Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez suggestion to rename Queens post office angers LGBTQ leaders

[George II]

By SHANT SHAHRIGIAN NEW YORK DAILY NEWS | FEB 20, 2022 AT 7:19 PM

A proposal by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to consider renaming a Queens post office that honors LGBTQ rights pioneers is sparking outrage among local activists.

Ocasio-Cortez (D-Queens, Bronx) is soliciting suggestions for the Jeanne and Jules Manford Post Office Building in Jackson Heights, a representative for the congresswoman’s office told Community Board 3 in Queens last week.

Jeanne Manford is considered to have been the first parent to march with their child in an LGBTQ parade a half century ago. She went on to found PFLAG, the country’s first LGBTQ group designed to build solidarity between parents and LGBTQ children, with support from her husband, Jules.

A name change would “erase our history,” fumed former City Councilman Daniel Dromm (D-Queens), who worked with AOC’s predecessor Joseph Crowley to name the post office for the Manfords five years ago.

https://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/new-york-elections-government/ny-aoc-queens-post-office-lgbt-20220221-j7grkp4olzc4vfw7hyiji7ksxm-story.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Why? Just why?

[JI7]

1. Bernie Sanders

lol

[Autumn]

3. AOC doesn't need a man to tell her what to do. You should read the article, it explains why.

Makes sense to me. But hey. Outrage... right?

[George II]

5. Yes, Autumn, read the article. She doesn't even have a specific person in mind...

for whom to rename it. She just wants to rename the post office.

To quote you, without the ? - "But hey. Outrage... right."

And it's not a matter.

[Autumn]

12. Yes it is a laughing matter George and the article explains why she suggested it. Two points to you

for reading and finding out she doesn't even have a specific person in mind... Minus three points for not mentioning it was a community suggestion.

An Ocasio-Cortez spokeswoman said it’s typical for members of Congress to consider new names for local post offices and suggestions are being sought for a Corona, Queens, post office as well.

She said the congresswoman is “very open” to keeping the Manford name.

“We’ll consider all community input,” AOC spokeswoman Lauren Hitt told The News. “It seemed like a small but interesting way to engage our community in the legislative process.”

The renaming idea began with a community suggestion to honor the late LGBTQ activist Lorena Borjas, according to Hitt.

Oh my. It wasn't even an evil plan put forth by AOC, it was a suggestion by the community. Think maybe it was a constituents idea? If so maybe that might be rare. Imagine that. A Congresswoman acting on a suggestion by her community.

[George II]

16. Autumn, all that is AFTER the blowback from the community. Rationalize it if you want....

...but how does she, and you, explain THIS from the article:

Ocasio-Cortez (D-Queens, Bronx) is soliciting suggestions for the Jeanne and Jules Manford Post Office Building in Jackson Heights

No "minus points" since the so-called "suggestion" was after the issue was raised by her. If it was an idea to honor Lorena Borjas, why solicit other suggestions? The business about honoring Lorena Borjas is just an after the fact excuse to rationalize it.

The community was up in arms about the suggestion to change the name of the Jeanne and Jules Manford Post Office, especially since THERE WAS NO NAME IN MIND when this started, so a "back story" was needed.

Again, it was NOT a "suggestion by her community", it was HER idea in the first place, and then she solicited suggestions. " " Otherwise the LBGTQ community wouldn't be as upset as it is.

Maybe one needed to grow up in the area and know the community to understand the reaction.

[PatSeg]

56. And now she's gotten her name into another news cycle

[Autumn]

62. Wow George, I guess you should find another article that says what you are claiming and post it.

Last edited Tue Feb 22, 2022, 04:35 PM - Edit history (1)

Because the one you posted does not say what you are claiming.

the so-called "suggestion" was after the issue was raised by her.

Fact is it says the opposite.

You also say,

it was NOT a "suggestion by her community", it was HER idea in the first place, and then she solicited suggestions.

That is not what the article linked by you in your OP says. In fact the article says

She said the congresswoman is “very open” to keeping the Manford name.

“We’ll consider all community input,” AOC spokeswoman Lauren Hitt told The News. “It seemed like a small but interesting way to engage our community in the legislative proces

The renaming idea began with a community suggestion to honor the late LGBTQ activist Lorena Borjas,

Many post offices get renamed. She's not the first to sponser a bill or think of renaming a post office. .

https://govtrackinsider.com/renaming-post-offices-is-the-least-controversial-thing-congress-does-369c40f2f5ff

[George II]

63. For the most part "renaming" post offices has been changing them from "United States Post Office"...

...to that of a person's name. Rarely if ever has one that has already been named after someone had the name removed and another's name replace it. The only instance I would think where that would happen was to remove a racist's name, like maybe someone like Jefferson Davis or whatever.

