Long Beach Press Telegram (Long Beach, California, USA)
A sound idea should not get lost in committee.
We emphatically supported 6th District Councilwoman Laura Richardson's original proposal last week to call a section of Long Beach Cambodia Town and hope that when the idea returns from city and committee review in a few months that it isn't diluted by politics, political-correctness or people-pleasing.
The exciting concept - renaming a stretch of Anaheim Street between Atlantic and Junipero avenues Cambodia Town and giving permission to post signs - was simple and sound. Anyone who has ever worked in an office knows that messing with a good idea too much can make it meaningless, and we hope this one survives "the process."
Some residents attending Tuesday's council meeting and others who wrote letters to the editor called the designation a form of segregation, which we found overreaching. A Cambodia Town would honor diversity - and a city built on it. Only a community that embraced differences would consider creating a cultural district in the first place.
Furthermore, there are plenty of whites and Hispanics living happily in Koreatown in Los Angeles; whites, Asians and Hispanics in Artesia's Little India and Asians in San Francisco's
Advertisement
Click here...<A HREF="http://ad.doubleclick.net/click%3Bh=v8/348e/3/0/%2a/v%3B22032268%3B2-0%3B1%3B11722686%3B255-0/0%3B12532763/12550659/1%3B%3B%7Eaopt%3D2/1/a/0%3B%7Esscs%3D%3fhttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.presstelegram.com/luxuryvehicles" TARGET="_blank"><IMG SRC="http://m1.2mdn.net//951574/lbpt300x250.jpg" WIDTH="300" HEIGHT="250" ALT="Click here..." BORDER="0"></a>
Little Italy. Designating a Cambodia Town would create greater visibility and may even give an area with little political influence more clout at City Hall - without hurting residents of other nationalities.
Such districts reflect the heritage of businesses in an area more so than the types of residents. Many of the Indian business owners in Artesia, for example, live in other cities. A Cambodian designation would, more than anything, encourage commerce.
Suggestions made at the meeting that a few signs and a city designation would lead to anti-Cambodian violence were ridiculous. Gang members' actions are fueled in ignorance, hate, poverty, drug addiction and greed - not street signs.
The original name would have attracted tourists and investment while honoring a group of people who have worked hard to turn an otherwise struggling business district into something interesting and valuable.
Needless to say there was a good deal of debate. Richardson changed her first recommendation, asking the council to send the matter to the Housing and Neighborhoods Committee and gather community input.
Then Councilwoman Suja Lowenthal wisely suggested moving the issue forward - not back - and designating the area Cambodia Town with exact boundaries to be designated at a later date. That would have been the right compromise because the spirit of Richardson's proposal would have survived.
Councilwoman Rae Gabelich asked for her peers to consider other names, including the Cambodian Culture District. Chinatown works fine, and Cambodia Town would, too, in our view. We say, keep it simple.
We emphatically supported 6th District Councilwoman Laura Richardson's original proposal last week to call a section of Long Beach Cambodia Town and hope that when the idea returns from city and committee review in a few months that it isn't diluted by politics, political-correctness or people-pleasing.
The exciting concept - renaming a stretch of Anaheim Street between Atlantic and Junipero avenues Cambodia Town and giving permission to post signs - was simple and sound. Anyone who has ever worked in an office knows that messing with a good idea too much can make it meaningless, and we hope this one survives "the process."
Some residents attending Tuesday's council meeting and others who wrote letters to the editor called the designation a form of segregation, which we found overreaching. A Cambodia Town would honor diversity - and a city built on it. Only a community that embraced differences would consider creating a cultural district in the first place.
Furthermore, there are plenty of whites and Hispanics living happily in Koreatown in Los Angeles; whites, Asians and Hispanics in Artesia's Little India and Asians in San Francisco's
Advertisement
Click here...<A HREF="http://ad.doubleclick.net/click%3Bh=v8/348e/3/0/%2a/v%3B22032268%3B2-0%3B1%3B11722686%3B255-0/0%3B12532763/12550659/1%3B%3B%7Eaopt%3D2/1/a/0%3B%7Esscs%3D%3fhttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.presstelegram.com/luxuryvehicles" TARGET="_blank"><IMG SRC="http://m1.2mdn.net//951574/lbpt300x250.jpg" WIDTH="300" HEIGHT="250" ALT="Click here..." BORDER="0"></a>
Little Italy. Designating a Cambodia Town would create greater visibility and may even give an area with little political influence more clout at City Hall - without hurting residents of other nationalities.
Such districts reflect the heritage of businesses in an area more so than the types of residents. Many of the Indian business owners in Artesia, for example, live in other cities. A Cambodian designation would, more than anything, encourage commerce.
Suggestions made at the meeting that a few signs and a city designation would lead to anti-Cambodian violence were ridiculous. Gang members' actions are fueled in ignorance, hate, poverty, drug addiction and greed - not street signs.
The original name would have attracted tourists and investment while honoring a group of people who have worked hard to turn an otherwise struggling business district into something interesting and valuable.
Needless to say there was a good deal of debate. Richardson changed her first recommendation, asking the council to send the matter to the Housing and Neighborhoods Committee and gather community input.
Then Councilwoman Suja Lowenthal wisely suggested moving the issue forward - not back - and designating the area Cambodia Town with exact boundaries to be designated at a later date. That would have been the right compromise because the spirit of Richardson's proposal would have survived.
Councilwoman Rae Gabelich asked for her peers to consider other names, including the Cambodian Culture District. Chinatown works fine, and Cambodia Town would, too, in our view. We say, keep it simple.
1 comment:
Healthy thought brought strength in productivity.Press Telegram sows intelligence and difference is beatiful in business sense.
Thank you and way of people press ought to be.
Never mind Richardson political agendas,she would milk some afluent Cambodian Business owners to elevate her self not necessary community benefit as a savvy city ahead of cultural blockage.
Post a Comment