February 27, 2006
This is not a tribute that King's admirers should welcome
The King County Council voted 7-2 today to spend (at least) $500,000 to replace the county's crown logo with a likeness of the late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Dr. King should be spinning in his grave with embarrassment now that Ron Sims' idiocy, corruption and contempt for the public will all transpire under the cover of King's own image.
Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at February 27, 2006
08:58 PM | Email This
1. Actually didn't know the history of King County namesake. The '86 name change and this recent news is proof positive that King Co. is the NW epicenter of ridiculous PC.
2. If King County was named for
William R. King and he was rumored to be gay, then why isn't the gay community more upset about the "renaming"?
3. I think a King County logo change should be put to a vote by the people....
If I were the family of Dr. Martin Luther King, I would sue Ron Sims personally for defamation! How dare the corrupt King County council use this man's name for anything!
4. What next?
Why aren't the Native Amer's vying for their name changes? How about "Texas Hold-'Em County" in honor of our kasino industries or maybe "Tax-Us County?" or "Tax & Grab Our Jewels County?"
You Cascade County or other county secession folks better act now--more is coming!
Honorable Man Namesake--but poor spending choice.
5. I would have to assume that the use of the actual MLK image is copyright and trademarked.
Is the county of King paying license fees for the use of the image?
Is the good Dr's image free for all to use as they see fit?
What is the $500,000 specifically paying for? graphic artists? reprinting of all county paperwork? royalties for use of images associated with MLK?
Are these details available?
6. ...on second thought, forget the PC infighting; call it "Kennewick Man County"; heck, with his brain case size, he probably was more intelligent than the county-renaming hominids;
7. I understand the need to celebrate important historical figures. I mean, that's how the streets got their names in the first place. And the same with the County. But it's very insulting to the memory of the original Vice President King to have the county renamed, in his name, to that of MLK. Even if MLK was a more historically important figure, isn't there some other way to honor him than by simply capitalizing on the fact that he shares the same last name as that of the county and a former VP?
And think about the logical end of this PC nonsense. Do we rename each and every street over time, or change the person it refers to so that very little of the original historical nature of Seattle is preserved after several centuries?
It's complete lunacy. Citizens ought to get together and name some infamous landmark like a public toilet or otherwise after Ron Sims to underscore the point.
It's incredibly vain, shortsighted and a waste of money to even need logos or fonts for anything related to government. Yet another misuse of our tax dollars.
8. How typical is it of corrupt Liberal Democrats to steal credibility at the expense of a truly great American. If Martin Luther King could have seen what the Democrat Party has done to minorities in America; making too many dependent on Government, driving families apart, and using them to hold onto undeserved power, Dr. King would call to send them to the back of some distant planet.
Why will the change not be put to a vote of the people? The answer is so obvious. Because Ron Sims and the Democrats never have and never will respect the people's will. They care no more for the people of King County than what it takes to get 50% + 1 vote to keep them in power.
9. Sims and Gosset are crazier than outhouse rats
10. I agree with Deborah and up the ante. It should be put a vote whether or not King County should be named after MLK.
The petty tyrants at the King County Council superciliously decided the hoi polloi should have no voice in this decision. I think it's time to remind them that they are just overpaid garbage collectors.
11. If we had a tax bucket as big as these folks have, MLK would have reached into and distributed it back to the people.
As is these city council members remind me of pigs eating at the tax bucket, each day filling it to the brim.
I put on my X-Ray glasses at the last meeting and I see why they make decisions like they do...
http://www.ahajokes.com/crt087.html
12. Interesting enough an amendment was offered to place this on the ballot this fall and it was rejected by Gossett because the people are too ignorant and biggoted to be trusted with such a decision. Watch the KCTV footage of todays hearing to see his shocking comments.
13. Funny you should mention Cascade County.
The state once again refused to let HB1500 to the floor for a vote and after 115 years the rules required by the state constitution for altering county boundries are still undefined.
I-932 defines these rules so that counties in financial trouble (there are several) can combine, and counties that are out of touch with their constituents, or too big to be managable (we know one of those don't we? ;-) ) can split.
To get a copy goto YesOnCountyChoice.com or ask your local Kinko's for a copy of I-932.
