so typical of the new American way of International acceptance will represent a big challenge in the future.

   We are leaving behind the common sense of the system of letter and numbers for streets. Chicago and Miami used to be the best example in USA, now, that is changing and not for the best. New schools, bridges, cities and the likes could be a good honorary present for leaders, artists, new patriots, presidents and the likes, but to change already known places for new names is absurd, retrograde and plainly stupid. For a country that boast of been advanced in the world is simply not a good symptom.

   Take a country that is falling behind in relation to their peers, Cuba, It happens they have the city with the best model in address (it was adopted in 1956 and took less than a year to implement) Marianao, the second important city in La Habana, Cuba where only the number and the street (with few exemptions) are need it to find a place.

Ex: 108#5709 Marianao, indicate a person living in the street 108 between the 57 Ave and the 59 Ave.

   So different to the archaic and awkward system of the Mexican capital.- Ex: my cousin John Perez reside in Calle Felipe Berriozabal #1423 between Avenida del Presidente Juarez and  calle Porfirio Diaz, Colonia Tlalnepantia, Mexico DF, Mexico.

   Here in the States, apparently, we are leaning toward the wrong indicator, using streets, bridges and cities to honor important people at expense of the traditional and universally known old names.

   Hypothetically, we can use the influence of admirers of   famous people to get streets baptized with the name of the governor of California, the US Ambassador in the United Nations and a technical writer. We already have who knows what bohemian wine maker of the pass giving name to a medium size city in Texas.

   At this rate I could be in trouble trying to spell for you the address of my aunt Segismunda.- 2222 W. Arnold Schuarzenegger St , between Zalmay Khalilzad and Finkelstein, Fredericksburg, TX.

   Oddly enough we give to new libraries name of people that most of them deserve to be cited only in history books, like some presidents and senators.

   A library dedicated to Martin Luther King, a theater with the name of John Lennon or Celia Cruz is as reasonable as a Aircraft Carrier with the name of Ronald Reagan or a new headquarter for the Naval Academy with the name Richard Nixon.

   Even though a presidential library could be laudable and depending of the adjudicated name, not always we make honor to the former without discrediting the defenseless books.

   Is not too farfetched to assure that we have a lot of presidential libraries and not enough readers. Think about it when somebody ask you for money or signatures for those endeavors.

   I remember my city fathers one by one and try to let everybody in my neighborhood to know who they are when somebody mention a change of name to the streets.

   Based on my county experience , instead of naming a place with some State Senator, City Councilman, Government official or Oil Tycoon I'll suggest to make a plaque at the entrance of the uncalled-for 183 toll way, build without our consent, cornucopia to many relatives of our representatives and bad news to some small businesses of the area affected by the apparent solution to the eternal problem of overgrowing without preparedness, like a way to remember them every time we get into that expensive road by mistake.

   The entrance to a non-public pay or else road is as common a mistake  as the one we do when we elect so many demagogue  running in false pretenses.

     The honor and satisfaction of being selected to guide, protect and care the population. being paid a reasonable salary and fringe benefits, that are not accessible to the 75% of the population, and the respect and consideration of their peers should be more than enough gratification for our leaders work.

   Is adding insult to injury when then and now somebody wants their names to be associated, not only with the place where we reside but also with the expensive public school that my tax money pay for so  my descendant and their kids can learn how to choose, help and keep straight the elected officials the way that the founding fathers intended.

   When some alleged patriot that has been "sacrificing" his/her livelihood in my "service" and retire to France's Blue Coast with plenty of stock in the firms that overcharge on the services rendered to me. I do not care to much for that.

   When one retired public official, which patriotic duty used to make sure that I pay my taxes religiously. And that public official used  other countries like example of embezzlement and abuse of power and then he goes to work to use that experience saving money for the ones that scrap every penny out of my pocket. I do not care to much for that.

   When a public official ask me for sacrifices for the well been of my country and he uses the blood of the young to get a name for himself and assure a page in the history using my country as a shield.  I do not care to much for that.

   I do not care as much for all that typical politician attitude.

   But if I have to expend the rest of my life in such and such street, crossing such and such building that I have to pay for the maintenance.

   When I have to be remind it day by day of such and such goodness and patriotism with buildings and street names just because the new patriots are in need of role models and exemplary heroes to carry a rifle and force our ideas in other people then I care.

   I know we deserve that and more, especially me, like a punishment for keeping my mouth and pen silent while so many times we were in the crossroad of a two party, so call free and democratic election and the ones that hate Freedom, God and Country, and also Humanity make their way in the minds of our youngsters. Kill, kill, kill in place of Love, Care and Help.