But I'm sure you'll find one.

This was an insensitive and hurtful decision to suggest tossing the Manford name into the garbage and replace them with someone else. It's virtually unprecedented. I find it mindboggling that someone would defend this or excuse it. Certainly the LGBTQ community of Queens and other from coast to coast found it offensive.

[Autumn]

64. I guess you didn't read the article I posted.

I'm not defending anything George. Just posting the rest of the story and pointing out a few things you skipped over.

[George II]

66. You've been defending this whole saga, and dodging sensible, logical questions...

...(although admittedly I did say in one case "rhetorical questions" )

Nothing was skipped over, I just read it perhaps more objectively than some people have.

I wasn't the only one who asked pretty much the same questions:

Former Councilman Daniell Dromm, who helped get it named for the Manfords just five years ago, fumed: “Is it that she doesn’t know our history? Did they not check to see who the post office is named after right now? Does she not know who Jeanne Manford was?”

https://www.thedailybeast.com/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-proposal-to-rename-queens-post-office-slammed-by-lgbtq-activists

And once again, I don't see why you find every response to you a laughing matter, i.e,. .

[Cha]

65. The Bottom Line is that ..

The Post Office was named 5 years ago.. the Jeanne and Jules Manford Post Office. And her "proposal to rename it has angered LGBTQ Activists in Queens."

LGBTQ activists in Queens are up in arms about a proposal by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) to rename a local post office that currently honors the founders of a group for parents of lesbian and gay children. “How dare she put our community’s heritage up for a popularity contest or a vote,” advocate Allen Roskoff told the New York Daily News. “

Snip//

But former Councilman Daniell Dromm, who helped get it named for the Manfords just five years ago, fumed: “Is it that she doesn’t know our history? Did they not check to see who the post office is named after right now? Does she not know who Jeanne Manford was?”

https://www.thedailybeast.com/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-proposal-to-rename-queens-post-office-slammed-by-lgbtq-activists

Yeah, "the Community is Involved" Now.. Over her Proposal to rename a Post Office Already Named for a Beloved Couple.. ..

"currently honors the founders of a group for parents of lesbian and gay children. “
Not a good move.. I've read there are other Post Offices that she could have made a "Proposal" to change.. in that District.. Why this One?

[JI7]

9. I didn't say he told her to do this. I thought it was funny

becsuse it reminded me of him and his biggest accomplishment in his political career.

[betsuni]

29. +1

[LetMyPeopleVote]

44. I am also amused

Renaming post offices is something that is not that important in the real world

[PatSeg]

57. And now it is a fairly prominent news story

Guess there's nothing else of importance going in the world.

[RobinA]

70. Until It Gets

mentioned 10 times a minute by righties taking a break from spreading the word that Biden is giving out crack pipes.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

43. I am also amused

[Historic NY]

2. Some people are so smart they actually stupid

now she turned a community against her/

[George II]

4. I just read more about Jeanne Manford - a famous quote of hers:

I have a homosexual son and I love him.

—?Jeanne Manford, Letter to the Editor, New York Post, April 29, 1972

She could have been my mother, also from Flushing, Queens her last 60 years, speaking of my brother. He was terrified of coming out, just about the same time. She said, "you're my son, I love you." She devoted the rest of her life to working for gay rights.

[Autumn]

14. I just read more about the late LGBTQ activist Lorena Borjas from New York City's Latinx LGBT

community who passed away in 2020 from Covid. I can see why the suggestion to rename a PO after her was made. It sounds like she was a remarkable woman, well loved by her community.

A pillar of New York City’s Latinx LGBTQ community, Borjas had long been known as a staunch defender of the rights of trans people, Latinx people, undocumented people and sex workers. Borjas helped Garcia and her friend obtain a lawyer, who won their case and later helped them get immigration papers to stay in the U.S. A decade later, Garcia is now a justice worker with New York City-based advocacy organization Make the Road. “Lorena was like a mother for many in the transgender community,” Garcia tells TIME. “She used to help anyone.“

“Lorena Borjas was a real hero for trans people, especially in Queens. She was a leader, a builder and a healer,” Mara Keisling, the executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality, said in a statement. “The NCTE family is saddened by her passing and has her broad family and the Queens Latinx community in our hearts today.”

