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6.29.2009

you could live on jose rizal street

An intriguing debate is brewing in Carson, California over a street name. City councilman Elito Santarina wants to honor Filipino freedom fighter Jose Rizal, who was executed in Manila in 1896, by renaming a local street after him: Officials Want to Rename Street: Jose Rizal Who?

However, the proposal isn't going over very well with the residents of Moneta Avenue, the street that's going to get the new name. You can't really blame them -- a street renaming would require them to change their address, identification and all sorts of other headaches.

But also, while Rizal was a Philippine liberation hero, and certainly worthy of recognition, most folks on the street just don't have any idea who he was. Blame a lack of world history knowledge or whatever, but residents aren't interested in going through all that to honor the hero of another nation.

Personally, I think it would be really cool to live on a street named after Jose Rizal. But hey, I don't live on Moneta Avenue, and it's not my call.