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Maynard Jackson International ???(ATL)
- Thread starter Ace757
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The race card is already being played in that fight. Local black "leaders" don't seem willing to compromise on a Hartsfield-Jackson combination.
While I am sick and tired of pols patting each other on the back and naming everything after themselves (I just washed my dinner dishes in my Honorable William Campbell kitchen sink), Maynard Jackson was a good man who cared about Atlanta. He deserves some recognition somewhere, but the airport ain't the place. It's taken.
In the meantime, don't get too attached to your current ATL Jepp plates.
While I am sick and tired of pols patting each other on the back and naming everything after themselves (I just washed my dinner dishes in my Honorable William Campbell kitchen sink), Maynard Jackson was a good man who cared about Atlanta. He deserves some recognition somewhere, but the airport ain't the place. It's taken.
In the meantime, don't get too attached to your current ATL Jepp plates.
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afroman
Member
- Joined
- Jul 26, 2003
- Posts
- 22
Racial musical chairs......
As a native Atlantan-American (black man) whose city/county property taxes on my residence amounted to $24,314.58 last year, I can tell you that I, for one, have no approval of the renaming of the William B. Hartsfiald airport for that gov't-jobs program producing former mayor of the City of Atlanta. I, for one, am sick-and-tired of paying for the jobs of all of the brothas who think that it's their right to have the airport of this great city named after the man who turned the entire airport into a jobs program for the otherwise unemployable inept.
Don't get me wrong -- Mayor Jackson did some great thinkgs for this city, but the airport is already named for the man that did more to expand and promote aviation in this part of the Southeast than any other -- The Honorable William B. Hartsfield.
Name a park, freeway, new airport, bus station, street -- whatever -- after Maynard, but quit playing the race crap.
-
- One offended, pissed-off, BLACK-assed 75/767 Captain.
As a native Atlantan-American (black man) whose city/county property taxes on my residence amounted to $24,314.58 last year, I can tell you that I, for one, have no approval of the renaming of the William B. Hartsfiald airport for that gov't-jobs program producing former mayor of the City of Atlanta. I, for one, am sick-and-tired of paying for the jobs of all of the brothas who think that it's their right to have the airport of this great city named after the man who turned the entire airport into a jobs program for the otherwise unemployable inept.
Don't get me wrong -- Mayor Jackson did some great thinkgs for this city, but the airport is already named for the man that did more to expand and promote aviation in this part of the Southeast than any other -- The Honorable William B. Hartsfield.
Name a park, freeway, new airport, bus station, street -- whatever -- after Maynard, but quit playing the race crap.
-
- One offended, pissed-off, BLACK-assed 75/767 Captain.
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Good op-ed from Creative Loafing
William Hartsfield ought not be dissed
Selective memory drives rush to rename airport for Maynard
BY RICHARD SHUMATE
Poor Willie Hartsfield. He doesn't stand a chance. His days of having his name proudly attached to Atlanta's airport are, alas, numbered.
While he and Maynard Jackson are equally dead, Maynard has more political mojo from beyond the grave. By appointing an advisory committee, Mayor Shirley Franklin may have slowed down the rush to rename the airport for Maynard. But I strongly suspect this plane has pulled out of the gate and is headed for the runway.
Most of us don't remember Hartsfield, who left the mayor's office 41 years ago and has been dead more than three decades. But at some point in time, this city thought enough of him -- and his 23 years as mayor -- to put his name on our most prominent public facility. We did that so future generations of Atlantans would remember his contributions, even if we no longer remembered him personally.
But if we put another name on the airport, now that our memories of Hartsfield are no longer fresh, we'd defeat the entire purpose of naming the airport for him. Put another way, what part of "memorial" don't we understand?
Georgia's penchant for naming every stretch of highway, bridge, intersection, interchange or public building for somebody has gotten completely out of hand. So many obscure, marginal figures have their names plastered on things that this is rapidly ceasing to be much of an honor. But once we do put someone's name on something to honor his or her memory, common courtesy -- and common sense -- call for us to leave it there.
Don't get me wrong -- Maynard was not an obscure or marginal figure. He was a pioneering, larger-than-life force whose impact will be long-lasting and substantial. Atlanta should honor him. But we should resist the urge to name things for public figures -- Maynard or anybody else -- until at least a year after their deaths.