Borjas had been a prominent community organizer and health educator for decades, working to end human trafficking, which she herself survived, according to the Transgender Law Center. In 2017, she received a rare pardon from New York Governor Andrew Cuomo for a conviction she received in the 1990s while being trafficked, with Gov. Cuomo praising her advocacy work in New York state. (The conviction had put Borjas, a Mexican national, at high risk of deportation.)

Her community health work included a HIV testing site Borjas set up in her own home, and a syringe exchange program for trans-women using hormone injections, according to Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office. In 2012, she and activist Chase Strangio co-founded the Lorena Borjas Community Fund, which helped cover bail and pay legal fees for for LGBTQ immigrants.

https://time.com/5813045/lorena-borjas-trans-activist-coronavirus/

[George II]

17. So? She was suggested AFTER names were solicited. Did you read the article in the OP?

Goodnight.

[Autumn]

19. Yes I read that. I even quoted it in a previous post. The community suggested her name.

That's why I googled her. She was also a victim of sex trafficking. An amazing woman.

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

Goodnight George

[George II]

39. Yes, Borjas was suggested by the community but it was AFTER the call went out for suggestions....

So AOC ostensibly had already decided to change the name of a post office that was already named after a Jewish couple who were ardent LGBTQ activists. She didn't have a new name in mind, just change the name of this one.

As has been pointed out, there are several post offices in NY-14 that remain unnamed. So why RE-name this one? I can think of a couple of reasons.

So, since you had to google Borjas to find out about her, now do Jeanne Manford and her husband.

[Autumn]

40. After? George you must not have gotten that from the article YOU posted because it's

not there.

The renaming idea began with a community suggestion to honor the late LGBTQ activist Lorena Borjas, according to Hitt.

“We’ll consider all community input,” AOC spokeswoman Lauren Hitt told The News. “It seemed like a small but interesting way to engage our community in the legislative process.”

There's this sentence from your article.. The renaming idea began with a community suggestion I don't see where it was done after AOC suggested renaming the post office. The renaming idea began That don't sound like after the call went out to rename the PO to me George.

”It was a community suggestion George, the people suggested it. .

I did google Jeanne Manford and her husband. Since you posted about them I saw no need to post about them. I just did the rest of the story... that you left out.

[George II]

55. If they had already suggested Borjas' name, then why did she solicit names? And why did she....

....do it without researching who the Manfords were beforehand?

Rhetorical questions. Thank you.

[Autumn]

59. How do you know she did it without researching who the Manfords were? Did you ask her?

You read it in your article? That thing is riddled with contridictions and bull shit. George, come on dude. The headline alone is crap...

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez suggestion to rename Queens post office angers LGBTQ leaders

Well the article even states that it wasn't her suggestion...

The renaming idea began with a community suggestion to honor the late LGBTQ activist Lorena Borjas, according to Hitt.

I could go on but fuck it , two is enough I see no reason to bother with it. But by all means... continue.

[George II]

60. Well, if she did and then STILL decided to rename it, that would be even worse. And THAT....

....most likely could be the reason this has angered the LGBTQ community in Queens and, based on other articles here, gay activists across the country.

[Autumn]

61. Looks to me there are two factions. One wants the Manfords, the other wants Borjas.

I'm sure they can sort it out without people stirring the pot. If it weren't for AOC being involved I doubt anyone would care.

As for myself, I feel that naming Post offices and appointing judges are something that politicians and presidents should not be doing.

[lapucelle]

69. That's not what the representative's official website says.

From the Internet Archive, February 19-20, 2022.



https://web.archive.org/web/20220220002100/https://airtable.com/shrDHvItK8mGqLbtl

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The webpage was recently edited. Here's the latest version:



https://airtable.com/shrDHvItK8mGqLbtl

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Why not simply rename the Corona post office after Lorena Borjas if that particular "community suggestion" is the impetus behind the proposal?

After all, the Jackson Heights post office is already named for beloved local civil rights icons who, by all accounts, are indeed "two individuals who represent the diversity and tenacity of New York's 14th congressional district".

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

President Obama Tells the Story of Jeanne Manford and PFLAG

[betsuni]

71. Thank you.

[Cha]

6. "You don't take one pioneer of the LGBT movement and pit them against another person," Dromm said.

And, you don't just try to change the name of a Post Office just because it's "Typical"

[George II]

7. Mahalo, Cha.

[mcar]

33. This

Seems to me there are other places that could be named after someone. Why look at just that post office?

[nycbos]

8. She is clearly not thinking.

Even the best of us have brain farts from time to time.

