In the wake of George Floyd’s murder, many agree that the United States’ attitude towards race needs to change. That includes anti-racist policies, police reform, as well as taking down Confederate monuments and renaming streets so they don’t commemorate racist individuals. When it comes to renaming things, though, deciding on the new name can be a bit tricky. In Columbus, Ohio, there’s currently a Change.org petition to rename the entire city “Flavortown.”
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Tens of Thousands Have Signed Petition to Rename Columbus, OH, as ‘Flavortown’
“Columbus is an amazing city,” the petition reads, “but one whose name is tarnished by the very name itself. Its namesake, Christopher Columbus, is in The Bad Place because of all his raping, slave trading, and genocide. That’s not exactly a proud legacy.”
Instead, petitioners want to rename the city “Flavortown” in honor of Guy Fieri, who was born in Columbus.
“For one,” says the petition, “[the name] honors Central Ohio’s proud heritage as a culinary crossroads and one of the nation’s largest test markets for the food industry. Secondly, cheflebrity Guy Fieri was born in Columbus, so naming the city in honor of him (he’s such a good dude, really) would be superior to its current nomenclature.”
Nearly 30,000 people have signed the petition so far, with an overall goal of 35,000. 