This gives us a chance to take off our mourning garb and look at their life and legacy in total, in the cold, sober light of dawn. Had we such a policy, we wouldn't have the abomination of the Cynthia McKinney Parkway in DeKalb County. And, truly, can any stronger argument be made?
If we followed all of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's gushing remembrances of Maynard to their obvious conclusion, we would just rename the whole **CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED** place "Maynardgrad" and be done with it. Yet, a more measured reflection shows a record more mixed. He was not the mythical near deity in life that he's become in death.
True, in his first term, he did kick down the doors of City Hall and upset a cozy power structure that deserved upsetting. But times changed faster than Maynard's style did. By the middle of his third term, his pitched personal battle with City Council President Marvin Arrington gridlocked city government, and he was accusing the council of trying to "cripple the quality of life" by refusing to pass a large tax increase. He was even threatening to sue the AJC over coverage he didn't like, a salvo the newspaper has very obviously forgiven.
In late 1991, amid genuine grumpiness about his tenure, I wrote a profile of Maynard for Atlanta Magazine. Descriptions of him included "inaction Jackson," "only slightly better than a zero" and "too big for his britches" -- and those quotes came from people who supported his 1989 comeback to City Hall.
Post-mortem media coverage duly noted Maynard's role in helping land the 1996 Olympics. Barely mentioned was the fact that after Atlanta got the games, he picked a heated fight with Billy Payne to get the city a bigger role in shaping the Olympic experience. We all know how well that turned out.
Maynard's insistence during his first two terms as mayor that portions of city contracts be set aside for minority contractors became a model for governments around the country. Yet, in 1989, the U.S. Supreme Court, in the case of Richmond v. Croson, said such programs were constitutionally suspect and severely limited them.
It was Maynard who pushed for buying the old Sears building to turn into City Hall East, a white elephant the city is now trying to unload. He also unleashed some dubious characters into Atlanta's political life: He engineered the election and re-election of Bill Campbell, and appointed Eldrin Bell as police chief, Reginald Eaves as public safety commissioner and Ira Jackson as aviation commissioner (the latter two later went to prison on corruption charges.)
Of course, when a force of nature such as Maynard dies, it's human nature to let such negatives fade from consciousness, to remember only the compelling persona and historic contributions. But the negatives are still there. Only passage of time puts legacy into perspective.
This is why we should resist the rush by Maynard's admirers to rename the airport for him. But caught in the grip of selective memory, born of rose-colored remembrance, we won't.
Oh, well, maybe ol' Willie can get his name on that new yellow bridge.
[email protected]
link to Creative Loafing article
William Hartsfield ought not be dissed
Selective memory drives rush to rename airport for Maynard
BY RICHARD SHUMATE
Poor Willie Hartsfield. He doesn't stand a chance. His days of having his name proudly attached to Atlanta's airport are, alas, numbered.
While he and Maynard Jackson are equally dead, Maynard has more political mojo from beyond the grave. By appointing an advisory committee, Mayor Shirley Franklin may have slowed down the rush to rename the airport for Maynard. But I strongly suspect this plane has pulled out of the gate and is headed for the runway.
Most of us don't remember Hartsfield, who left the mayor's office 41 years ago and has been dead more than three decades. But at some point in time, this city thought enough of him -- and his 23 years as mayor -- to put his name on our most prominent public facility. We did that so future generations of Atlantans would remember his contributions, even if we no longer remembered him personally.
But if we put another name on the airport, now that our memories of Hartsfield are no longer fresh, we'd defeat the entire purpose of naming the airport for him. Put another way, what part of "memorial" don't we understand?
Georgia's penchant for naming every stretch of highway, bridge, intersection, interchange or public building for somebody has gotten completely out of hand. So many obscure, marginal figures have their names plastered on things that this is rapidly ceasing to be much of an honor. But once we do put someone's name on something to honor his or her memory, common courtesy -- and common sense -- call for us to leave it there.
Don't get me wrong -- Maynard was not an obscure or marginal figure. He was a pioneering, larger-than-life force whose impact will be long-lasting and substantial. Atlanta should honor him. But we should resist the urge to name things for public figures -- Maynard or anybody else -- until at least a year after their deaths.