[George II]

11. It's not even like there was a particular person in mind to rename the post office....

It's like "just rename it, give me suggestions". To those involved in the gay rights movement, it's an insult.

She owes the gay community of Queens, NYC, and the country a humble apology.

[iemanja]

13. Wow

She must not have known the significance of the name.

[Nixie]

20. Amen, a total insult. Makes you wonder what the late Borjas

would think about it. How mortifying. Pitting people against each other is not an honor. Goodness.

[Hortensis]

53. "I like her policies, but this is typical of her not being connected to

the community." ~ One of her constituents.

She spends most of her time promoting her ideological faction and fundraising around the nation, and "not thinking" is clearly what happened here.

But she should have since her name's on it. Chances are excellent staff handled this and they didn't "think" either. After all, according to her own explanation, it was just a little PR exercise to engage the community with her office.

Whatever. It's the people of NY-14th's business.

[betsuni]

10. "Is it that she doesn't know our history? Did they not check to see who the post office is

named after right now?"

Sounds like staff received the suggestion of Lorena Borjas and went with it until pushback, maybe assumed things about Manford without checking, that nobody would care.

[Cha]

15. "Is it that she doesn't know our history?"

Did they not check to see who the post office is named after right now? Does she not know who Jeanne Manford was?” Dromm said to the Daily News on Sunday.

Excellent question.. I hope they get an answer.

[betsuni]

18. And only named after the Manfords five years ago.

[Cha]

21. Right! Good point.. I was kinda

surprised it had just been named so relatively recently.

Not a good look to put it up "..for a popularity contest or a vote"..

“We have been hidden from the public for so many years,” Dromm said. “We want to create that visibility for the community and keep that history alive.”

[betsuni]

22. I didn't know there were term limits on post office names.

[Cha]

23. I didn't either! I googled..

nothing came up for a term limit on the names of Post Offices.

Where did you see that? TY

[betsuni]

24. It was a joke.

You know, the obsession with the "status quo" always being bad.

[Cha]

25. Oh whew! lol it was a good

one.. too bad I didn't get it.. but now it's funny.

So No Term Limits.. Yay!

[betsuni]

27. When a legislator has nothing but renaming post offices on their record.

[Behind the Aegis]

26. Not at all surprising.

Glad to see some aren't trying to defend this nonsense!

[DFW]

28. I think this falls into the "ain't she got something better to do?" category

I doubt this will be on the A list of "legislative accomplishments" when the history of the 117th Congress is complied.

[George II]

31. +1

[lapucelle]

30. There are only TWO post offices in NY-14 named for individuals.

One is named for Geraldine Ferraro and the other is named for Jeanne and Jules Manford.

If the sophomore representative from NY-14 wants to name a post office through legislation, there are several undedicated post offices in her district that she can choose from.

I wonder if she knows that before a renaming bill can even get to committee, unanimity of a state’s congressional delegation is required.

I wonder if she has also considered the fact that the law naming the post office for the Manfords (Public Law 114–200; 114th Congress; HR 2607) would have to be repealed before she could even proceed.

[George II]

32. I'm sure there's a post office or two in the Bronx section of the district that could be named....

Why not choose one of those to name instead of one already named after a Jewish couple who were LGBTQ activists?

[lapucelle]

35. "I like her policies, but this is typical of her not being connected to the community,"

said [former City Councilman Daniel Dromm] who helped Jeanne Manford found PFLAG’s Queens chapter.

“We have been hidden from the public for so many years,” Dromm said. “We want to create that visibility for the community and keep that history alive.”

“You don’t take one pioneer of the LGBT movement and pit them against another person,” Dromm said.

Longtime LGBTQ activist Allen Roskoff, the head of the influential Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club, also denounced the proposal.

“How dare she put our community’s heritage up for a popularity contest or a vote,” he said. “We are outraged.”

=============================================================================================

President Obama honoring Jeanne Manford at a speech to The Human Rights Campaign

[George II]

47. Daniel Dromm was the first openly gay member of the City Council from Queens.

[mcar]

34. That's what I was wondering

Why this particular PO?

[lapucelle]

37. Could it be that her team didn't know that the Manfords are beloved civil rights icons

in the community?

Jeanne Manford:

Honors and legacy

In June 1991, Manford was grand marshal of New York City's Gay Pride March.

