Crowd Cheers As ‘Old Dixie Highway’ Gets New Name In Honor Of Barack Obama

[Atman]

Sorry, the link doesn't seem to allow cut n' paste, but text and video are here...

http://reverbpress.com/discovery/old-dixie-highway-barack-obama-riviera-beach/

[edhopper]

1. I grew up in South Florida

All of Dixie Highway should be renamed.

[demmiblue]

2. Here is a video (not the same as the one at your link):

[Actorvist]

12. that image is very fitting

n/t

[demmiblue]

3. P.S. Here is a snippet from your link.

Since the Confederate Flag controversy, cities across our nation are purging other symbols of our vile “heritage” of slavery, violence and racism as well. Last December, a cheering crowd gathered in Riviera Beach, Fla. to watch city workers remove the sign for “Old Dixie Highway” and replace it with a sign for the newly renamed “President Barack Obama Highway.” The Sun Sentinel reports the City Council voted to rename Old Dixie Highway, one of Riviera Beach’s main thoroughfares, back in August:

It is the second road in Palm Beach County to be named in honor of the 44th president, county officials said. Two years ago, Pahokee in western Palm Beach County renamed East First Street to Barack Obama Boulevard.

In a strong statement, Riviera Beach Mayor Thomas Masters told WPTV 5 the name “Old Dixie Highway” is an inappropriate relic from the slavery and Jim Crow eras:

“[The Old Dixie Highway is] symbolic of racism, symbolic of the Klan, symbolic of cross burnings and today we are stepping up to a new day, a new era, and replacing Old Dixie with Barack Obama, who represents change."

[NV Whino]

4. I was going to comment on the length of the name

And compare it to Martin Luther King Jr Way in Berkeley, then I saw the cross street.

These things, however nice, must drive the sign makers nuts.

[brer cat]

5. I hope it starts a trend.

They are all over the south, and they ALL need to be replaced.

[katmondoo]

6. Replace Ronald Reagan with Obama for the Florida Turnpike

I always used the finger when passing the Reagan sign on the Turnpike.

[brer cat]

8. I would love that too. nt

[dixiegrrrrl]

16. And George Bush airport in Texas....

I think it is even an international one...blech.

[kentauros]

18. Technically, it's got two names.

The original was "Intercontinental Airport Houston" which is also still in the FAA designation of IAH. And then there's George Bush Intercontinental Airport.

You can usually tell that someone is older or been in Houston a long time when they just say "Intercontinental" versus those who are younger or newer to the city (as they call it "Bush".) Most people here know what airport you mean when you say Intercontinental. When they don't, you educate them on the proper name for the airport

And both airports (Hobby and Intercontinental) are international.

[dixiegrrrrl]

19. Hey, thanks for that info.

I shudder every time I hear his name.....

[kentauros]

21. What I like is how the FAA never changed it.

IAH means no Bush

[DesertRat]

7. This is really great!

Thanks for posting. K&R

[63splitwindow]

9. HAHAHAHA...

[Skittles]

13. STOP IT 63SPLITWINDOW

YER KILLING ME

[63splitwindow]

14. It's too good to let go...

[Skittles]

15. OMG

[zentrum]

10. Fantastic nt

[lastlib]

11. Progress!

I still would like to see the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, AL renamed as the Edmund Pettus-John Lewis Freedom Bridge.

[awoke_in_2003]

17. K&R

A good start

[KamaAina]

20. The night they drove Old Dixie down