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http://nationalvanguard.org/story.php?id=2563
Blacks Fail in Effort to Rename Street for MLK Jr.
Report; Posted on: 2004-03-31 00:54:43 [ Printer friendly ]
White racism and fear of declining property values prevail
Grand Rapids, Michigan --It seems that Blacks don't want to live on a street named after a White guy like Ben Franklin. Reverend David May, local demagogue and head of the Racial Justice Institute, wants Franklin Street's name changed to honor Martin Luther Ki
g Jr. He believes it will "promote healing."
Laurie Merucci says the value of her two story single family home on Franklin Street has doubled. But she's afraid her biggest asset could b
eco
e a liability. "We've researched it... renaming Franklin Street after Dr. King would decrease property va
lues," she said. Merucci has been designated a 'racist' by the Racial Justice Institute.
Reverend May didn't anticipate neighbors would use property values as an avenue to keep Dr. King's name off a city street. "I think in 2004, we should be beyond those kind of myths that were created in the 1930's," he said.
The Grand Rapids City Commission voted 4-3 against renaming the Street. Opponents felt the city already honored King by naming a park after him [stay away, crips territory] and by celebrating his birthday as a holiday. They are also concerned about how a name change might affect the people who live along this stretch of road. But t
hey say they're happy to support a meaningless, honorary designation like they did for Marxian activist Cesar Chavez.
Blacks say that kind of thinking adds insult to injury, and sinc
e th
ey c
an't ch
ange the street signs, they say they will take to the ballot box to change the commission.
http://www.woodtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=1...92&nav=0RceLqI7
Debate rages on over whether or not to rename Franklin Street to MLK Jr. Street
Email to a Friend Printer Friendly Version
The summit that was held at Calvin College.
(Grand Rapids, March 26, 2004, 8:00 p.m.) A summit examined race and prejudice in West Michigan on Friday. One issue up for debate is the possible renaming of Franklin Street in Grand Rapids to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
The Racial Justice Institute of The Grand Rapids Area Center for Ecumenism (GRACE) held the an
nual summit at Calvin College. That's where community, educational and religious leaders talked about racially sensitive issues to help promote healing.
Race is becoming a
n issue
in the d
ebate to rename Fra
nklin Street. Recently, some people suggested the change could affect property values along the two-and-a-half mile stretch of the street.
24 Hour News 8 spent the day looking into that
claim. Some residents on half of the street support the name change, while many others on the other side of the street oppose it.
Ten years after she moved into a home on Franklin Street, Laurie Merucci says the value of her two story single family home has doubled. But she says her biggest asset could become a liability.
"We've researched it and there's documentation," said Merucci. It's documentation she says proves renaming Franklin Street after Dr. King would decrease property values, but documents she didn't have on hand when 24 Hour News 8 talked to her at h
er home.
A half a block away and a generation younger, Craig Green supports the change, but understands his neighbor's concerns.
"People might start
moving to
the outskirt
s of the city. Five years l
ater, this might change this whole bad neighborhood, that's what they're thinking," said Green.
Reverend David May, a member of GRACE and a driving force behind the renaming effort, says he didn't anticipate neighbor
s in the Ottawa Hills section would use property values as an avenue to keep Dr. King's name off a city street. "I think in 2004, we should be beyond those kind of myths that were created in the 1930's," said May.
But is it a case of fact or fiction? 24 Hour News 8 wanted another opinion, so we checked with a real estate attorney turned agent, Philip Chaffee. "Fiction," Chaffee told us. He says crime, up-keep, and maintenance affect property value not a name. "It's not an argument that should carry any weight.
It's not a valid argument. It's an invalid argument," said Chaffee.
"Why am I called a racist? Because I don't agree? Because I fe
el there's
a much more app
ropriate way to spend this money?&q
uot; asked Merucci.
Neighbors say that's part of the problem with this issue. They say they've been called racists and close-minded, and that they say it's simply not true.
Many of those opposed to the plan say they would support a commemorative renaming of Franklin Street, b
ut not a permanent one.