This gives us a chance to take off our mourning garb and look at their life and legacy in total, in the cold, sober light of dawn. Had we such a policy, we wouldn't have the abomination of the Cynthia McKinney Parkway in DeKalb County. And, truly, can any stronger argument be made?
If we followed all of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's gushing remembrances of Maynard to their obvious conclusion, we would just rename the whole **CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED** place "Maynardgrad" and be done with it. Yet, a more measured reflection shows a record more mixed. He was not the mythical near deity in life that he's become in death.
True, in his first term, he did kick down the doors of City Hall and upset a cozy power structure that deserved upsetting. But times changed faster than Maynard's style did. By the middle of his third term, his pitched personal battle with City Council President Marvin Arrington gridlocked city government, and he was accusing the council of trying to "cripple the quality of life" by refusing to pass a large tax increase. He was even threatening to sue the AJC over coverage he didn't like, a salvo the newspaper has very obviously forgiven.
In late 1991, amid genuine grumpiness about his tenure, I wrote a profile of Maynard for Atlanta Magazine. Descriptions of him included "inaction Jackson," "only slightly better than a zero" and "too big for his britches" -- and those quotes came from people who supported his 1989 comeback to City Hall.
Post-mortem media coverage duly noted Maynard's role in helping land the 1996 Olympics. Barely mentioned was the fact that after Atlanta got the games, he picked a heated fight with Billy Payne to get the city a bigger role in shaping the Olympic experience. We all know how well that turned out.
Maynard's insistence during his first two terms as mayor that portions of city contracts be set aside for minority contractors became a model for governments around the country. Yet, in 1989, the U.S. Supreme Court, in the case of Richmond v. Croson, said such programs were constitutionally suspect and severely limited them.
It was Maynard who pushed for buying the old Sears building to turn into City Hall East, a white elephant the city is now trying to unload. He also unleashed some dubious characters into Atlanta's political life: He engineered the election and re-election of Bill Campbell, and appointed Eldrin Bell as police chief, Reginald Eaves as public safety commissioner and Ira Jackson as aviation commissioner (the latter two later went to prison on corruption charges.)
Of course, when a force of nature such as Maynard dies, it's human nature to let such negatives fade from consciousness, to remember only the compelling persona and historic contributions. But the negatives are still there. Only passage of time puts legacy into perspective.
This is why we should resist the rush by Maynard's admirers to rename the airport for him. But caught in the grip of selective memory, born of rose-colored remembrance, we won't.
Oh, well, maybe ol' Willie can get his name on that new yellow bridge.
[email protected]
link to Creative Loafing article
DarnNearaJet
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jun 17, 2002
- Posts
- 174
Naming an airport, city, street, aircraft carrier ... after someone and then forty years down the road renaming after someone else seems a bit tacky. Still don't understand how you can name an airport after 2 presidents (Washington and Reagan.)
What's next, renaming LGA New York's Guiliani Airport?
What's next, renaming LGA New York's Guiliani Airport?
airport
Renaming the airport, after all the years that have past, that sounds kind of tackey.
Like the other post said rename a park,or some thing like that , you just don't pop up after several years and say geeeee, lets pick another name for our airport.
Hay rename a football feild, a park, heck name a lottery game after him,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, the airlines can fight over which one of the would name a plane after him.
Any thing but the airport, how about a street, how many pecchtree streets are there in atlanta , a lot rename one of those.
Renaming the airport, after all the years that have past, that sounds kind of tackey.
Like the other post said rename a park,or some thing like that , you just don't pop up after several years and say geeeee, lets pick another name for our airport.
Hay rename a football feild, a park, heck name a lottery game after him,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, the airlines can fight over which one of the would name a plane after him.
Any thing but the airport, how about a street, how many pecchtree streets are there in atlanta , a lot rename one of those.
[email protected] 404-330-6100
[email protected] City Council President, Cathy Woolard
[email protected] Ben DeCosta, ATL Aviation Mgr
Not that this will help much, but it can't hurt.
I don't understand how it's appropriate to UNname a building, let alone the world's busiest airport. Last time I checked, all Jackson was responsible for was the shady concessions contract in the concourses that was handed to his wife's company that employed the unemployable. I think those individuals have since quit serving cold fries and flat Coke at the B Concourse TGI Friday's to slack off and run beltloaders into CR2's on the EV ramp.
