Petition seeks to name North Freeway for Martin Luther King Jr. (nobody cares in poll)

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=2798&u_sid=10258674

ublished Thursday | February 14, 2008
Petition seeks to name North Freeway for Martin Luther King Jr.
BY KAREN SLOAN
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

It's high time Omaha has a major roadway named in honor of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

That's the position of the Native Omahans Club, which has partnered with Morning Star Baptist Church to begin a petition drive asking that the North Freeway be renamed for the slain civil rights leader. A similar proposal fizzled in 2003, but club members say the time is right to try again to recognize the man who advocated nonviolent means to end segregation.

"The freeway goes right through the north Omaha community, and we thought it would be appropriate," said petition drive organizer Gail Edwards. "Everyone knows that there has been a lot of violence lately, and we thought this would be a symbolic gesture."

Omaha has several landmarks named after King - two schools, a footbridge and a public pool among them - but no streets. Streets named for King are common in many other U.S. cities.

The group hopes to collect a minimum of 10,000 signatures on the petition, which it will present to city and state leaders. The change would require the approval of the State Highway Commission because it is a state highway.

The club decided in December to push for renaming the freeway, said President Hazel Kellogg.

FULL story at link.

More info here: http://www.nativeomahans.com/


Poll on this here: http://www.omaha.com/

Two local organizations are starting a petition drive asking the North Freeway be renamed for Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Do you like the idea?

• Yes. (841)


• No. (1472)


• I'm not sure. (128)


• I have no opinion. (224)

Note: This question is for our site visitors' enjoyment only and is not a scientific poll.

[flashl]

1. Not sure whether to say 'sadly', but it seems most Martin Luther King Jr. roads, sts, hwys, etc.

have been in the poorest and sometimes most dangerous neighborhoods in a county, city, or state.

Have that been your findings?

[Omaha Steve]

2. I don't think Dr. King minds

These are the areas he tried so hard to uplift.

[ben_meyers]

3. The comedian Chris Rock advised

"If a friend calls you on the telephone and says they're lost on Martin Luther King Boulevard and they want to know what they should do, the best response is Run!"