Rename Christopher Columbus Park after Tom Menino?

By adamg on Mon, 11/03/2014 - 4:43pm

There's a petition for that.

Neighborhoods:

North End

Free tagging:

Tom Menino

Christopher Columbus Park

waterfront

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Comments

Hyde Park Avenue

By bigdah7
Mon, 11/03/2014 - 4:55pm

Should be named after him too.. Makes sense.

Sounds good

By Waquiot
Mon, 11/03/2014 - 4:58pm

He was the first Italian American mayor of Boston. The park was obviously named to honor Italians. Sure, his family came straight to Hyde Park, but he was mayor of all of us.

They renamed Columbus Park in Dorchester/South Boston after Moakley, so this should be a no brainer. As long as the Avenue keeps the name, the spirit of Columbus is still alive in Boston (and in a part of town where people who come from places where Columbus' voyages meant a whole lot more ended up settling, too boot.)

Spirit of Columbus

By anon
Tue, 11/04/2014 - 11:15am

The spirit of Columbus is the spirit of slavery and genocide.

However

By Waquiot
Tue, 11/04/2014 - 12:17pm

The voyages of Columbus are still celebrated all over Latin America.

I'm not trying to canonize Columbus, but Hispanic culture owes a big debt to what he did, both good and bad. That Columbus Ave runs close to Villa Victoria, Jackson Square, and Egleston Square is as fitting as naming a waterfront park by the North End after our first Italian American Mayor.

Or perhaps you are writing this from Europe?

How About

By Sources Say
Mon, 11/03/2014 - 5:10pm

Naming the bridge to Long Island after Tom Menino when (if?) it is rebuilt. Menino's Camp Harbor View is on that island and since he took a special interest in Boston's kids it would seem like a perfect fit. That's just a thought. It will probably be another twenty years before the bridge is rebuilt, however.

I missed the part where

By anon
Mon, 11/03/2014 - 5:50pm

I missed the part where Menino's name wasn't on every single park sign in the city -- did Walsh make getting them all repainted his #1 priority?

Yes

By Sources Say
Mon, 11/03/2014 - 6:35pm

I believe Walsh has addressed it. It's not a priority but eventually the signs bearing Menino's name will disappear. Unfortunately, they will be replaced with signs bearing Walsh's name.

Already Tom Menino Park in Charlestown next to Spalding

By North Beginner
Mon, 11/03/2014 - 6:02pm

There is already a Tom Menino Park in Charlestown next to Spalding Hospital.

https://roadtrippers.com/.../attract.../thomas-m-m...

I was coming to point out the

By Mediacrity
Mon, 11/03/2014 - 11:30pm

I was coming to point out the same thing. Walked by there a bit ago, there's a white wreath there but not much else. It's a lovely park and a kick-ass playground.

nice playground indeed.

By anne
Tue, 11/04/2014 - 8:04am

i need to send my niece over there, how long has that been open?

Absolutely!

By mg
Mon, 11/03/2014 - 6:05pm

Name it after a notable Italian who did great things for Boston and wasn't a genocidal racist.

Government Center should be

By Hyde Parker
Mon, 11/03/2014 - 6:29pm

Government Center should be called( Thomas M. Menino Center ) Next stop Thomas M Menino center .

Before they cut the ribbon at

By A×#
Mon, 11/03/2014 - 6:36pm

Before they cut the ribbon at Government center they should consider renaming the Train station as well as Goverment center plaza (Thomas M Menino Center)

I get that it's trendy to

By Carty
Mon, 11/03/2014 - 8:53pm

I get that it's trendy to apply today's mores of social justice to an explorer of more than 500 years ago. It will be interesting to see how we fare in 500 years.

But America's indigenous people were not a peaceful bunch prior to Columbus's arrival. Far from it.

http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/cross-check/20...

Speaking of non sequiturs

By lbb
Mon, 11/03/2014 - 9:57pm

But America's indigenous people were not a peaceful bunch prior to Columbus's arrival.

So, only completely peaceful and enlightened people deserve to be free of genocide? Come on now.

I'm just pointing out that

By Carty
Mon, 11/03/2014 - 10:11pm

I'm just pointing out that the whole planet was a moral shitshow 500 years ago by today's standards, singling out Columbus for his behavior is just kinda simple.

Therefore

By anon
Tue, 11/04/2014 - 12:09am

Singling Columbus out for praise is likewise simplistic.
I lived in the North End, I cringed at Columbus Park's existence. I'll never understand Italian-Americans' insistence on clinging to him. He was working for Spain anyway.

Also, he did nothing. At best, he made a navigational error.
Not worthy of celebration. Justifying it with the old "but savages!" is... sad.

We are capable of realizing when wrongs have been committed in the short and long-term. Your moral relativism doesn't help anyone.

Justifying it with the old

By Carty
Tue, 11/04/2014 - 9:56am

Justifying it with the old "but savages!" is... sad.

