Archive for the ‘Commentary’ Category

Dallas-based Neiman Marcus revealed the 82nd edition of its annual Christmas catalog Tuesday and it includes a Texas-sized offering for any Dallas Cowboys fan.

For only $500,000, one lucky Cowboys fan can take ownership of an end-zone from Texas Stadium. For that price, the buyer also receives the full VIP treatment for the last game in Texas Stadium, including a post-game party with the world-famous Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders.

Team owner Jerry Jones is donating the entire $500,000 purchase price to the Salvation Army.

Dallas City Council Member Angela Hunt’s territory represents a large section of Ross Avenue. The following is the posting from her personal blog and she is also against the renaming of Ross. The City Council must have 11 of 12 voting members to pass this initiative as Mitchell Rasansky cannot vote due to owning property in the Ross area.

Renaming Ross Avenue

Yesterday the Plan Commission voted against renaming Ross Avenue “Cesar Chavez,” and now this debate comes before the City Council. Since much of Ross Avenue is in my council district, I wanted to share my position on this issue.

Some have implied that the looming threat of renaming Ross Avenue should be used to force the City Council to change the name of Industrial Boulevard to Cesar Chavez. I cannot emphasize how strongly I disagree with that argument. Under no circumstances should Ross Avenue be used as a political pawn in the Cesar Chavez debate. Doing so is an insult to the property owners along and near Ross Avenue, the very constituents I was elected to represent. I have heard from them loudly and clearly that they do not want to change the name of the street because of its historic nature. I share those concerns and will not support changing the name of any part of Ross Avenue.

Frankly this debate has taken time away from more important city issues. The residents I talk with are concerned about crime, code enforcement, and the poor condition of our streets. That is not to diminish Mr. Chavez’s accomplishments or his worthiness to have a street in Dallas named for him, but no street renaming should consume this much of the council’s time or energy.

This debate has also become unnecessarily divisive, when it didn’t need to be. The blame for this falls squarely on the shoulders of the city. First of all, if the intent was to give Industrial Boulevard a “riveresque” moniker, the Trinity River Committee should have stated upfront that only such names would be considered. That would have eliminated this whole debate about Industrial being named after a person.

Second, the Trinity River Committee made a mistake by approving (on Dwaine Caraway’s motion, seconded by Elba Garcia) a public survey about proposed names for Industrial Boulevard (Mr. Rasansky voted against doing so, and I’m not on that committee). If the committee wasn’t going to respect the outcome of the survey, or make it a legitimate vote with real ballots, then it shouldn’t have taken a vote at all. There were already signs at that meeting that this was becoming a divisive issue, and at that point, the city should have nixed the public poll.

Third, the Trinity River Committee had no business proposing that Ross Avenue — which isn’t anywhere near the Trinity River project — be renamed for Cesar Chavez. That was a cheap political trade to “protect” Industrial.

Lastly, once it became apparent that there was support within the Hispanic community to name a street in honor of Cesar Chavez (or another Hispanic leader), the mayor should have pulled together a small, racially diverse group of leaders from across our city, representing all parts of Dallas. He should have tasked them with proposing to the council at least three streets for renaming, with the following caveats: The proposed streets could not be historic and the property owners on the streets must be supportive of the change. This would have headed off the divisive Ross debate and prevented an “all or nothing”/”you’re either with us or against us” mentality that is pervading what should have been a collaborative, celebratory discussion.

Dallas’ Hispanic community is an integral and important part of our city and their heritage should be honored. Some have argued that renaming a street for Mr. Chavez is not appropriate because he doesn’t have strong ties to Dallas and because we have so many great hometown Hispanic leaders we could honor with this distinction. I greatly respect Mr. Chavez’s legacy, but I, too, would prefer to see a Dallasite honored in this way. We are so lucky to have so many Hispanics who have made remarkable contributions to our city, and I’d love to see us preserve their legacies by naming a street after them. However, I defer to those in the Hispanic community to decide who they believe is most deserving of this honor.

THIS IS A COMMENTARY. The views expressed here are solely those of the author and do not reflect those of the parent site. I honestly don’t know what the parent company’s views are but we do know that Dallas pulls in the most traffic of all the blogs so we must be doing something right.

For those that visit this blog, and for those two souls that continue to rant and rave at me via comments demanding that we bow down and cater to the whims of a skewed phone vote that only citizens in Little Mexico seemed to know was going on - you will recall that I am a very strong proponent of keeping Ross Avenue named Ross Avenue.

Well the City started hearing the rants today in official hearings and their own departments are starting to make their opinions known also. In spite of the 5 busloads of Latin activists, the powers that be within the City aren’t too anxious to rename Ross for Cesar Chavez.

Yeah…Cesar Chavez. A guy from Arizona. Never lived in Texas. Never lived in Dallas but he did come here once or twice to pontificate the rights of grapes. (yes, you read that correctly). Now, within the city of Dallas, we already have a park and a school named in honor of Chavez. This is SO much more than what most of our own founders have in terms of recognition.