If it's so d@mn important to name something at the airport after him, why not name the new International Concourse F or South Terminal after him.
[email protected] City Council President, Cathy Woolard
[email protected] Ben DeCosta, ATL Aviation Mgr
Not that this will help much, but it can't hurt.
I don't understand how it's appropriate to UNname a building, let alone the world's busiest airport. Last time I checked, all Jackson was responsible for was the shady concessions contract in the concourses that was handed to his wife's company that employed the unemployable. I think those individuals have since quit serving cold fries and flat Coke at the B Concourse TGI Friday's to slack off and run beltloaders into CR2's on the EV ramp.
If it's so d@mn important to name something at the airport after him, why not name the new International Concourse F or South Terminal after him.
laker inbound
Active member
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- Posts
- 31
laker inbound
Active member
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- Posts
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afroman
Member
- Joined
- Jul 26, 2003
- Posts
- 22
City Property Taxes
That's not the difference in mainline and ASA, my friend, it's the fact that my wife makes five times what I make -- I'm just a po old airplane-flying nigga from Reynolds, GA. Who married way above himself.
Here's some advice: fall in love with a vascular surgeon, move to Andrews Drive, and live happily-ever-after, while paying for all of the clowns who eat at Justin's.
That's not the difference in mainline and ASA, my friend, it's the fact that my wife makes five times what I make -- I'm just a po old airplane-flying nigga from Reynolds, GA. Who married way above himself.
Here's some advice: fall in love with a vascular surgeon, move to Andrews Drive, and live happily-ever-after, while paying for all of the clowns who eat at Justin's.
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SheGaveMeClap
Your wife's boyfriend
- Joined
- Dec 1, 2001
- Posts
- 447
afroman
Member
- Joined
- Jul 26, 2003
- Posts
- 22
Nope, Justin's is still pumpin it strong. The ATL P.D. needs to go by there and run all those dudes for warrants. Monday night is a big night...you should drop by. I'm sure that bunch wouldn't mind. After all, they all jump up-and-down and bitch about how whitey gets nervous when a bunch of black dudes show up at Phipps Plaza. I'm sure they'd love to see you crackers -- the city that's too busy to hate, right?
You'd last about 10 minutes around that bunch of hypocrites, then tuck tail and run. They're twice as racist as David Duke. Oh, don't feel bad -- they'd probably call me an Uncle Tom if I rode up in my F-250, instead of my wife's Benz. BTW, it has stock wheels.
You'd last about 10 minutes around that bunch of hypocrites, then tuck tail and run. They're twice as racist as David Duke. Oh, don't feel bad -- they'd probably call me an Uncle Tom if I rode up in my F-250, instead of my wife's Benz. BTW, it has stock wheels.
What, no gold-plated rims? No Hummer H2? And you are calling me white?
Afroman you and your wife are working way too hard my friend. I'm sure you must be connected with ATL's Black Elite. Quit your high-stress jobs and start a consultant business (it does not matter if you don't know how to be one). Get on the mayors perfered minority contractor list (a little $$$ kicked back to the Mayor's Office will help). Then wait until some big (white) corporation wants to do buisiness with the "City That's Too Busy To Hate", become their selected minority sub-contractor, then don't do a thing and count your millions of $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
.
Afroman you and your wife are working way too hard my friend. I'm sure you must be connected with ATL's Black Elite. Quit your high-stress jobs and start a consultant business (it does not matter if you don't know how to be one). Get on the mayors perfered minority contractor list (a little $$$ kicked back to the Mayor's Office will help). Then wait until some big (white) corporation wants to do buisiness with the "City That's Too Busy To Hate", become their selected minority sub-contractor, then don't do a thing and count your millions of $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
.
afroman
Member
- Joined
- Jul 26, 2003
- Posts
- 22
Nope, whitey, no gold-plated rims, but she is thinking about some of those that keep spinning after the car stops.
