Cult Of Personality: People Scrambling To Name Things After Obama

• November 26, 2008

Naming things after political leaders is a time-honored tradition. Mt. McKinley. The State of Washington. Theodore Roosevelt Elementary School. Etc, etc.
But before a political leader gets something named after him, shouldn’t he have to of, you know, done something?

(CBS/AP) A school on Long Island has been renamed Barack Obama Elementary School in honor of his historic rise to the presidency.
The move at the largely black and Hispanic school in Hempstead is among the first in what will likely be a wave of name changes around the world now that Mr. Obama has been elected president, from schools and streets to parks and mountaintops.
The prime minister of the Caribbean nation of Antigua has said he’s taking measures to have the island’s highest mountain peak renamed Mount Obama. In Portland, Ore., students want to rename Clark K-8 At Binnsmead school. Elsewhere on Long Island, the Clear Stream Avenue School in Valley Stream will consider a renaming resolution in December. And parents already have been naming newborns Barack.
“When I’m older I’m going to look back and say I went to Barack Obama Elementary School,” said fifth-grader Teonte Jackson, who played Mr. Obama in a mock presidential debate before the election. “He had the guts to run for president and believe in himself.”

Isn’t there a law or something against naming public buildings after elected officials while those officials are still in office? Maybe I’m wrong, but I thought that was the case.
Anyway, the cult worship of Obama continues unabated and it’s not a healthy thing. Yes, he’s the first black President. Yes, that’s historic. But let’s hold off and see how the guy actually does as President before we go turning him into some sort of icon.

Tags: Domestic Issues, Politics

http://Array ollie-B

Given that Obama’s rise to the Presidency is the most significant event in our history, it should not be a surprise all this is happening.
Why do you seem to have a problem with this. The whole world is celebrating the time when America put its racist history behind it and elected a non-white as President. I am sure that you would be happy to see his presidency fail. Then all you closet racists can say “I told you so.”
ConservativeEgghead

Isn’t there a law or something against naming public buildings after elected officials while those officials are still in office? Maybe I’m wrong, but I thought that was the case.

Some states have such laws, presumably New York is not one of them. Even here in North Dakota, we named an elementary school in Fargo after the retired superintendent, who’s now sitting on the Cass County Commission.

My favorite story about why this is a bad idea comes from Louisiana, where public corruption has been raised to an art form. The LSU Law School building was originally named Leche Hall, in honor of then-Governor Richard Leche, a Huey Long crony (this was in the late 1930s). When Leche later went to federal prison for taking brides, his name was sand-blasted off the marker, and the grounds crew popped out the bricks on the colonnade which included the letters of his name, and turned them around to face inward so the name would no longer be visible. Louisiana later passed a law requiring a person to be dead for five years before a building could be named after them.
http://ndgoon.blogspot.com/ goon

Grand Forks named their airport after Mark Andrews while he was still in the Senate.

While it’s not illegal I don’t think it’s wise.

In Grand Forks, ND they also named a lift station after Dave Berry, over on Cherry Street.
http://SayAnythingBlog.com The_Whistler_ofnd

Grand Forks named their airport after Mark Andrews while he was still in the Senate.

While it’s not illegal I don’t think it’s wise.
di butler

Ollie,

Obama’s rise to the Presidency is not the most significant event in everyone’s history. I am happy that you are happy a black man was elected president, if it makes you feel extra proud, whatever, but I don’t see him that way. I just see him as a man. I think this country has been ready to elect someone of color for quite a while. There just hasn’t been anyone that has ran who was electable. Most people have said if Colin Powell had of ran 20 yrs. ago, he would have been elected. I hope the man does well, it is my country. Do you understand most people aren’t concerned about his race? We are concerned with his lack of experience, and his proposed policies. I pray for him nightly. Can you say you did the same thing for Bush?
bill-tb

Make sure the naming is in erasable ink.

Obamunism is a disaster in waiting.
http://www.myspace.com/thekingscourt4u Gman

It will have all the character and most of the backbone too.
Spartacus

Yes, he’s the first black President. Yes, that’s historic. But let’s hold off and see how the guy actually does as President before we go turning him into some sort of icon.

Nahh, I think tomorrow morning, after about a half cup of coffee I’ll join the cult and name something after him too!
di butler

O.k., some of ya’ll don’t have kids, but when you were kids yourself, surely you made fun of the names of your schools. I can’t help but think some kids in the future will be calling this B{ody} O{dor} Elementary, or maybe B{e} a H{o} Elementary. I mean, maybe not such a good idea. I have no problem with people naming things after people, but wouldn’t it be better to wait until he was actually president and see what he does before you start immortilizing him everywhere?

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Cult Of Personality: People Scrambling To Name Things After Obama

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