Thread by @WedgeLIVE

The East Calhoun Community Organization is holding a meeting tonight about the possibility of no longer naming their neighborhood for someone who was a strong proponent of slavery.

https://twitter.com/WedgeLIVE/status/1121580327548309504

I'm here in East Calhoun for the first of 3 community meetings about changing the neighborhood name. And I have encountered a cat.

Empty parking lot is a bad sign for those hoping for controversy.

Turnout

I am loaded up with cookies and ready to roll.

Starting with "an overview of hundreds of years of history." Each of the three meetings will have an identical script and slideshow. Clearly a very sensitive political topic.

History

Neighborhood used to have a hotel and pavilion. (No concern shown for the shoreland overlay!)

Neighborhood organization history.

Used to be East Calhoun Homeowners Association. ECHO.

Now is East Calhoun Community Organization. ECCO.

Lake name change background.

Presenter makes clear that the neighborhood organization name change process is separate and not dependent on legal wrangling over the lake name.

More background: Park Board has indicated they won't remove Bde Maka Ska signage around the lake. Park Board has also indicated intention to change name of Calhoun Parkway.

Questions posed to residents:

What do you think of the current neighborhood name?

Should the neighborhood change its name?

Next presenter @Ryan42Brown just told us about the 90 second time limit and endeared himself to the audience by admitting even he tends to be a "tad loquacious."

First speaker in favor. Heard a professor of Native American studies on the radio. Likes the name East Maka Ska. Doesn't want a name associated with Uptown.

Second speaker was sad and emotional when she heard about the recent ruling in favor of Save Lake Calhoun. Even aside from horribleness of Calhoun, this is still occupied Native American land. Changing the neighborhood name is morally the right thing to do.

Processor brings up guidelines that university's have regarding building name changes. Questions like: Is the principal legacy of this person at odds with the organization's mission? Were views contested at the time?

Says they should not honor John C Calhoun. No relationship to neighborhood and was terrible guy.

4th and 5th speaker in favor of change.

"One of the things I love about our neighborhood is for progressive it is... That name causes harm to many people."

"If the lake was named lake Hitler" there would be no disagreement.

(Who wants to be the guy that gets up to be pro Calhoun? Anyone?)

6th speaker: when she tells people she lives East of Bde Maka Ska, she is tired of people telling her "it will always be Calhoun to me." Just learn to say the name.

8th speaker says she came in without an opinion but has been convinced by speakers tonight.

9th speaker: "it's great to change it." It's a chance for a small neighborhood to have a big impact.

10th speaker: "I don't tell people I live in East Calhoun. I'd like to be able to have a neighborhood name where I can tell people where I live."

Question about West Calhoun. They're engaging in a name change process as well.

11th speaker: Wants to keep the same acronym, "Environmentally Concerned Citizens Organization"

Real estate agent says the branding of the neighborhood is not in danger. Compared to changing the name of prestigious Linden Hills.

12th speaker: doesn't like the acronym ECCO.

13th speaker asks if the logo designer is still around. She's told the designer doesn't live in the neighborhood anymore. She says "good" then feels freed to say she thinks the logo is trash.

14th speaker is worried a name change will destroy the shoreland overlay!

This is going to send us off on a nonsense zoning tangent.

If John C Calhoun originated the shoreland overlay he truly is the world's greatest monster.

Question about process to come, after these community meetings.

First vote will be binary: name change yes or no.

Then will come a process/vote to decide on a new name.

Question about cost. They will need a new website and branding. Neighborhood signage. $550 to redo articles of incorporation.

Name change supporter regrets that opponents didn't show up tonight. Says they would have been convinced by tonight's arguments.

Board member says it would be very intimidating for a pro Calhoun person to get up at the microphone tonight.

Lots of concern for the people who aren't here tonight. I can say I have never experienced that at a neighborhood org meeting before.

East Calhoun neighborhood name change coverage sponsored by viewers like you.

patreon.com/wedgelive

Last night a Minneapolis neighborhood organization held the first of 3 meetings about the possibility of no longer naming their neighborhood for John C. Calhoun — a 19th century political figure from South Carolina, known for being a proponent of slavery.
wedgelive.com/2019/05/east-c…