The ATL black elite quit inviting me to parties after I went to one and made a point of getting into a discussion with Coretta Scott King (professional mourner) and a group of others about how I agree with just about 95% of what Boortz has to say. (For those of you who don't know who Neal Boortz is, go to www.boortz.com )
As for getting on the emperess' consuling train, I'd rather just work my 11 days a month, spend the good doctor's money, enjoy my industry-leading contract, be able to sleep at night and look at myself in the mirror in the morning. Besides, the normal folks in this town (white and black) are going to get tired of the status quo down at City Hall, and are going to take this town back. I say we elect Sam Massell again -- he'll straighten some things out.
It's about 21:45 -- time for me to lock and load, then get ready to defend my property if the gangstas figure out that my street makes a great shortcut off P'tree. Nothing like floating in my pool at night, listening to the bass hit until 04:30. A buddy of mine, who lives behind Fellini's in Buckhead, actually caught one pissing on the sidewalk in front of his house last weekend. He took a good position in some bushes, then shot him in his unit with a pellet gun. Mean marine bastard.
BTW, they'll never name an itty-bitty new terminal after Maynard when the WHOLE dammed airport is named for a cracker; that would be subservient -- another classic example of the white man trying to keep us down. Get a hold of yourself, man!!!
The ATL black elite quit inviting me to parties after I went to one and made a point of getting into a discussion with Coretta Scott King (professional mourner) and a group of others about how I agree with just about 95% of what Boortz has to say. (For those of you who don't know who Neal Boortz is, go to www.boortz.com )
As for getting on the emperess' consuling train, I'd rather just work my 11 days a month, spend the good doctor's money, enjoy my industry-leading contract, be able to sleep at night and look at myself in the mirror in the morning. Besides, the normal folks in this town (white and black) are going to get tired of the status quo down at City Hall, and are going to take this town back. I say we elect Sam Massell again -- he'll straighten some things out.
It's about 21:45 -- time for me to lock and load, then get ready to defend my property if the gangstas figure out that my street makes a great shortcut off P'tree. Nothing like floating in my pool at night, listening to the bass hit until 04:30. A buddy of mine, who lives behind Fellini's in Buckhead, actually caught one pissing on the sidewalk in front of his house last weekend. He took a good position in some bushes, then shot him in his unit with a pellet gun. Mean marine bastard.
BTW, they'll never name an itty-bitty new terminal after Maynard when the WHOLE dammed airport is named for a cracker; that would be subservient -- another classic example of the white man trying to keep us down. Get a hold of yourself, man!!!
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You have some interesting opinions Afroman. BTW I was just kidding about joining the gravy train down at City Hall, but you would make a lot more money, and you would't have to do any work.
I live in West Buckhead, about 5 miles from P'tree Road. We don't get too many gang-bangers over this way (they stop by sometimes to break into our cars on the way back to da hood). I still have not figured out why they come to Buckhead to party? I never go into Buckhead anymore (too old I guess).
As for the state of our fine City, I hope it gets better. We are looking to move into a bigger house. We have looked at Lake Clair, Inman Park, Candler Park, etc. It all looks great in the day-time, but if you read the crime stats, it's still pretty bad. I would like to stay in the City and make it better, but East Cobb is looking much better lately.
Our Mayor needs to get her head out of the sand and start worrying about those of us who pay to make this place run (pay for free medical care for about half the City via Grady, free schools that are not fit to send our children too, pay for MARTA to throw wild parties for their over-paid employees [probably in Buckhead]). This whole plan to help the so-called homeless in downtown is insane. Just run them off, maybe they will go to Birmingham or Jacksonville. All of this time and energy being wasted on renaming the airport for Maynard could be spent fixing the numerous pot holes throughout the City, or picking up some of the trash that seems to be everywhere.
Oh well, I'll get off of my soapbox. If you read the AJC go back a few weeks and look for my letter to the editor on the accomplishments of Ivan Allen v. Maynard Jackson as Mayor, and who did more for this City. I think it was pretty good, and still can't believe that Cynthia printed it.
I live in West Buckhead, about 5 miles from P'tree Road. We don't get too many gang-bangers over this way (they stop by sometimes to break into our cars on the way back to da hood). I still have not figured out why they come to Buckhead to party? I never go into Buckhead anymore (too old I guess).
As for the state of our fine City, I hope it gets better. We are looking to move into a bigger house. We have looked at Lake Clair, Inman Park, Candler Park, etc. It all looks great in the day-time, but if you read the crime stats, it's still pretty bad. I would like to stay in the City and make it better, but East Cobb is looking much better lately.
