Rename Denali Nat'l Park for Pres. McKinley?

[oscar]

Following up on a recent locked thread here on the name change of Alaska's Mt. McKinley to its original name Denali -- here's a conservative writer's compromise suggestion, to keep the new (old) name for the mountain, but rename the surrounding national park for President McKinley.

http://www.nationalreview.com/article/424286/what-name-william-mckinley

(Includes some swipes at Pres. Obama and other Democrats -- hey, that's par for the course at National Review! -- but mostly praise for Pres. McKinley.)

The park was originally named "Mount McKinley National Park", so this would mostly restore the park's original name.

[CNGL-Leudimin]

I'll use this thread to post something I wanted to say in the 'Goodbye Mount McKinley, Hello Mount Denali' thread, but kept forgetting and then it got locked before I could write.

I'm in favor of use local names were possible, if it something got a native name, use it. Like they did when the Great Trigonometrical Survey in India. Thomas Montgomerie climbed to Mount Haramukh, and from there spotted and numbered several peaks on the Karakoram. Since they wanted to keep local names, these peaks got accordingly renamed, except for one. That peak received its first name then, and has since been known as K2.

[Bruce]

In my opinion, Pres. McKinley's name should only be associated with the mountain/area in history books and a few historic plaques explaining the naming controversy.

[Jardine]

There are some really lame names out there too.

The Grand Canyon ?

Sheesh, put some thought into it people !!


And don't get me started on the Rocky Mountains . . . .

[roadman65]

In my opinion, Pres. McKinley's name should only be associated with the mountain/area in history books and a few historic plaques explaining the naming controversy.

Look at Cape Kennedy for example. The Space Center is still named for our 35th president despite the name of the piece of land that was retracted back to its original name after naming controversy there.

I am sure something can be named to keep McKinley honor alive as part of that area.


BTW, lets keep this from becoming another political debate like the last thread related to this.  So far NE 2 is sticking his foot in his mouth as always, which is already a start to this becoming another Yellow Brick Road themed thread.

[corco]

Rename Cuyahoga Valley National Park after President McKinley

[oscar]

Bring back the $500 bill, with Pres. McKinley's face on it (but with a more creative reverse, please).

[empirestate]

I think the obstacle here is that McKinley had no particular association with that particular park, mountain or region, unless there's something I missed in my cursory read of the article. While McKinley indeed may be deserving of a namesake in the National Parks system, surely a spot like Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural is the better candidate? After all, Teddy already has other park sites named for him.


iPhone

[jakeroot]

And don't get me started on the Rocky Mountains . . . .

That John Denver is full of shit, man.

[SSOWorld]

Sorry, but the subject has become purely political, which was why the original thread was locked
Reopening.  Please keep the discussion focused on the concept brought up by the OP - whether to rename the national park, however an attempt to make this political will result it in being locked again.

[Brandon]

I see no reason to name the park after President McKinley.  It and the mountain should share the same name, IMHO.  In fact, I'd like to get away from naming things after politicians.

[froggie]

I'd like to get away from naming things after politicians.

Agreed.

[The Nature Boy]

I'd like to get away from naming things after politicians for the sake of naming them after politicians. If McKinley had been from Alaska or had somehow been connected to it, it would make sense.

[1995hoo]

I don't mind if it's part of a naming theme–for example, a series of streets all named after presidents, or naming schools after former governors of the state where the schools are located, etc. Of course, off the top of my head I can't think of anyplace that uses either of those particular themes!

(I suppose you theoretically still run into issues with bad ones, like if Illinois were naming a string of streets after governors and then hit Blagojevich's spot in the order.)

[Pete from Boston]

When are we going to finally name two non-adjacent peaks for Grover Cleveland?

[hbelkins]

I think the obstacle here is that McKinley had no particular association with that particular park, mountain or region, unless there's something I missed in my cursory read of the article. While McKinley indeed may be deserving of a namesake in the National Parks system, surely a spot like Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural is the better candidate? After all, Teddy already has other park sites named for him.

Using that logic, why are there so darn many things named after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in places where he never set foot or had any association? Even Maysville, Ky. has a MLK street and I don't know that he ever visited Maysville.

[The Nature Boy]

I think the obstacle here is that McKinley had no particular association with that particular park, mountain or region, unless there's something I missed in my cursory read of the article. While McKinley indeed may be deserving of a namesake in the National Parks system, surely a spot like Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural is the better candidate? After all, Teddy already has other park sites named for him.

Using that logic, why are there so darn many things named after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in places where he never set foot or had any association? Even Maysville, Ky. has a MLK street and I don't know that he ever visited Maysville.

There's a difference between naming a road and a feature of the natural landscape.

[hbelkins]

In this case, we're talking about naming a park.

[Thing 342]

I think the obstacle here is that McKinley had no particular association with that particular park, mountain or region, unless there's something I missed in my cursory read of the article. While McKinley indeed may be deserving of a namesake in the National Parks system, surely a spot like Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural is the better candidate? After all, Teddy already has other park sites named for him.

Using that logic, why are there so darn many things named after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in places where he never set foot or had any association? Even Maysville, Ky. has a MLK street and I don't know that he ever visited Maysville.

Because Dr. King was the symbol for a national movement, and the changes that he advocated for have had a profound lasting effect. I doubt the McKinley Tariff or the Spanish-American War had too much of an impact on the history or culture of Alaska. 

[empirestate]

I think the obstacle here is that McKinley had no particular association with that particular park, mountain or region, unless there's something I missed in my cursory read of the article. While McKinley indeed may be deserving of a namesake in the National Parks system, surely a spot like Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural is the better candidate? After all, Teddy already has other park sites named for him.