14. Dave has raised a good point.the King family has made it so that anyone who wants to use the photos and likeness of MLK has to pay. have you ever noticed that you don't see nearly the amount of King likenesses, particularly on MLK day,that you think you'd see? I believe it's because of this financial arrangement that the King family wants to make a buck off it everytime. I have to wonder that the half-mil isn't part of some agreement with the Kings to license this likeness. Think I'll ask my councilperson.
15. ..and this is more liberal feel-good form over substance. HOW will this county be better for it? Answer: Not at all, really.
Now if it makes the elections dept. better, than I'm all for it. But somehow I doubt that they'll honor King by running things more honestly in that dept. Sadly, they will likely bring shame to the King name by continuing their willfully dysfunctional ways.
16. Anyone else notice how whenever something essential needs funding, such as Police, Fire Departments, and Schools, we the people are forced to make those decisions? Yet when there is an opportunity to burn money needlessly the County Council takes it upon themselves to do it.
I do not pay taxes so that we can keep printers and sign makers employed. This is such a completely needless waste of tax payer money it simply boggles my mind. We have parks that need maintenance, we have libraries that need books, we have roads with potholes that need filling, and this is how the county leadership chooses to spend our money?
17. You know what. I don't care about the money. The $500,000 which will be spent is the least important issue here.
Maybe I'm just a curmudgeonly Washingtonian mossback, but I actually happen to care about our local history. Place names for this region were given for a reason. They're one of the few things left that tie us to founders of this state who first came here in the 1840's and 1850's.
Did any of these councilmembers even bother to stop and think why King County was named after a Democrat Vice President who died in office? I can give you a hint. His support for land bills that helped stimulate settlement of western territories attracted pioneers to come to Washington state to claim homesteads is a place to start.
With all due disrespect towards Sims and the Democrats who pushed this on the county council but I trust the decisions made by Seattle's pioneers. They wanted to honor someone who was directly responsible for settlement of our region.
Reverend Martin Luther King, great as he is, has absolutely no historical ties to this state. Move to Georgia or Alabama if you want to rename counties but don't erase our history here.
18. Ironic that Sims and his demoncraps are the very ones who taking our homesteads away from us. With no payment to boot. Go figure!
19. It's just too bad you folks living, sweating and paying taxes in KING County aren’t permitted to have a say (vote). In the minds of Seven counsel members, there are, perhaps, no Citizens in KING County-- Only the County Counsel...
20. Paying $500,000 to change the logo is a symptom of a much bigger problem. It's liberalism gone awry.
I truly believe that there was a time in this country when the Democrats were correct on more positions than the Republicans....but the 1960's are over. There has been nothing good in the Democratic Party since the Kennedys became involved.
Washington State is a great place to live, as long as you're not in King County.
21. If the Republicans were trying to re-name a county in Washington after some latter-day hero popular with the right, the Democrats would call it revisionism: re-rewriting history for political expediency.
MLK was no saint. His Ph.D. disertation was a work of plagarism, but that's has been effectively covered-up by the politically correct crowd. Why not let King County be named for Vice-President Rufus King, as was originally intended? Why does KC always suck-up to political correctness?
22. Outrage. Just plain outrage. This re-naming is absurd, insulting, and disrespectful of both the history and future of this county. I respect Dr. King, but deplore the crass use of his name as a cover for the corruption and mismanagement which personifies King County. Cascade County, NOW! Get me out of this sinking, stinking Pawn county.
23. I suspect MLK would be turning in his grave, had he known what money-grubbing activities his kids are up to.
The Geez is old, and has advanced CRS, but I recall that when the "name" was changed from Rufus to Martin, that the reason the logo wasn't changed was they were in negotiations with the estate for a licensing fee (read: extortion money) to use MLK's likeness.
Heck, if you want to use my deceased father's image, I would welcome you to do so, but for the King family, it is about the money.
MSM, no surprise, dances around what the money is for, and if any goes to the King family. Other than the Times, I see no mention of any money, to graphics artists or anyone.
But NO ONE wants to talk about the vigorish that is included in that amount to be paid to the estate. If it is all above board, and a worthy thing to do, why are they afraid to mention it?
Inquiring minds wanna know.
The Geezer
www.hatemalepost.blogspot.com
www.thespinmeister.blogspot.com
24. Notice how you cannot hear or read a story in the MSM that mentions William Rufus King without the word "slave owner". This is just the type of media bias used by the left to influence the way you think about issues.
If they applied that same standard to other Americans in our history, you would read George Washington - Slave Owner, and then maybe people would realize they are being brainwashed.