Our Mayor needs to get her head out of the sand and start worrying about those of us who pay to make this place run (pay for free medical care for about half the City via Grady, free schools that are not fit to send our children too, pay for MARTA to throw wild parties for their over-paid employees [probably in Buckhead]). This whole plan to help the so-called homeless in downtown is insane. Just run them off, maybe they will go to Birmingham or Jacksonville. All of this time and energy being wasted on renaming the airport for Maynard could be spent fixing the numerous pot holes throughout the City, or picking up some of the trash that seems to be everywhere.
Oh well, I'll get off of my soapbox. If you read the AJC go back a few weeks and look for my letter to the editor on the accomplishments of Ivan Allen v. Maynard Jackson as Mayor, and who did more for this City. I think it was pretty good, and still can't believe that Cynthia printed it.
Pleas for Maynard Jackson
Mayor's widow, crowd push to rename airport
By D.L. BENNETT
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A strident, focused drive to rename Atlanta's airport for the city's first black mayor overwhelmed a mayoral panel on Tuesday.
The 17-member panel was supposed to try to reach a consensus on the proper honors for former Mayors Maynard Jackson and Ivan Allen Jr. But they gave up rather than start deliberations after 2 1/2 hours of passionate lobbying to rename Hartsfield International Airport for Jackson.
"I'm worried about getting everyone together again," said A.D. "Pete" Correll, committee co-chairman and CEO of Georgia-Pacific. "I'm going to have to start on that tomorrow."
The Atlanta Advisory Commission will now have to meet one more time to discuss the members' own opinions before the panel makes a recommendation Sept. 12.
Their own suggestions split from the narrow interests of Tuesday's crowd. Nine suggested a planned international concourse expansion be named for Jackson. Six recommended the airport by renamed in some way. Members were asked before Tuesday's gathering to submit suggestions by e-mail. The committee, created by Mayor Shirley Franklin, had already received about 5,000 written suggestions and heard from more than two dozen speakers. The written suggestions covered a wide spectrum of possibilities for both men.
The group had budgeted three hours of work on Tuesday, divided evenly between public comment and discussions among committee members. The hearing, though, drew more than 250 people to Atlanta City Hall, and the panel was reluctant to cut them off when 90 minutes elapsed and speakers became repetitive.
So, speaker after speaker joined the chorus with a united voice: rename the airport Jackson International Airport.
The airport was named for William B. Hartsfield after he died 32 years ago. He championed Atlanta as an air center when most were focused on ground transportation. Jackson, who died June 23, oversaw a huge airport expansion and used that project to break the grip of white contractors on city projects.
The rhetoric Tuesday was toned down from the racially forceful language that flowed at a similar meeting last month. But speakers were more adamant that only one recommendation would be acceptable: taking Hartsfield's name off the airport and replacing it with Jackson's.
Valerie Jackson, the three-term mayor's widow, urged people to put aside anger and frustration that has characterized the debate. "Some of the things that have been said hurt and shocked me," she said.
Jackson didn't take the microphone until two hours into the session. She spoke in measured tones, slowing to choke back emotions.
"How ironic and punitive it would be to deny him the one honor he would like to have," Jackson said. "This is more than a widow's wish."
Bernard Porche, past president of 100 Black Men of Atlanta, said simply the airport renaming "shouldn't be about race-baiting. It's about progress."
But the racial divide was clear. Only about a dozen white faces were among a crowd of about 250. That's five times the crowd that showed up for the first public hearing. The only three speakers on Hartsfield's behalf were white.
One, former Councilman Doug Alexander, was hooted down by the huge crowd when he continued longer than his allotted time and wasn't saying what people wanted to hear.
"He [Hartsfield] put us on the path to where we are today," Alexander said. "We shouldn't forget that."
Allen, who guided Atlanta through the civil rights era, was a mere afterthought. His name was rarely mentioned, with most saying they didn't know much about him. Committee members' own suggestions were wildly divided.
Mattie Jackson of southeast Atlanta reminded the crowd that during her early years she couldn't come in the front door of City Hall. She stressed that racism is alive and well and the airport should be renamed for Jackson. "Maynard was our Moses," Jackson said.
