Without his name on stuff, we might forget Trump
By Tom Burke
Herald columnist
Ever wonder how towns and mountains; streets and schools; or rivers, lakes, and ponds get named?
Where I grew up, in a hamlet on Long Island near New York City, someone with a droll sense of humor platted Carstairs, Haig, Wilson, Gordon, and DuBonnet Roads back when the neighborhood was developed in the 1920s. They must have been longing for those pre-prohibition days cause they named those thorofares after a bunch of booze. (Carstairs was a blended American whiskey; Haig was Scotch; Wilson, another blend; Gordons was gin; and DuBonnet an aperitif.) The hamlet, Gibson, was named after its developer, William Gibson, setting precedent for Arthur Levitt to name seven Levittowns after himself in the 1940s and 50s and Donald Trump to slap his name on most-everything he ever built or bought.
There are of course schools named for John Glenn and John F. Kennedy, a score of Lincoln-named cities, at least one Seattle, a King County, and my favorite lake name: Mooselookmeguntic in central Maine. (And no, it wasnt named by a guy shouting hed shot a moose; rather it is an Abnaki word for moose feeding place.)
On a trip to Mount Vernon, George Washingtons home, Donald Trump dumped on the man who was First in War, First in Peace, and First in the hearts of his countrymen, chiding the Father of our Nation that he hadnt named his estate Mount Washington, If he was smart, he wouldve put his name on it. Youve got to put your name on stuff or no one remembers you.
(You betchya, Donald. That Washington guy was someone no one remembers; except for the state, nations capital, innumerable towns and cities, mountains, and the $1 bill that has his name and picture on it. Yes sir, that Washington is a guy no one remembers.)
While theres a lot more to unpack in Trumps keen insight on presidential history and his view of his legacy, well leave that analysis for another time.
Because what strikes me now is we better start thinking about how were going to remember the 45th President of the United State and what were going to name after him.
Id love to hear your ideas.
https://www.heraldnet.com/opinion/burke-without-his-name-on-stuff-we-might-forget-trump/?utm_source=DAILY+HERALD&utm_campaign=6b629b256e-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_d81d073bb4-6b629b256e-228635337
rampartc
(5,413 posts)seriously. let's beat this guy and name nothing after him.
shanny
(6,709 posts)--to prevent his particular brand of bullshit from happening again.
Igel
(35,320 posts)And not recently.
Harker
(14,024 posts)Schools, libraries, highways... it'll happen.
I'm sorry if your name is Trump, or rhymes with it, but... what an ugly name made still uglier by association.
Delmette2.0
(4,166 posts)No buildings, streets, highways or monuments.