A Podcast Sermon: "When to Call The Pastor"
Audrey McCall

Statement on Cesar E. Chavez Blvd.

The debate over whether or not to name a street in Portland after the late civil rights activist Cesar E. Chavez has been acrimonious. That’s unfortunate. Portland, a city with a growing number of Latino and Meixcan-American citizens, has no official marker to honor the struggles faced by this population. Mayor Tom Potter should be commended for his efforts to change the name of Interstate Avenue to Cesar E. Chavez Blvd. While most people opposed to the name change have challenged the proposal based on legitimate process concerns it would be arrogant to pretend that racial feelings do not factor into this debate. Latinos and Mexican Americans are scapegoats in today’s national political campaigns – blamed for everything from drug trafficking to terrorism. The truth is that Americans have used Hispanics as virtual slave laborers and without the courage and moral conviction of Cesar E. Chavez their plight might never have drawn national attention. Portland has an opportunity now to set aside the bitterness over process and to send a signal to the rest of America that we honor the contributions and sacrifices made by all our brothers and sisters. All sides of this debate should be prepared to compromise for this common goal to be achieved.

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