25. Pappy, a medal of honor winner and graduate of the UW, was recently denied a memorial by the UW Students. MLK gets a whole county renamed in his honor, although he was not personally associated with Washington State. The world is being turned upside down.
26. White
Liberal
Guilt
27. Leav it up to ole Ronnie Boy to pull this stunt
now I really hope Bob Fergeson does challenge him for his job next cycle around he may have the best chance!! MLK deserves better than this!!
28. A different County logo never fed a hungry child
29. Naming Rights!
I think King County missed the opportunity to establish next wave of naming rights. Hey, forget sports stadiums, go right for the County! Now that Boeing is less of a presence than before the dems drove them out of town, wouldn't it be nice if the folks on the plateau were to heft a big chunk of change down on the table and then we could all live in MicroSoft County! Better yet, maybe some of them could get on the bandwagon to just form the new county, and name it Software County. Works for me!
30. In 15-20 years we will be doing this all over again when the lesbians decide MLK was a "womanizer" and the county name is changed to "Billy Jean King County"
31. Reporterward hit it dead on with his post. It is bad enough that 20 years ago the King County Council voted to diss the man the county was originally named for. Just how many things need to be named after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, anyway? Holy cow, he even has a national holiday!
PC attempts to whitewash (whoops, better make that people-of-color-wash) our local and national history have gone too damn far. We ought to be preserving and remembering our history, not covering it up or trying to change it.
32. Thw whole name change and use of image should be put to a vote of the people. I think it is exclusionary to promote one ethnic group over another in this county. The estimation for changing the image is low.....way low. There are 725 Sheriff's deputies. Each badge costs about $80.00 So that is $58,000.00 for badges alone just for the Sheriff's department. Now add the 700 or so badges for the jail guards and it adds up fast. I would say the $500,000.00 will barely cover the cost of converting the Sheriff's office and Adult corrections alone. Maybe an initiative to county voters prohibiting the council from changing the logo is in order. Better yet how about we just implement another initiative further reducing the size of the council to say 5 members. maybe they will get the message not to waste our money on PC crap.
33. Why Worry??? It's OPM Easy come easy go! They will be back next election telling us all they want to balance the budget.
34. Seattle liberals are still fighting the Civil War.
35. If Ron Sims can "simply" change the county logo...then we should be able to "simply" change the county boundaries!
Let him keep MLK county - (in it's reduced form)...and give us Cascade county.....!
36. It's just too simple for Seattle liberals to re-write history. It probably won't end until we end up with someone telling all of us what we can and can't say or do. I guess that's what government is supposed to do, according to Seattle liberals?
37. Hell, why not just rename "King County" to "Don King County"? We might even get him to come and visit.
38. This is a joke, right?
I read the article and I am speechless.
39. Why isn't the ACLU trying to stop this? MLK was a RELIGIOUS leader! What happened to the famed wall between church and state? How can liberals stand by and allow a RELIGIOUS leader's image to be used on GOVERNMENT property? I don't understand this blatant double standard.
40. Please. Why should anyone be surprised by this?
Lefties are, if anything, first moral "Onanists". The primary purpose of anything they do is to make themselves feel good. Constituency and other citizens be damned. Actually, producing something of benefit, actually creating something is of no consequence whatever to them.
That $500,000 could have been used to feed hungry children, to further finance already overburdened social services, to buy books for the library. But no. Right now I'm sure everyone on the KC council who voted for this is grinning ear to ear with great pleasure at what he's done.
41. can't wait for the upcoming renaming to rap artists' names or even Tent City Resident names--glad so see we have priorities;
forget Puget Sound's security and antiterror expenditures--as long as we know we vaporized on Desperate Housewives' Avenue (downtown Seattle), that's fine--
42. I was born in King Cty in 1934 and lived in Washington State my whole life of 72 years. How come I was never asked about MLK? He is not my idol, my faith, my color, my anything, and I have never celebrated his day, or black history month either. I happen to be german/irish/catholic raised in Yesler Terrace as a kid, and Renton/Auburn later in life. How can MLK way be also MLK Cty without asking the voters. I think I will now become a racist.
43. Jimi Hendrix County. Jim West County. O.J. Simpson County. Rodney King County. Enron County. Titanic County. Like newly-discovered election votes, I found these names that were not tossed into the county-renaming hat. I wonder why...fair is fair, eh?