You bring up such important and interesting questions. Could we waltz up to someone else's car, point at it, give it the name, "Mine!" and expect it to truly become our possession? Of course not. Yet not long ago, a certain someone thought he was entitled to do exactly that to an entire gulf. The entitlement is shocking. Thank you for raising awareness on how important it is to be respectful of others, to be considerate, to be logical and inclusive.
I do agree with Shakespeare about a name. Love the smell of roses, regardless of their name. Unfortunately, many of the names that exist today, at least in America, originated from the men who claimed rights to the area. Just because one thrusts a pole into the ground that has a piece of cloth waving at the end, should not give them the right to consider the area theirs. Women do not tend to be so presumptive. Here in Colorado, our current Governor (Dem) refused to honor the native names that were recommended by the native people. 'The names are just too hard for the average person to pronounce,' was Gov. Polis's reasoning. Well, too bad. It's time we, as (new) Americans, learned to expand our tongues to incorporate words and names that may be uncomfortable for us. I'm sure losing one's native homeland was hard for the first people here as well. Enjoy Santa Cruz- my family's former summer homes were located in that breathtaking area!
I currently live in Milpitas which means little corn fields. Originally inhabited by the Ohlone and Costonoan tribes, it was renamed by the Spanish Missionaries in the 1700s.
You bring up such important and interesting questions. Could we waltz up to someone else's car, point at it, give it the name, "Mine!" and expect it to truly become our possession? Of course not. Yet not long ago, a certain someone thought he was entitled to do exactly that to an entire gulf. The entitlement is shocking. Thank you for raising awareness on how important it is to be respectful of others, to be considerate, to be logical and inclusive.
I do agree with Shakespeare about a name. Love the smell of roses, regardless of their name. Unfortunately, many of the names that exist today, at least in America, originated from the men who claimed rights to the area. Just because one thrusts a pole into the ground that has a piece of cloth waving at the end, should not give them the right to consider the area theirs. Women do not tend to be so presumptive. Here in Colorado, our current Governor (Dem) refused to honor the native names that were recommended by the native people. 'The names are just too hard for the average person to pronounce,' was Gov. Polis's reasoning. Well, too bad. It's time we, as (new) Americans, learned to expand our tongues to incorporate words and names that may be uncomfortable for us. I'm sure losing one's native homeland was hard for the first people here as well. Enjoy Santa Cruz- my family's former summer homes were located in that breathtaking area!
Thank you for your thoughtful comments, Karen. I agree, it's time we learned to expand our tongues, and to sit in whatever discomfort may come.
Appreciate your thoughts on naming places which spark more curiosity in me.
I currently live in Milpitas which means little corn fields. Originally inhabited by the Ohlone and Costonoan tribes, it was renamed by the Spanish Missionaries in the 1700s.
Bernadette, we're practically neighbors! Thank you for sharing about your current city's name.