Guilt By Association

[Out of Towner]

Given the unsettling events that have occurred in Minneapolis and elsewhere, ECC needs to change the name of the ICE District to something more reflective of the values of the citizens of Edmonton. ECC has changed the name of communities in response to social direction before and it needs to happen again. We all saw what happened and it's stigmatized the ICE District here. It's suddenly difficult to have a positive image of the Ice District given the conflicting tragic events that have unfolded down south. The name Ice District has become a liability for the City.

 

[kcantor]

I can see not wanting to honour certain parts of own history - ie renaming Oliver and the Grandin Station etc. - not to erase the history but simply not to honour those parts but this (what you are proposing) is not that.

To take on the renaming of something that has no local historical significance one way or the other except a recent and definitively positive one based on things that are happening elsewhere is probably a bit much. Do we start to order our soft drinks with "frozen water" instead of ice? Do we rename ice rinks to "cold sport venues"? Should Iceland seek a new name? What about ice cream and ice breakers?

I see the Olympics have renamed their Ice House to Winter House - a politically correct piece of nonsense in my opinion - but they only have to live with that for a couple of weeks.

It's also worth noting that ICE is an acronym for Immigration and Customs Enforcement - do we erase those words wherever they appear as well?

 

[Whattagame]

This feels like satire, and I'll treat it as such.

 

[Friendmonton]

I needed a good laugh this morning.

 

[Out of Towner]

I can see not wanting to honour certain parts of own history - ie renaming Oliver and the Grandin Station etc. - not to erase the history but simply not to honour those parts but this (what you are proposing) is not that.

To take on the renaming of something that has no local historical significance one way or the other except a recent and definitively positive one based on things that are happening elsewhere is probably a bit much. Do we start to order our soft drinks with "frozen water" instead of ice? Do we rename ice rinks to "cold sport venues"? Should Iceland seek a new name? What about ice cream and ice breakers?

I see the Olympics have renamed their Ice House to Winter House - a politically correct piece of nonsense in my opinion - but they only have to live with that for a couple of weeks.

It's also worth noting that ICE is an acronym for Immigration and Customs Enforcement - do we erase those words wherever they appear as well?

Marketing is important and while you may support the authoritarian enforcement of immigration laws, polls show that the majority of people do not. If the Hockey District was being named today, the chance of it being named the ICE District would only be slightly better than naming it the Gestapo District. Neither would be selected is my guess. Public opinion matters - or at least it once did.

 

[Whattagame]

Marketing is important and while you may support the authoritarian enforcement of immigration laws, polls show that the majority of people do not. If the Hockey District was being named today, the chance of it being named the ICE District would only be slightly better than naming it the Gestapo District. Neither would be selected is my guess. Public opinion matters - or at least it once did.

Terrible comparison. If the Gestappo was instead named the Biersteins, you might be on to something.

 

[wormwood]

Might as well just call it Oilers District. Or the District that Tax Payers Built (TDTTPB).

 

[thommyjo]

“Frozen water machines” in hotels should rebrand too. Fricken nazi hotel chains.

I think most of us hate I.C.E. and also are adults enough to not let a momentary reality in another nation change the way we use language that’s deeply tied to our national heritage, climate, and identity. Why give them that sort of power?

 

[policyenthusiast]

In the words of the TV show Archer having to rename the International Secret Intelligence Service (ISIS) due to terrorism in the middle east:

"Why should we have to change our name? They're the ones who suck."