A good question. The answer is Yes.

Amy J. Ruiz writes another astute article in this week’s Portland Mercury, with follow-up discussion on Blogtown. In reviewing Portland city code and recent history in renaming Portland streets, she asks, “Portland Boulevard Recently Changed to Rosa Parks Way. Interstate Might Change to César E. Chávez Boulevard. But are these Noble Gestures Violating Public Process?“

Yes.

City code is law. It’s there for reasons, usually good reasons since silly or outdated parts are continually revised and rooted out. The street naming regulations protect citizens from capricious PR gestures of politicians, and pressure from small groups of ardent activists. And they’re supposed to do that because of the very reasons we saw in the Rosa Parks Way renaming of Portland Boulevard, and are likely to see in the current push to change Interstate into César E. Chávez Boulevard. Most importantly, no sensitive person likes to voice opposition to honoring heroes.

But renaming streets doesn’t improve people’s lives. It gives politicians a publicity opportunity that costs them nothing. Imagine if instead of renaming Portland Boulevard, the City Council had said:

“There is a new elementary school in Portland: Rosa Parks Elementary in New Columbia. Instead of renaming a street, we’re going to honor Rosa Parks’ memory by each member of the City Council and every one of our staff volunteering for at least an hour in Rosa Parks Elementary over the next year. We’re all going to volunteer at Community Clean-Up day in August there, too, and we invite all citizens who care to honor Rosa Parks to join us. And once a month, the Wednesday morning “How are the children doing?” segment at City Council will feature a child, parent, or staff member from Rosa Parks Elementary, so we can hear what’s happening in New Columbia that would make Rosa Parks either smile or weep.”

Which do you think Rosa Parks would have preferred? A street named after her, or white folks actually getting up and doing something to help in an elementary school with high minority enrollment? Which took/would have taken more effort from the Council?

Here’s an idea: Instead of renaming Interstate Boulevard, name the proposed Day Laborer Center after César E. Chávez. And let’s see a commitment by City Council members to visit there once in a while, talk with workers, find out what they really need and care about.

Street renaming? Humbug. Especially when not done properly, following rules set out in the Code.