Comments on: Boosterism — Its Virtues and Limitations http://www.bloglanta.com/archives/57 For fans of everything ITP Thu, 20 Nov 2008 15:52:52 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.2 By: Henry http://www.bloglanta.com/archives/57#comment-141 Henry Wed, 03 Aug 2005 19:00:42 +0000 http://www.bloglanta.com/archives/57#comment-141 William Hartsfield did a lot to bring Atlanta into the aviation age. He nurtured the airport from its early dirt-strip days up until its era as a burgeoning international facility. And how, may I ask, did the City of Atlanta choose to repay his efforts only a couple of years ago? By actually considering striking his name from the facility in favor of Maynard Jackson's, that's how! What it all boiled down to simply was this: there was (is) a cadre of folks in Atlanta city government who could not stand the fact that the airport was named for some old, grey-haired, dead white guy; some, at least, had the honesty and audacity to even say so. All arguments were tried: Hartsfield was a relic of Atlanta's racist past (he was actually an amazingly progressive mayor). That he was one of "yesterday's heroes" (an argument advanced by Douglas Dean). That the airport was basically nothing but a small landing strip until Maynard got a hold of it (I am old enough to know THAT'S not true). yada, yada, yada. The Widder Jackson and "The Free and Rowdy Name Change Gang" came a-ridin' into town and decided that the airport just wasn't big enough for Willie B and ol' Maynard. To hell with tributes and history; obliterate "Hartsfield" so we can give Maynard a memorial. As it is, we have ended up with a lame-assed, hypenated tribute which does neither man full justice. Based on the comments and the sound-bites concerning this issue, I conclude that the local "civil rights" community and their hangers-on really showed their asses on this one. They revealed to one and all their "true colors" (pun intended). William Hartsfield did a lot to bring Atlanta into the aviation age. He nurtured the airport from its early dirt-strip days up until its era as a burgeoning international facility. And how, may I ask, did the City of Atlanta choose to repay his efforts only a couple of years ago? By actually considering striking his name from the facility in favor of Maynard Jackson’s, that’s how!

What it all boiled down to simply was this: there was (is) a cadre of folks in Atlanta city government who could not stand the fact that the airport was named for some old, grey-haired, dead white guy; some, at least, had the honesty and audacity to even say so.

All arguments were tried: Hartsfield was a relic of Atlanta’s racist past (he was actually an amazingly progressive mayor). That he was one of “yesterday’s heroes” (an argument advanced by Douglas Dean). That the airport was basically nothing but a small landing strip until Maynard got a hold of it (I am old enough to know THAT’S not true). yada, yada, yada.

The Widder Jackson and “The Free and Rowdy Name Change Gang” came a-ridin’ into town and decided that the airport just wasn’t big enough for Willie B and ol’ Maynard. To hell with tributes and history; obliterate “Hartsfield” so we can give Maynard a memorial.

As it is, we have ended up with a lame-assed, hypenated tribute which does neither man full justice. Based on the comments and the sound-bites concerning this issue, I conclude that the local “civil rights” community and their hangers-on really showed their asses on this one. They revealed to one and all their “true colors” (pun intended).

]]> By: jeannie cooper http://www.bloglanta.com/archives/57#comment-140 jeannie cooper Tue, 08 Feb 2005 23:49:22 +0000 http://www.bloglanta.com/archives/57#comment-140 As I write this, I am keeping one eye out for my children to walk home (on sidewalks) from school. Out another window I can look on St Andrews Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. When my husband plays music on Friday night at a downtown tavern, the girls and I can walk down and watch a set, then walk home. If not for a 'booster' who came here from Birmingham in 1925, this would probably not be the case, and indeed this is the only neighborhood in our area that still has schools, churchs, sidewalks, a yacht club and a grocery store. The 'booster' who was responsible for much of this took out full page ads in the newspaper depicting strapping youths in those undershirt-bathing suits canoeing before sloping hills. Never mind that the nearest hill is probably 50 miles away. Ridiculous,yes, but when my children want to go to the public library and all I have to do is say, "Be good-call if you need anything" I thank that old booster. I'm looking forward to the next posts. As I write this, I am keeping one eye out for my children to walk home (on sidewalks) from school. Out another window I can look on St Andrews Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. When my husband plays music on Friday night at a downtown tavern, the girls and I can walk down and watch a set, then walk home. If not for a ‘booster’ who came here from Birmingham in 1925, this would probably not be the case, and indeed this is the only neighborhood in our area that still has schools, churchs, sidewalks, a yacht club and a grocery store. The ‘booster’ who was responsible for much of this took out full page ads in the newspaper depicting strapping youths in those undershirt-bathing suits canoeing before sloping hills. Never mind that the nearest hill is probably 50 miles away. Ridiculous,yes, but when my children want to go to the public library and all I have to do is say, “Be good-call if you need anything” I thank that old booster. I’m looking forward to the next posts.

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