In 1993, she was the grand marshal of the first pride parade in Queens, New York.

snip==================================================================

In February 2013, it was announced that President Barack Obama was to honor Manford posthumously with the 2012 Presidential Citizens Medal, the second highest civilian award given by the United States, for her work in co-founding PFLAG and ongoing years of LGBT advocacy. She was one of 18 Americans selected to receive the award from more than 6000 nominations. It recognizes "exemplary deeds of service for their country and their fellow citizens," from more than 6000 nominations.

On February 15, 2013, Manford's daughter, Suzanne Manford Swan, accepted the award on her behalf at a White House ceremony at which Obama said: "These folks participate, they get involved, they have a point of view. They don't just wait for somebody else to do something, they go out there and do it, and they join and they become part of groups and they mobilize and they organize."

The President described the founding of PFLAG and continued: "This was back in 1972. There was a lot of hate, a lot of vitriol toward gays and lesbians and anyone who supported them. But instead, she wrote to the local newspaper and took to the streets with a simple message: No matter who her son was — no matter who he loved — she loved him, and wouldn't put up with this kind of nonsense." He said "that simple act" provided the impetus for a national organization "that has given so much support to parents and families and friends, and helped to change this country".

On April 26, 2014, 171st Street between 33rd and 35th Avenues in the Flushing neighborhood of Queens, New York was named "Jeanne, Jules, Morty Manford PFLAG Way".

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeanne_Manford

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

President Obama telling the story of Jeanne Manford and PFLAG in 2012.

[mcar]

38. I'm wondering if they don't realize the district has other post offices

and the fact that they think insulting one group in favor of another is a good idea.

[George II]

50. There are 27 zip codes in NY-14. Generally in NYC and congested areas there's a post office....

....for each zip codes, or at least most of them.

That's more than 20 post offices. But this one?

[George II]

48. How could they not know about the Manfords?

[Historic NY]

46. You are correct....

she should have done her due diligence.

[Cha]

68. Wow.. Good Information..

Mahalo, lapucelle!

Not good.. dividing a community over this precious issue and those who helped Dedicate the Post Office, 5 years ago, to Jeanne and Juels Manford.

[Oneironaut]

36. I had no idea who Jeanne Manford was, tbh.

I need to brush up on my LGBT / Queer history. I think it’s easy to step in shit in politics. It’s not like AOC wanted to rename it because of bigotry - she was more just ignorant or something.

I think they should keep the name, though. Wanting to rename the PO without checking the history of the old name is just lazy. Couldn’t she have staffers do research?

[Behind the Aegis]

67. Due diligence.

It would have served her well; though from the article, it sounds as if it is staffers who share the majority of the blame. Frankly, I am disturbed by some of the comments in this thread which seem to minimize this, including "LULZ"ing. Sure, it is more a comment on the fact that AOC was "called out" for stepping in it, but in a thread about a minority group, often oppressed, getting hammered in many states and the Supreme Court, probably not the best time to make light of the situation.

This is also just another salvo in the attempt to pit the GLB against the T, as well as something even more insidious.

[KG]

41. I lulz'd

[George II]

42. I'm sure you did.

[sheshe2]

45. I wonder if it has anything to do with Joe Crowley.

He worked on the name change five years ago with Dromm.

[Wingus Dingus]

49. AOC: "I have an idea, let's name this post office after a LGBTQ pioneer!"

"Um, Congresswoman, it IS named after a LGBTQ pioneer already."

AOC: "I TOTALLY knew that when I made my suggestion! I was just testing to see if YOU knew it!"

One of her staffers should be polishing up the old resume and updating the Linked In page.

[George II]

51. Aside from the staffer updating the resume, she should be apologizing to the LGBTQ community....

...in Queens and NYC.

[Budi]

52. LGBTQ Magazine "The Blade" responds:

https://www.losangelesblade.com/2022/02/21/lgbtq-leaders-outraged-over-aocs-possible-post-office-name-change/?amp=1[

“You don’t take one pioneer of the LGBT movement and pit them against another person,” Dromm, who helped Jeanne Manford found PFLAG’s Queens chapter, told the newspaper. “I like her policies, but this is typical of her not being connected to the community,” he added.

Allen Roskoff, a long-time LGBTQ+ activist and head of the Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club, also expressed his frustration with the idea to the Daily News.
“How dare she put our community’s heritage up for a popularity contest or a vote,” he said. “We are outraged.”

Take that insult & outrage to the polls~

[BlackSkimmer]

54. Interesting.

Thanks for posting that link.

She does appear just a wee bit tone deaf with this move.

[PatSeg]

58. Her political inexperience is showing

I really can't imagine what she was thinking.