Julie Borders of northeast Atlanta was a rare dissenting voice. Borders noted that her grandfather has a street named after him and worried that name changes wiping away history might one day affect her family. "I'm not sure renaming an airport or a street does him justice," Borders said.
AJC story
Mayor's widow, crowd push to rename airport
By D.L. BENNETT
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A strident, focused drive to rename Atlanta's airport for the city's first black mayor overwhelmed a mayoral panel on Tuesday.
The 17-member panel was supposed to try to reach a consensus on the proper honors for former Mayors Maynard Jackson and Ivan Allen Jr. But they gave up rather than start deliberations after 2 1/2 hours of passionate lobbying to rename Hartsfield International Airport for Jackson.
"I'm worried about getting everyone together again," said A.D. "Pete" Correll, committee co-chairman and CEO of Georgia-Pacific. "I'm going to have to start on that tomorrow."
The Atlanta Advisory Commission will now have to meet one more time to discuss the members' own opinions before the panel makes a recommendation Sept. 12.
Their own suggestions split from the narrow interests of Tuesday's crowd. Nine suggested a planned international concourse expansion be named for Jackson. Six recommended the airport by renamed in some way. Members were asked before Tuesday's gathering to submit suggestions by e-mail. The committee, created by Mayor Shirley Franklin, had already received about 5,000 written suggestions and heard from more than two dozen speakers. The written suggestions covered a wide spectrum of possibilities for both men.
The group had budgeted three hours of work on Tuesday, divided evenly between public comment and discussions among committee members. The hearing, though, drew more than 250 people to Atlanta City Hall, and the panel was reluctant to cut them off when 90 minutes elapsed and speakers became repetitive.
So, speaker after speaker joined the chorus with a united voice: rename the airport Jackson International Airport.
The airport was named for William B. Hartsfield after he died 32 years ago. He championed Atlanta as an air center when most were focused on ground transportation. Jackson, who died June 23, oversaw a huge airport expansion and used that project to break the grip of white contractors on city projects.
The rhetoric Tuesday was toned down from the racially forceful language that flowed at a similar meeting last month. But speakers were more adamant that only one recommendation would be acceptable: taking Hartsfield's name off the airport and replacing it with Jackson's.
Valerie Jackson, the three-term mayor's widow, urged people to put aside anger and frustration that has characterized the debate. "Some of the things that have been said hurt and shocked me," she said.
Jackson didn't take the microphone until two hours into the session. She spoke in measured tones, slowing to choke back emotions.
"How ironic and punitive it would be to deny him the one honor he would like to have," Jackson said. "This is more than a widow's wish."
Bernard Porche, past president of 100 Black Men of Atlanta, said simply the airport renaming "shouldn't be about race-baiting. It's about progress."
But the racial divide was clear. Only about a dozen white faces were among a crowd of about 250. That's five times the crowd that showed up for the first public hearing. The only three speakers on Hartsfield's behalf were white.
One, former Councilman Doug Alexander, was hooted down by the huge crowd when he continued longer than his allotted time and wasn't saying what people wanted to hear.
"He [Hartsfield] put us on the path to where we are today," Alexander said. "We shouldn't forget that."
Allen, who guided Atlanta through the civil rights era, was a mere afterthought. His name was rarely mentioned, with most saying they didn't know much about him. Committee members' own suggestions were wildly divided.
Mattie Jackson of southeast Atlanta reminded the crowd that during her early years she couldn't come in the front door of City Hall. She stressed that racism is alive and well and the airport should be renamed for Jackson. "Maynard was our Moses," Jackson said.
Julie Borders of northeast Atlanta was a rare dissenting voice. Borders noted that her grandfather has a street named after him and worried that name changes wiping away history might one day affect her family. "I'm not sure renaming an airport or a street does him justice," Borders said.
AJC story
afroman
Member
- Joined
- Jul 26, 2003
- Posts
- 22
Professional Mourners
Looks like Valerie Jackson will turn herself into a professional mourner just like her old buddy, Coretta Scott-King. "Sob, sob, boo-hoo, it's just racist for them not to name the airport after Maynard!"
The reason that only a dozen white folks showed up is b/c they have better things to do with their time -- like go to work!
