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Appropriate, not appropriate, legal, not legal; it seems like everyone is all atwitter about the proposal to christen the newly renovated park at 14th and Girard Streets NW as "Barack Hussein Obama Park". All the usual suspects -- Jim Graham, Gary Imhoff, neighborhood leaders, the Columbia Heights listserv, and so forth -- are involved, in what is surely a fantastic story to share with your out-of-town friends if you feel like showing off just how silly local politics can get around here.
But we at DCist always are striving to know what the people -- what you, dear reader -- want. So, we ask: what should the park be called? Feel free to note your choice below, and add additional suggestions in the comments.
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Ha! You clowns made my day. If I had any money, I'd pay your bail.
In all seriousness, what about Robinson-Jones-Moore Park? These are the last names of three young men who have been gunned down near or on the 1300 block of Columbia Rd. this year. They may not have been historical leaders, or did great things in their lives (or had time to), or excelled in the classroom – they may have; I never knew them – but because they are embodiments and examples of the fundamental problem with this neighborhood: there are two Columbia Heightses.
Naming the park after these three young men, gunned down in the prime of their lives, might remind the people of this neighborhood how far we’ve come, but still how far we have to go. Putting time and effort into building a park, in which community can be fostered, is a good first step, but we should now name the 14th and Girard Park with an eye for continued improvement, rather than with a glance back on some accomplishment.
Naming parks in DC after the people who get shot in them sets a bad precedent.
Also, I don't think you could get a big enough sign.
seems like we should let the guy be in office at least a year to, you know, actually *do something* before naming parks after him... what's he done for the city of DC so far?
Well, he's been advocating DC voting rights by refusing to put DC plates on his limo. He's also eaten at Bens and Five Guys. I also heard he took a massive dump, but it's only a rumor.
Okay, i know the joke is old, but.... The name that would garner the most visits, albeit mostly annoying tourists with cameras, "The Bitch Set Me Up Memorial Park." Easily 100,00 facebook profile shots would add to the free publicity of every newscast in the country covering it.
I feel it's irresponsible and irrational to memorialize a living person who has yet to make any historical significance. Granted the guy is the first black president and that will play heavily into his place in the history books... but he's still young, still untested and has yet to really achieve any other monumental status other then the obvious. So let's get him time to, oh I don't know, mature/age/do something/live before we start trying to name things after him. I think in general it's just in bad taste to name things after the living anyway...it inflates the ego and contributes to narcissism! Grahm needs to chill out, he'll have plenty of opportunity to suck up to Obama & Obamaphiles in due time.
At least Congress had the decency to wait until Reagan had lost his mind before they renamed National Airport after him. Give the First Family time some time to settle in and eventually they'll go all Ike-and-Tina on eachother, then you can name the place "Does the POTUS Gotta Choke a Bi**h? Memorial Park."
Name it after a war hero. Say General Douglas MacArthur.
"MacArthur Park" Has a nice ring to it, don't you agree?
Y'know, when they drained the lake at Macarthur Park, they found TONS of handguns that had been tossed in over the years. What would they find if they dug up 14th and Girard? A couple of spent cartridges, some syringes, and a condom with the penis still inside.
Someone left their wang out in the rain...
Missing option: "Who gives a shit?"
Monkey is in fine form this morning....the remark about the sign not being big enough was coffee-out-the-nose funny.
Name it after Desi Deschaine ... would be a nice tribute to an individual who actually made an effort/worked for the city.