Poor me. I suppose I should be better about taking principled stands that cost me nothing.

For the record, I support renaming the park, we Italian Americans are quite proud of Thomas Menino.

Not so fast

By perruptor
Tue, 11/04/2014 - 5:20am

The natives that Colombus first encountered were the Western Taino.

The Classic Taino population was split into two social classes, as defined by the class-conscious Europeans who studied them—the nobility (nitaíno) and the commoner (naboria). There was no third class, since slavery and forced labor were not found in the Taino society.

Not until Chris showed up

The Western Tainos were very peaceful and passive. They welcomed Columbus and his men without caution and were helpful in aiding the Europeans’ recovery from their long voyage.

Other groups were warlike, and those of the Taino who lived near them were of necessity also more warlike, but the ones Columbus first met and brutalized were the peaceful Western Taino. His own accounts of the times go on at some length about how easy it was to enslave them, and mentions giving Taino women to his men as sex slaves. Not a nice guy -- certainly not by their standards.

look if I can't take well

By anon
Tue, 11/04/2014 - 7:08am

look if I can't take well-deserved shots at a dead genocidal rapist then what is the point in life

:)

By Carty
Tue, 11/04/2014 - 10:05am

But America's indigenous

By Scratchie
Tue, 11/04/2014 - 8:57am

But America's indigenous people were not a peaceful bunch prior to Columbus's arrival. Far from it.

http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/cross-check/20......

Did you read the article you linked to?

The Arawak and Wampanoag were kind to us—and by us I mean people of European descent. We showed our thanks by sickening, subjugating and slaughtering them. And we have the gall to call them more savage than us.

I did read it! There was some

By Carty
Tue, 11/04/2014 - 10:04am

I did read it! There was some other stuff in it too.

Yes there was. Mostly about

By Scratchie
Tue, 11/04/2014 - 10:36am

Yes there was. Mostly about tribes on the North American continent, which had nothing to do with Columbus.

So then ... there were some

By Carty
Tue, 11/04/2014 - 11:02am

So then ... there were some other nasty people responsible for the decimation of indigenous people on the American continents? Look, I am not trying to defend Columbus's behavior. I am saying holding him, and his legacy, responsible for something awful happening - to this day actually - across two continents is, to me, disingenuous.

I do truly appreciate (all of) your perspective(s), it's one of the reasons this site is so valuable to me.

How about holding him

By Scratchie
Tue, 11/04/2014 - 11:21am

How about holding him responsible for the rape and genocide that he and his crews actually committed? Would that be OK with you?

Scratchie,

By Carty
Tue, 11/04/2014 - 2:26pm

Scratchie,

George Washington beat his slaves, Thomas Jefferson raped his slaves. Huge opportunity to get out ahead on those!

No? You are so pro slave abuse!

Wait - I am declaring myself

By Carty
Tue, 11/04/2014 - 4:55pm

Wait - I am declaring myself a troll. Sorry.

Yes you are

By anon
Tue, 11/04/2014 - 11:21am

Defending columbus is exactly what you are doing or you would have no reason to say what you are saying. Read about the brutality he himself inflicted on the native people and still say its disingenuous. Calling Native Americans out for violence is disingenuous.

Rename storrow drive after

By AAL
Mon, 11/03/2014 - 6:26pm

Rename storrow drive after Menino. Storrow/Menino drive.
Entire South Boston Waterfront, as The Menino waterfront!!
Rename Government center Menino center !

I like this, but...

By lbb
Tue, 11/04/2014 - 9:59am

...I'm not sure "meninoing" really works. Even when it works, if you take my meaning.

Let's stop and take a breath

By Stevil
Mon, 11/03/2014 - 7:22pm

Seriously folks. There are so many things to think about here. We are 18 months out from the Marathon bombings and haven't even figured out an appropriate memorial for that. I'm reasonably sure the Mayor would prefer we focus on that somber task before we move on to naming things after him. This isn't a contest to see who comes up with the first idea and we are not going to name every pocket park in the city after him. My guess is that at some appropriate time Mayor Walsh will establish a committee to properly honor Mayor Menino's contributions to the city, nominations will be welcomed and I'm guessing a statue will be in the offing. All in due course. This is not due course.

And breathe...

Rename Christopher Columbus Park after Tom Menino?

Comments

Hyde Park Avenue

Sounds good

Spirit of Columbus

However

How About

I missed the part where

Yes

Already Tom Menino Park in Charlestown next to Spalding

I was coming to point out the

nice playground indeed.

Absolutely!

Government Center should be

Before they cut the ribbon at

I get that it's trendy to

Speaking of non sequiturs

I'm just pointing out that

Therefore

Justifying it with the old

Not so fast

look if I can't take well

:)

But America's indigenous

I did read it! There was some

Yes there was. Mostly about

So then ... there were some

How about holding him

Scratchie,

Wait - I am declaring myself

Yes you are

Rename storrow drive after

I like this, but...

Let's stop and take a breath

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