I'm so sick-and-tired of this crowd -- they make me want to throw up that great fried chicken and collards that I had for lunch! If they truly want the world to be color blind (like I do) they'd quit all of this crap. Truth is that they really don't want this to happen b/c then, their political candidates could never get elected on their own merits.
[edit]
I should've put my black ass in my uniform and gone down there. I can promise you that they would have let the brotha Delta captain speak. Can you imagine the looks on all of their faces when I got up and told them that reanming the airport for that goon (yes, Goon) is stupid, and that they should all get jobs?!?!?!CLASSIC!!!
Looks like Valerie Jackson will turn herself into a professional mourner just like her old buddy, Coretta Scott-King. "Sob, sob, boo-hoo, it's just racist for them not to name the airport after Maynard!"
The reason that only a dozen white folks showed up is b/c they have better things to do with their time -- like go to work!
I'm so sick-and-tired of this crowd -- they make me want to throw up that great fried chicken and collards that I had for lunch! If they truly want the world to be color blind (like I do) they'd quit all of this crap. Truth is that they really don't want this to happen b/c then, their political candidates could never get elected on their own merits.
[edit]
I should've put my black ass in my uniform and gone down there. I can promise you that they would have let the brotha Delta captain speak. Can you imagine the looks on all of their faces when I got up and told them that reanming the airport for that goon (yes, Goon) is stupid, and that they should all get jobs?!?!?!CLASSIC!!!
Last edited:
shamrock
Well-known member
- Joined
- Dec 15, 2001
- Posts
- 1,786
Well, I guess it's happened.
I was riding back to Atlanta on Delta and the announcement began "we have started our descent to Atlanta's Hartfield Jackson International..." That made me mad but I figured the pilot was just jumping the gun, so I let it go. WRONG! After telling a friend about it, she informed me that the city council had voted for the name change while I was out of town.
What the F*CK!!!!!!!
Good new is, everyone I've flown with since then has stated that they will not use the new name but will continue to refer to it simply as Atlanta or throw in Hartsfield specifically when doing announcements. A small protest in the face of stupidity.
I was riding back to Atlanta on Delta and the announcement began "we have started our descent to Atlanta's Hartfield Jackson International..." That made me mad but I figured the pilot was just jumping the gun, so I let it go. WRONG! After telling a friend about it, she informed me that the city council had voted for the name change while I was out of town.
What the F*CK!!!!!!!
Good new is, everyone I've flown with since then has stated that they will not use the new name but will continue to refer to it simply as Atlanta or throw in Hartsfield specifically when doing announcements. A small protest in the face of stupidity.
Yeah, it's a done deal. I had read during the last couple of months that the two sides of city council were able to compromise by one side agreeing to the name change and the other agreeing to shutting Buckhead bars down at 2am (they had originally argued that would have been a racist policy aimed at getting young blacks out of prestigious Buckhead). I've not heard anything lately about Buckhead, but that was a fair trade in my view. Personally I wish they'd burn it down instead of shut it down.
On a side note regarding using airport names, we were issued a memo a while back about calling XNA just Fayetteville. After some customer complaints, we were instructed to refer to it as Fayetteville Springdale Rogers Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport. Look for customer complaints if Hartsfield is used, but Jackson is not. Your best best is to just call it Atlanta.
On a side note regarding using airport names, we were issued a memo a while back about calling XNA just Fayetteville. After some customer complaints, we were instructed to refer to it as Fayetteville Springdale Rogers Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport. Look for customer complaints if Hartsfield is used, but Jackson is not. Your best best is to just call it Atlanta.
most of our pax are just passing through ATL on the way to somewhere else. They don't know who hartsfield or Jackson were, and probably don't care.
Don't worry though, with our water bills going up about 300 percent per month to pay for Mayor Jackson's mismanagement of City government while in office, the gentrification of ATL will continue at a rapid pace. The people that voted for the present leadership of our City will not be able to afford to live here.
In a few years, the name will be changed back to Hartsfield.
Don't worry though, with our water bills going up about 300 percent per month to pay for Mayor Jackson's mismanagement of City government while in office, the gentrification of ATL will continue at a rapid pace. The people that voted for the present leadership of our City will not be able to afford to live here.
In a few years, the name will be changed back to Hartsfield.
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