City commissioners will vote on the proposed name change next Tuesday.
http://nationalvanguard.org/story.php?id=2563
Blacks Fail in Effort to Rename Street for MLK Jr.
Report; Posted on: 2004-03-31 00:54:43 [ Printer friendly ]
White racism and fear of declining property values prevail
Grand Rapids, Michigan --It seems that Blacks don't want to live on a street named after a White guy like Ben Franklin. Reverend David May, local demagogue and head of the Racial Justice Institute, wants Franklin Street's name changed to honor Martin Luther Ki
g Jr. He believes it will "promote healing."
Laurie Merucci says the value of her two story single family home on Franklin Street has doubled. But she's afraid her biggest asset could b
eco
e a liability. "We've researched it... renaming Franklin Street after Dr. King would decrease property va
lues," she said. Merucci has been designated a 'racist' by the Racial Justice Institute.
Reverend May didn't anticipate neighbors would use property values as an avenue to keep Dr. King's name off a city street. "I think in 2004, we should be beyond those kind of myths that were created in the 1930's," he said.
The Grand Rapids City Commission voted 4-3 against renaming the Street. Opponents felt the city already honored King by naming a park after him [stay away, crips territory] and by celebrating his birthday as a holiday. They are also concerned about how a name change might affect the people who live along this stretch of road. But t
hey say they're happy to support a meaningless, honorary designation like they did for Marxian activist Cesar Chavez.
Blacks say that kind of thinking adds insult to injury, and sinc
e th
ey c
an't ch
ange the street signs, they say they will take to the ballot box to change the commission.
http://www.woodtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=1...92&nav=0RceLqI7
Debate rages on over whether or not to rename Franklin Street to MLK Jr. Street
Email to a Friend Printer Friendly Version
The summit that was held at Calvin College.
(Grand Rapids, March 26, 2004, 8:00 p.m.) A summit examined race and prejudice in West Michigan on Friday. One issue up for debate is the possible renaming of Franklin Street in Grand Rapids to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
The Racial Justice Institute of The Grand Rapids Area Center for Ecumenism (GRACE) held the an
nual summit at Calvin College. That's where community, educational and religious leaders talked about racially sensitive issues to help promote healing.
Race is becoming a
n issue
in the d
ebate to rename Fra
nklin Street. Recently, some people suggested the change could affect property values along the two-and-a-half mile stretch of the street.
24 Hour News 8 spent the day looking into that
claim. Some residents on half of the street support the name change, while many others on the other side of the street oppose it.
Ten years after she moved into a home on Franklin Street, Laurie Merucci says the value of her two story single family home has doubled. But she says her biggest asset could become a liability.
"We've researched it and there's documentation," said Merucci. It's documentation she says proves renaming Franklin Street after Dr. King would decrease property values, but documents she didn't have on hand when 24 Hour News 8 talked to her at h
er home.
A half a block away and a generation younger, Craig Green supports the change, but understands his neighbor's concerns.
"People might start
moving to
the outskirt
s of the city. Five years l
ater, this might change this whole bad neighborhood, that's what they're thinking," said Green.
Reverend David May, a member of GRACE and a driving force behind the renaming effort, says he didn't anticipate neighbor
s in the Ottawa Hills section would use property values as an avenue to keep Dr. King's name off a city street. "I think in 2004, we should be beyond those kind of myths that were created in the 1930's," said May.
But is it a case of fact or fiction? 24 Hour News 8 wanted another opinion, so we checked with a real estate attorney turned agent, Philip Chaffee. "Fiction," Chaffee told us. He says crime, up-keep, and maintenance affect property value not a name. "It's not an argument that should carry any weight.
It's not a valid argument. It's an invalid argument," said Chaffee.
"Why am I called a racist? Because I don't agree? Because I fe
el there's
a much more app
ropriate way to spend this money?&q
uot; asked Merucci.
Neighbors say that's part of the problem with this issue. They say they've been called racists and close-minded, and that they say it's simply not true.
Many of those opposed to the plan say they would support a commemorative renaming of Franklin Street, b
ut not a permanent one.
City commissioners will vote on the proposed name change next Tuesday.