Bloomy Says No One's Worse Than Carson
Mayor Bloomberg panned a proposal to rename a Brooklyn Street after Sonny Carson Monday, calling the [black activist an anti-white racist] and the plan a horrible idea. Quote: Theres probably nobody whose name I could come up with who less should have a street named after him in this city than Sonny Carson, he told reporters. No one? Really? He clarified: I cant imagine anybodyI guess you could come up with somebodyworse. Still, he said, Thats probably the worst idea the City Council, anybody in the City Council, has had in recent memory. Those are some pretty harsh words.
Supporters of the proposal, including [City Councilman Charles Barron], slung back at Bloomberg with their own zingers. Quote: Tell the mayor to take a walk through Brooklyn and see the name of Thomas Jefferson, a slave-holding pedophile, and tell me he is better than Sonny Carson. Its just like [Rosie and Elizabeth](http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/TV/05/25/tv.theview.odonnell.ap/index.html), round two! Carson supporters also gathered at [Linden Park in Brooklyn](http://www.nysun.com/article/55366) Monday for an unofficial ceremony where they declared that the park will henceforth be known as Sonny Abubadika Carson Park. Council Member Barron and others even affixed new park signs to fences in honor of the renaming. I wonder if that will actually work.
Carson, a Korean War vet who led protests against police brutality, drew criticism for using racially charged statements, including calling himself anti-white. He was also arrested on murder charges and spent time in jail after being convicted of kidnapping.
Last month, a divided city council committee controversially voted to [remove Carsons name] from a list of more than 50 eligible individuals. Later today, the council is scheduled to vote on a bill that will rename 51 streets and intersections in honor of non-Carson folk. But its not over yet: Carsons supporters threaten [his name will go up on Gates Avenue](http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2007/05/29/2007-05-29_curb_sonny_carson_st_says_hizzoner.html) with or without the council s approval.
Photo courtesy of [Jon's pics on Flickr]