Poll
|
do you like El Editor Site?
|
|
Reader's Letters
| |
 |
|
Posted on 02/09/2006 9:43 PM EST
|
|
Readers Weigh in on Renaming Lubbock Street After Labor Leader Cesar Chavez
|
Various
Calle Cesar Chavez
I believe that in order to serve this man well, we should consider Lubbock County's longest road to serve as "Calle Cesar Chávez". This road travels from Reese to the East side and I am strongly against naming the street only on a certain side of town like they do in Austin.
It makes me sick that Austin has 1st Street for the rich folks on the west side of Congress Avenue and Cesar Chávez for the East, (the) more impoverished side of the state's capital city.
The road I speak of is in the…overlooked North side, but goes through all of my favorite barrios: Western Estates, Quail Valley, where I am from, Arnett Benson, Barrio Hueso, Little Mexico, and partially through Guadalupe, Mackenzie Park, through the northeast side and goes out like it starts, as County Road 6500, (Erskine Street), the longest and dividing road of Lubbock County.
Jaime Tomás Aguilar
Denver, CO. Via Email
*****
Chavez Deserves Respect
As a member of the labor movement for the past 30 years, I completely agree
with the naming of a city street after Cesar Chavez. It is something that
has long been needed. Every major city in the southwest honored this great
person with a street name. Why are we behind the times?
I attended a Cesar Chavez rally a few years back, he spoke on justice,
respect and dignity. Cesar Chavez deserves justice, respect and dignity
from the city of Lubbock.
Billy Martinez, Lubbock Via Email
Pres. Lubbock Central Labor Council
*****
“Preservation of one’s own culture does not require contempt or disrespect for other cultures” – Cesar Estrada Chavez
César Chávez would be appalled to know his name was being used in such a way as this, especially to be a factor that divides people. If anyone feels that renaming Canyon Lake Drive will somehow make life better for Hispanics (they are) sorely mistaken. If Canyon Lakes is renamed, it may hurt the majority population in that area. Has anyone asked the African Americans how they feel about having their street renamed after a Hispanic? Has anyone ever considered that many African Americans are the political allies to Hispanics? César believed in peaceful resolutions through intelligent conversation and the collection of political power through cooperation. If anyone ever told César to “Put up or Shut-up”, he would simply say this: “Years of misguided teaching have resulted in the destruction of the best in our society, in our cultures and the environment.” -César E. Chávez
César Chávez understood the importance of liberation through education: “Real education should consist of drawing the goodness and the best out of our own students. What better books can there be than the book of humanity.”
César Chávez taught us to talk and share our feelings, our outrages, or dreams with each other so that we may overcome them and become strong. The body doesn’t become strong by cutting off limbs. To make a difference, I challenge all Hispanics reading this to become politically active within the community. To find out more, email me at finger@odsy.net with the subject line: Lubbock Politics.
Leave Canyon Drive alone. Let us instead name a NEW Hispanic elementary or high school after César Chávez. Roads are beneath our feet. Schools are above our heads. César Chávez would have liked a school named after him more than a road.
"The fight is never about grapes or lettuce. It is always about people." - César Chávez
Muchas Gracias, César for saving us from ourselves.
Jerry Perez
(Editor’s Note: The above comments were excerpted from the author’s original version due to space limitations. The other part of the entire submission can be found in our Letters to the Editor section.)
*****
Chavez’s Dedication to Justice Important to All
Fabulous idea, especially for reason #1. Cesar Chavez is my true hero. I
didn't eat grapes for two decades, try to make the local celebration every
year, and am still using the Cesar Chavez stamp -- the only good looking
stamp the U.S. ever made. I don't think streets should be named to reflect
the ethnic or racial makeup of a neighborhood -- things change. The name
should be changed because Cesar Chavez and his dedication to justice is
important to us all.
Pam Brink, Lubbock, Via Email
*****
Keep Canyon Lake Drive
Canyon Lake Drive is so reflective of our unique area of the high plains, the name should be kept. For the record, I think we should put a moratorium on naming streets after people--the Marsha Sharp Freeway should've been called the Tech Freeway, as Tech will still be there when she's moved on.
Perhaps a park or some other landmark would be more fitting or a memorial day for Cesar Chavez. Although we elders remember his peaceful demonstrations for the workers, our children will not remember those days. Perhaps a park with some type of dedication and biography plaque of this human rights worker would be educational.
God bless,
Pat Behnke, Lubbock Via Email
|
|
|
rss
