Sometimes the best thing about The New York Times are the online comments. Gail Collins wrote a poignant and funny article called Peculiar Naming Rites linking the Postal Service’s recent decision to attain a line of clothing to the naming (and renaming) of buildings in the U.S.
“The Postal Service is in a tough place. A while back, Congress turned it into a semiprivate entity, which was supposed to operate just like a profit-making organization except for the part where it had to continue to fulfill all the wishes, hopes and whims of Congress.
When you’re strapped for cash, dignity is the first thing to go. Just ask the members of the minor league baseball team in Corpus Christi, Tex., who play their games at Whataburger Field.
Auctioning off your motto is nothing, really. We have lived with the sale of naming rights so long that generations of Americans have grown up taking it for granted that it is a fine thing to see your college team end a season by winning the Beef ‘O’Brady’s Bowl. Remember when Houston was stuck with Enron Field in 2001? Embarrassing for a second, but then the city resold the rights to Minute Maid for $170 million. Naming rights: good. Renaming rights: better.”
But about the comments.
Kenneth Bergman of Ashland, Oregon says “I don;t suppose any of this will stop until the United States has been branded “Walmartland.” Maybe that would be a way to cut the deficit.”
Hah!
And The Poet McTeagle from California says “What about licensing the names of Washington landmarks to raise money for paying off the national debt? Capitol Hill could be Goldman Sachs Capitol Hill. The White House could be The Sam Walton White House. It’s already happened in essence–why not make it official?”
Love it!
Thanks Gail Collins for calling it like it is! And for being funny about it.
Photo credit: www.charliesballparks.com
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