On whiting out . . . .

Critical action issue! Little Rock has renamed part of a street named "Confederate Blvd." as "Springer Blvd." in order to honor "black community leader Horace Springer and his family...."  Michelle Malkin is righteously pissed. 

Why is she pissed?  Well, it has something to do with Little Rock's decision to "white out" history.  It also has something to do with the fact that the "white out" appears to have been partially inspired by the opening of the Clinton library.  And, of course, it must have something to due with the fact that the name change actually occurred in 1974, and what really happened is that four old (and incorrect) street signs were recently updated. 

But Malkin's central point is quite sound.  And this is an issue on which Malkin, a long time Little Rock resident who appears to have never lived in Little Rock, has unique moral standing.  Indeed, once a street is named it is well established that the street must retain that name for all time.  The central principle of conservatism being, of course, that local communities have no right to rename their own streets.  That's what got the Romans and the Greeks.  As William F. Buckley used to say, everything is your business, chum!

Consider also the incalculable harm to society and, yes, to reason itself, that has and will come from the Little Rock's 1974 decision to "white out" the name of a part of a street.  Indeed, without the undivided union of Confederate Blvd., we will all (eventually) forget that there was a Confederacy.  Or a Civil War.  Indeed, during last 30 years that the partial name change has been in effect, an unnumbered legion has been in kept in intellectual bondage.  And when will it end?  Will we "white out" history books as well?  Declare Ken Burns a persona non grata?  (O.K., fine, so his history of Jazz makes that a bit tempting.)  Ban the History Channel?  It's coming, friends -- this 1974 partial name change is the harbinger.

Incidentally, who is this "black community leader Horace Springer"?  Some person of alleged local renown?  Well, assuming that Little Rock is right and he deserves to be honored (and, I'm telling you, Little Rock, you haven't proved it to my standards), why must a part of Confederate Blvd. suffer?  Aren't there other, less-valuable streets?  What about West Fourth Street?  Isn't an East Fourth Street enough?  And Garland Street, who really needs that?  It seems prissy -- a little "blue state," if you catch my meaning.  Maybe it'd be a good thing to forget that one instead.

Finally, we mustn't ignore that the Clintons are somehow (vicariously) involved.  You know what that means.  Yup, that's right:  they've been messin' with the space-time continuum again!  Somehow, Hillary snuck back to 1974 and engineered the dastardly name change -- and now she's demanding that four street signs be replaced to reflect it!  In an attempt to "dispel those things that divide us," no less!  And everyone is wearing goatees, Saddam's the Prime Minister of a democratic Iraq, and the French are invading North Korea!  The horror!

We are at Def Con 4, people.  Hold on -- it's gonna be a bumpy ride.

Comments

[Anarch]

You say "Culture and Stuff", I say "Not Yet A Buddha"...

[von]

von, did I miss a link? Malkin writes a few relatively insignificant comments around an AP story concerning changing some highway signs. You seem to be the only one pissed. The 'white out' reference seems to have come from the AP story. Romans and Greeks? Hey don't you hate it when some bank or government building you need to find changes it's address to Number One Bank street or 23 Skidoo Government Center. Now that can piss you off. Otherwise you might want to breath into a paper bag and maybe check on eBay for a sense of humor or something.

[blogbudsman]

Heck, von. I called myself you. Now that's gotta make you giggle a little.

[blogbudsman]

Heck von, I called myself you. Not that's gotta be a little funny, don't ya think?

[blogbudsman]

Well look at that, the first one did go through. Hey, has anyone seen the direcway commercial, how fast and great it is? Don't believe it for a minute. I got you laughing yet von. I'm not even from Arkansas.

[norbizness]

It's the Kent Brockman School of History!

"I've seen water houses being turned on peaceful black protestors, pictures of lynchings, and the aftermath of the assassination of MLK, and I can say without fear of hyperbole that this is a million times worse than all of those things put together!"

[hilzoy]

Jeez: Michelle Malkin can't even spell Sir Edmund Hillary's name right. Hmmph.

[Jesurgislac]

Blogbuds: Malkin writes a few relatively insignificant comments around an AP story concerning changing some highway signs.

Comments that show an ungracious and a nasty soul. Urk. (wipes feet) As von points out, the namechange happened in 1974: why is this even an issue for anyone? Why is Malkin pissed enough to blog about it?

[von]

The issue I have with this post by Malkin -- other than the fact that it accomplishes the trifecta of being pointless, silly, and misleading -- is that it's yet another cast off polemic by a well-read writer. Why actually grapple with the facts or issues, if we can simply demonize our opponents with a couple sentence and move on?* It's a tactic that is easy and cheap and far too popular in the blogosphere. And it needs to stop, or at least face the occasional mockery that it deserves.

BTW -- and this is a general notice, because blogbudsman's error was inadvertent -- intentionally taking another's blogospheric handle is a insta-bannable offense in my book. I don't care if it occurs here or elsewhere. So play nice. (Again, this is not directed to blogbudsman.)

von

[platosearwax]

Whatever Malkin's intent was (and I am sure it was exactly what von thinks it was), that was one rockin' rant.

[Roger]

Isn't this the woman who believes Japanese should not only have been put into concentration camps in the 40s, but discretely gassed?

Actually, she seems to be liberalizing her views. She might almost be ready to accept that slavery was, well, ill advised. Not wrong, however. That would be way too PC.

She should really start campaigning that they rename some street for some of her true heros -- the founders of the KKK, various organizers of lynchings, maybe David Duke or William Shockley. People who represent the "real America."

[Jackmormon]

Does Malkin really have an audience? I've only heard of her because Neiwert responded (with more patience and seriousness than she deserved) to her book. Her website looks ridiculous. Does she have any pull whatsoever?

[John Thullen]

Tacitus has praised Malkin. Her column is carried on a weekly basis in many large newspapers courtesy of the Creators Syndicate.

Malkin is one of a few women who rise to the level of horse's ass. She's a child. The argumentative and journalistic skills displayed in her writing are just below that of a 15-year old high school newspaper columnist raving about the scandalous inadequacy of the dessert tray in the school cafeteria.

[Jesurgislac]

John Thullen: Tacitus has praised Malkin.

No surprise there.

[Neolith]

Of course, Tacitus has also savaged her as well, citing the poor company she keeps and her underlying bigotry. I believe she was also mentioned as being part of a group of 'Evilcons', which is hardly flattering except perhaps by tenuous association with the admittedly cool Decepticons. They are after all, more than meets the eye. But why actually grapple with the facts or issues, if we can simply demonize our opponents with a couple sentence and move on?

[von]

For clarity, Neolith's view is my view as well. (Though I acknowledge Jes's long-running dispute with Tac.

[Jesurgislac]

Though I acknowledge Jes's long-running dispute with Tac.

*sigh* I keep trying to give up on that, I really do. It doesn't do any good. Permit me to slap myself on the wrist for making the comment at 04:41 before I retire.