Courageous correction
In our continuing coverage of Portland's current vicious cold snap, we've uncovered an interesting email directive, issued earlier this week, from the City of Portland Office of Equity to the city's Bureau of Transportation. In it, the equity office orders the transportation bureau to cease all use of the term "black ice," because of its "obvious racial connotations." According to memo, road conditions that formerly went by that label are now to be referred to as "friction-challenged transparent road surfaces." Perfectly Portland for the 21st Century, we suppose.
UPDATE, 6:15 a.m.: All kidding aside, it's slick out there. Be careful.
| Posted at 5:30 AM | Permalink |
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Comments (9)
Almost went for it! But then I had my first sip of coffee.
Posted by Portland Native | January 11, 2013 6:55 AM
the equity office orders the transportation bureau to cease all use of the term "black ice," because of its "obvious racial connotations."
When I was at OSU in the 1980s, I was counseled by a female black professor not to use the word 'black' in any negative context nor the word 'white' to denote positive characteristics. Because of their obvious racial connotations.
See, you really can't make some of this stuff up.
Posted by sally | January 11, 2013 7:28 AM
Wait a minute! We can make it better. Simply have the "black ice" mentored by a former bureaucrat on a no bid contract.
Posted by here come the clowns | January 11, 2013 7:48 AM
I sense an expansion of a historic cottage industry.
Posted by David E Gilmore | January 11, 2013 8:58 AM
Black ice would be invisible on asphalt, so it must be white ice on concrete? Howzabout 'no-see-um' ice, or clear ice?
Everything is offensive to one who wants to be offended.
Posted by Sam T. | January 11, 2013 9:06 AM
The Portland Office of Equity has written a memo prohibiting the prefix, "man" where the gender neutral "person" would be preferred.
CongressMAN is now out.
manhole= personhole
manufacturing=peoplefacturing
manicotti= his/hercotti
management= humanagement
an of course:
manure & maniac ...your choice
You get the idea?
Posted by ltjd | January 11, 2013 9:07 AM
And Amanda Fritz thinks the Orfice of Equity is a slice of Heaven.
Posted by lw | January 11, 2013 9:16 AM
Her last attempt was more about the slices of pizza.
Posted by Jack Bog | January 11, 2013 3:48 PM
How dare the czar's of equity impose such labels on friction-challenged transparent road surfaces !
The road surface didn't chose to be low friction !
Posted by tankfixer | January 12, 2013 2:44 PM