Using that logic, why are there so darn many things named after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in places where he never set foot or had any association? Even Maysville, Ky. has a MLK street and I don't know that he ever visited Maysville.

Because Dr. King was the symbol for a national movement, and the changes that he advocated for have had a profound lasting effect. I doubt the McKinley Tariff or the Spanish-American War had too much of an impact on the history or culture of Alaska. 

That pretty much says it, I think. Few would doubt that MLK had a greater influence over more people than McKinley did; now, whether the sheer number of things named for King is indeed appropriate in scale to his influence, we must judge for ourselves I suppose.

The only other point I'd make is that there's more to influence than mere physical presence. McKinley may well have had an association with or influence on the mountain in Alaska that never involved him having to visit it personally, and if so, that might be a valid reason to name it after him. But, again, unless I'm forgetting something, I haven't been made aware of any such association. (And you could also argue whether the fact that he was physically present in Buffalo when he was assassinated gives him any special association with that place. But since there is, in fact, a national site commemorating the occasion, it certainly springs to mind as something at least as worthy of being named for him as the Alaskan peak.)

[roadman65]

Then why is both JFK and his brother named after things everywhere?  I can the see the Kennedy Space Center named after the former, because he was the one that got the space program off the ground, but CR 501 in Hudson County, NJ, the NYC main international airport is named after him, and then recently the Triborough Bridge named after Bobby.  What did the Kennedy Brothers do for NJ and NY?

Sure Jack was a president of our nation, but so was Nixon and so was Carter.  Then Bobby was not even a president, just a brother of one and if he is famous its for the same reason that the Vanderbilt's were:  they had money!   People look at anyone with lots of money, Hollywood stars, the Bush's, the Kardasian's,  the Jackson's and much more as royalty.  If one gets caught breaking the law, they usually get a free pass from going to jail, hence Michael Jackson, Ted Kennedy, Bill Clinton, and soon his wife with this latest scandal.

[empirestate]

Then why is both JFK and his brother named after things everywhere?  I can the see the Kennedy Space Center named after the former, because he was the one that got the space program off the ground, but CR 501 in Hudson County, NJ, the NYC main international airport is named after him, and then recently the Triborough Bridge named after Bobby.  What did the Kennedy Brothers do for NJ and NY?

Sure Jack was a president of our nation, but so was Nixon and so was Carter.  Then Bobby was not even a president, just a brother of one and if he is famous its for the same reason that the Vanderbilt's were:  they had money!   People look at anyone with lots of money, Hollywood stars, the Bush's, the Kardasian's,  the Jackson's and much more as royalty.  If one gets caught breaking the law, they usually get a free pass from going to jail, hence Michael Jackson, Ted Kennedy, Bill Clinton, and soon his wife with this latest scandal.

What I think you're getting at is the difference between somebody having a lot of influence vs. being deserving of that degree of influence. Now as for RFK and the Triborough Bridge, I agree that I don't see how Bobby Kennedy had enough impact on NYC specifically that he should get this bridge named after him, particularly so long after his assassination.

But in the case of JFK and the airport, I don't think that any reasonable observer would conclude that John F. Kennedy and William McKinley had comparable amounts of influence, such that they both equally deserve the flagship international airport of our country (at the time, if not still today) and the continent's highest peak, respectively. JFK was certainly a more important figure in his time than was McKinley, and his importance was of such national scale that it befits being applied to local landmarks all over the country. With McKinley, that's harder to see.

Now, whether the reason's for JFK's importance are valid, and whether they make him worthy of being a namesake, are questions that, as I've said, we must answer for ourselves.

[roadman65]

JFK probably was a good man, no doubt as his life span was before mine, so I was not around to witness his term in office.  However, I am just asking why some people get named for things with absolutely no influence on us. Correct we should feel free to choose whomever we pick, and that is not what I am mad about nor I am not even mad at the mountain, the bridge, the airport, or whatever comes along with it.

Just curious as I am sure HB was wondering the same thing.  I have no quarrels with MLK, but you do have to admit his name is used quite too frequently, but that is another story and it is what it is.  I do think its odd that the Triborough was named the way it was, considering that the Kennedy's were big in Massachusetts and not in New York.  Like if MA 128 was named after RFK and the name Yankee Division was dumped for it, it would not seem odd to me.  On the same note if the NJ Turnpike got renamed after Lawton Chiles, a former FL Governor who died during his last month in office, I would think that is very strange.

[davewiecking]

Bobby Kennedy was a Senator from New York at the time of his assassination, and prior to that was a prosecutor in District Court in Brooklyn. That being said, it is a bit odd that the Triborough Bridge was named for him 40 years after his assassination.

[roadman65]

Bobby Kennedy was a Senator from New York at the time of his assassination, and prior to that was a prosecutor in District Court in Brooklyn. That being said, it is a bit odd that the Triborough Bridge was named for him 40 years after his assassination.

Yes, I guess that is it as nowadays nobody is aware that RFK was a Senator back in the 60's or a prosecutor and the 40 years delay makes it seem all new.

I still say that that the Battery Tunnel should have been named in honor over the victims of 9/11 over Hugh Carey.  Not that I have anything against the man either as I was not fully aware of his tenor as NY Governor, but I think the victims of that fateful day need more honor than any politician of any time.  There are plenty of bridges in NYS that could have been named after Carey, like the Rip Van Winkle Bridge named after a fictional character in a story book.