Taking it personally (Jack Bog's Blog)

In a bold step designed to ease racial tensions in a city deeply divided over the César Chávez street renaming fiasco, Portland Commissioner Randy Leonard announced this morning that he is taking legal action that he hopes will soothe jangled nerves on all sides of the controversy. "I've been deeply troubled all holiday weekend over the awful ordeal that we all went through with the whole Interstate Avenue thing," he told reporters outside the Multnomah County Courthouse as it opened this morning. "It's time for the healing to begin. I'm personally committed to doing everything I can to make that happen."

Leonard is changing his own name to César Chávez, to honor the late civil rights hero.

His bid may hit a snag, however. Shortly after Leonard dropped off his name change petition with the clerk of the Circuit Court, several judges privately threatened to block the legal action unless the city agreed to take their names and home addresses off PortlandMaps.

Political analysts are calling Leonard's name-change gambit a brilliant strategic move in preparation for his upcoming re-election bid. "It's got everything," said local political expert Len Bergstein. "It picks up the unions and the Latinos, and the 'César' feeds right into his image as benign emperor of the city."

According to legal experts, court action technically is not needed for Leonard to change his name under Oregon law. "You can change your name without legal proceedings merely by using the new name," said Nick Fish, a Portland attorney. "For several years in college, I went by 'Road Warrior.'"

In order to help accelerate the change, readers of this blog are requested to call Leonard "Fireman César," rather than the customary "Fireman Randy," effective immediately.

Comments (13)

One of your better spoofs, no wonder Lola was looking at you that way.

Posted by swimmer | November 26, 2007 9:24 AM

Bombero Cesar, has a nice ring to it!

Posted by pdxjim | November 26, 2007 9:35 AM

Et tu, Jack?

Posted by Geoff | November 26, 2007 9:47 AM

How about this for a modest proposal?

Instead of ruining Sr. Chavez' name by appropriating it with his which-way-is-the-wind-blowin' and gotta-stay-in-front attitude, how about he gets a job in a food-processing plant?

So for once in his life, he would understand what people do when they really go to work.

Posted by Steve | November 26, 2007 9:47 AM

priceless

Posted by dman | November 26, 2007 10:45 AM

Of course, in exchange for this selfless gesture, he wants Interstate renamed "Randy Leonard Boulevard".

Posted by rr | November 26, 2007 11:05 AM

Why not name his great ideas after Chavez? 'The Chavez Cell Phone Tax' or 'The Chavez Trans-fat Ban' or 'The Chavez Spray Paint Initiative' or 'Chavez Big Sign Ban for all but Ikea'

Posted by Don Glicker | November 26, 2007 11:23 AM

You misunderstood: The name change is to
Hugo, not César.

Posted by Rick N. | November 26, 2007 11:25 AM

We really could go on and on here: 'Chavez Anti-Duct Tape Legislation' or 'Chavez Biofuel Mandate' or 'The Chavez Tram.' Think of all the love he would get from this pandering.

Posted by Don Glicker | November 26, 2007 1:48 PM

It's a testament to how far we have come as a diverse state. Used to be that all politicians changed their last name to Roberts.

Posted by Gil Chavez | November 26, 2007 2:43 PM

I like the Chavez Aerial Tramway (CAT) idea. Then when OHSU comes begging for a public bailout, we can talk about the OHSU CAT rescue.

Because Biotech Bailout or Condo Crash isn't as marketable as a CAT rescue.

Posted by Mister Tee | November 26, 2007 3:22 PM

Used to be that all politicians changed their last name to Roberts.

Better than Goldschmidt.

Posted by cc_formerly_rr | November 26, 2007 4:35 PM

Randy Leonard is a clown. What a bunch of clowns.

Posted by Casey | November 27, 2007 2:19 PM

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Monday, November 26, 2007

Taking it personally

Comments (13)

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