For the longest time, I thought it was just me, that was riled up over the renaming, but gracious, after seeing some of the comments on WFAA and Dallas Morning News sites, I know that I am part of the 99% that are all thinking the same way. I confess to being surprised by the sheer level of anger and hostility by many of the posters whose comments include such notable missive as — and keep in mind, these are a sampling of the POLITE comments left:

After checking several sources, it turns out that actor Cheech Marin hosted the Dodge Ram National Tejano Music Festival in Dallas. This officially gives him a stronger tie to the city of Dallas than Cesar Chavez ever established. Clearly, we should be naming a street after him instead. It has also been established that there are over 50 Taco Bell restaurants in the Metroplex area. These restaurants were once represented by the Taco Bell Chihuahua. This also gives him a closer tie to Dallas than Cesar Chavez, thus making Taco Bell Dog Dr. a better choice of names.

I think that the true majority of citizens in Dallas would rather see Ross stay Ross. How do they get off claiming they’re the majority? What is really so bothersome about this group is that they are trying to be so forceful. There is no reason to rename this street. Cesar Chavez has nothing to do with Dallas. It should really be up to the people who own businesses on that street. This is stupid. And the fact that they’re being so belligerent about it just shows what idiots they are. I didn’t read one post about how anyone thinks the street should be renamed.

I am Mexican…. Leave Ross Ave alone! I dont agree with the “fight” to re-name Ross, and believe that if there has to be a street named after Chavez then let it be a NEW street that is built. Stop being such cry babies!

Alberto Ruiz is a puppet for Senor Domingo Garcia. Let try to stop all this racist, mean talk. Most Dallas born Latinos could care less about Cesar Chavez. Mr. Chavez was an American born, US military veteran who stood up for poor farm workers against the rich and powerful California grape growers. Senor Domingo Garcia speaks for himself, his wife and anyone else he pays. Please don’t lump all folks of Mexican heritage with illegal immigrants or this ill conceived name changing project.

To the Cesar Chavez task force-Leave Ross Avenue alone. Go back to Mexico and change that cesspool if you have to change something. This is America- do not attempt to change OUR history and culture. Contribute something to this country rather than agitate and seek concessions.

i can’t believe it is even being considered to the change the name of such a historic street. it’s not even a matter of what the new name is going to be, but whom you dishonoring by changing the name at all. of all the hundred’s, if not thousands of streets in dallas, why does chavez deserve to have his name on a street that is already named for someone else far more important in dallas history?

Who will pay for all the name change costs that accrue to corporations and business currently using Ross as their address. Letterheads, invoices, etc. Not those rallying that is for sure.

I think if Alberto Ruiz will pull his head out those that count don’t want a thing changed. He & his group of illegals are about to piss of those who have founded this area and have (and will) maintain control….if he wants a battle he’ll get a battle. There is probably a street in Mexico City just right for Chavez…..don’t let the door hit you and your amigos in the butt.

my people! why are we fighting for a name! For heavens sake, get a grip and fight for other things that matter! Cesar Chavez doesn’t mean a thing to most latinos in the US of A! Get off your high horse and go back to work to what really matters! and stop embarrasing the latino community!

Soooo….there you have it boys and girls, a sampling of the POLITE comments left on the local news sites.

7 years ago at this time, we were all beginning to hear the news about the World Trade Center and Pentagon.

It’s time to put out the American flag in remembrance of those lost souls.

The Powers That Be have given the Dallas blog a brand new look. It’s so much more streamlined, with more functionality and looks fab!

We hope you enjoy the new virtual threads!

We receive some great feedback from our readers - the most popular topics recently have been people wanting to know how to help the hurricane evacuees, to the latest on Leslie Porterfield setting the women’s land speed records to the Jonas Brothers moving to town to the renaming debate over Ross Avenue.

We love hearing from you and posting your feedback.

As a request, almost every post has a link to the event in question if it’s a volunteer situation, etc. By commenting to us directly, we will simply refer you to the link in the original posting as that will connect you to the site where you can get further information about being involved.

Keep those great comments coming in!

Starting today, your fresh vegetables may now be irradiated without your knowledge. The FDA has unleashed a new rule allowing food companies to secretly irradiate lettuce and spinach, and there is NO requirement that these foods be labeled with a warning label! The FDA is also looking to expand this to other vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers and onions. Soon, ALL vegetables may be irradiated.

Why does this matter? Because irradiation destroys phytonutrients, including anti-cancer nutrients that are protecting your health right now. With this rule, the FDA is literally killing the food supply!

This is a crucial issue for the survival of America. No nation can survive the destruction of its food supply. The FDA is determined to do what all the terrorists in the world could not: Use weapons of mass destruction against the food.

The media is focusing on the angle of “this protects us from e. coli”, they are NOT focusing on the issue of this is destroying our food supplies.

Contact the FDA today to let them know your feedback on this vital issue to the health of us all: http://www.fda.gov/comments.html.

Also, wherever you see a report on this issue whether it’s a mainstream site like CNN, MSNBC, FOX, etc., leave comments in relation to this story. Also email the reporters of your local broadcast and print media that are covering this story.

One voice in a stadium may not be heard, but several thousand screaming at the same time will be heard.