The now ridiculous effort to change the name of a district and street has entered the realm of the absurd. In short, the people who live and work there want the one-time member of the KKK, Tate Brady’s name removed. They want it replaced with something that reflects the rebirth of a once deserted area of Tulsa, into a vibrant arts district. And the city council voted incredibly to rename the area Brady. In this case after someone with absolutely no connection to Tulsa except that he’s a mammal.
In truth, the change is being considered in the name of cost, inconvenience, to racially pacify, and avoid making a difficult decision. When adults can’t make a tough decision, what can be done?
The problem is that after plenty of time to discuss the matter, they made no decision for what some consider an insulting rationale. One councilor theorized the name was changed because the civil war photographer Matthew Brady could be considered an artist and the Brady District is an arts district. Pull this leg and it plays jingle bells. It is of course not funny; just ridiculous.
What is the cost of justice and addressing racist history? Tate Brady is not the first town racist to be dragged out for public scorn. But for now, he is the first one to be allowed to have his name to remain in a place of honor. If Oklahoma wants to join the fraternity of great governments that find the courage to do the right thing, it has that power and opportunity. They can be remembered for being right or for clinging to an embarrassing misstep.
To be sure, Oklahoma is not known for making these changes quickly or at all. Several universities have changed their native mascot names but only after pressure from the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and that didn’t exactly go smoothly. One private university changed their mascot name. But, out of 165 public schools in Oklahoma who have native mascot names, not one of them have changed on their own. Not one.
Thousands of schools across the nation have changed their names, but Oklahoma is the least likely to change. So far, it’s not in our nature to do the right thing just because more progressive governments and schools are changing in more enlightened quarters of this nation.
Is there a cost? Yes, there is and it won’t be cheap. History tells us if those left in charge of making sure history is told correctly, it shouldn’t be totally in the hands of the ruling majority. When Southeastern Oklahoma State University planned to remove their racist mascot, the Savages, they met, planned and came out with Savage Storm. Not a slur against Native Americans, but deliberate move to keep the name. The committee to make the change did not appear to have any Native Americans on it.
Another state team changed their name from Red Skins to Bulldogs; see it’s not so hard.
With confederate statues coming down all over the country the decidedly unprogressive nature of Oklahoma leaders just can’t seem to step into the next century. Tulsa City leaders took the non-change to a new and unfortunate low. But, let’s not make any decisions before a cost study is performed, then we can all collectively decide if we want to do the right thing or be that one town that keeps a foot in a racist past because it’s too troublesome.
On the question of the ability of reversing a decision; James Osby Goodwin, publisher of The Oklahoma Eagle, once said when the editorial board was faced with correcting an editorial position that was found to be wrong; “change it now, just remember a wise man can always change his mind; a fool never does.” Another wise elder, the Reverend G. Calvin McCutchen, once reminded the faithful “if you don’t want to do the right thing, any excuse will do.”
Is it expensive to change a street name? Not if you do it in phases. What is the price to do the right thing? It really can’t be too large. If cost is your concern, perhaps funds can be raised. No one is asking for this to be done overnight. Names like ballerinas Tall Chief, and Larkin; Jazz great Wayman Tisdale, actress Alfre Woodard, the late native painter Gina Gray, and great singers Leon Russell and J.J. Cale are only a few deserving possibilities. There are so many great artists who came out of Tulsa and the time is ripe to come up with a good name to reflect who we are when we listen to our greater angels.
