We always name some places or monuments after our departed leaders. For Example:
Anna Nagar (Chennai) – Named after C. N. Annadurai, former CM of Tamil Nadu
Kamarajar Salai (Chennai) – Named after K Kamaraj, former CM of Tamil Nadu
Jawaharlal Nehru Road (in many cities) – Named after Mr. Nehru, former PM of India
Washington DC – Named after George Washington
Charles de Gaulle Airport (Paris) – Named after Charles de Gaulle, former President
In rare cases, places/monuments are named after sitting leaders. Some examples:
Stalingrad – Named after Joseph Stalin in 1925 when he was in power. (Again renamed Volgograd in 1961)
Marcos Highway – Named during Ferdinand Marcos’s Presidency in Philippines
Now our own Donald Trump named himself to a monument. Here are the details:
There is a large performing arts center in Washington, D.C., with theaters for music, dance, opera, and plays. It opened as National Cultural Center in 1958. This project was renamed the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in 1964 as a living memorial to President John F. Kennedy after his assassination.
Yesterday the Board of Directors of the Center unanimously approved the name change. A few months ago, Trump appointed himself as the Chairman of that Board. Now it is known as The Donald Trump and The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
Of course, the JFK family does not like this. And, law suits are coming challenging this name change. Their contention is the JFK name was established by an Act of Congress and only the Congress can make any changes and not the Board of Director of the Center.
Who is going to question him if he names himself for a new project/centre/building. Never expected he would be such a personality cult guy, worse than our former CM known for the personality cult
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments Gowri. However, when the other party comes to power, they will remove all Trump name from everything.
ReplyDeleteThat's good
ReplyDeleteNaming roads and institutions after departed leaders is an old practice worldwide, including in India. It is one way societies express gratitude and preserve political memory. In any healthy democracy, it is better if honors come from successors and the people, not from the leaders themselves. Institutions should not become personal monuments; they should remain public assets.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments Anonymous. If only you can give your name I can properly credit you.
DeleteThat was Leningrad before Stalin changed it to Stalingrad. I guess people of that city would want neither. Eventually it's people's will that will win.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments Rajesh. I beg to differ with you. Leningrad was previously known as Petrograd. Then Leningrad was changed to Saint Petersburg. On the other hand, there was a city named Tsaritsyn came into existence in 1529. In 1925, Stalin changed it to Stalingrad. In 1961 it was changed to Volgograd.
DeleteNot very different here in India, where name-changing (which is very common) has hit a new peak. When there are so many things that are crying out for change, why can't we just leave somethings as they are?
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments Pradeep.
DeleteThis naming and renaming of tangible properties....never goes out of fashion..
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments Viyoma.
DeleteIt happens everywhere, changing eponyms. Mostly, it denotes the commemoration of a deceased person. The drum Trump beats has turned out to be strange.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments Sarala.
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