Posted on July 10, 2015 by Kate
Recently, California State Senator Steve Glazer revealed he has a great deal of spare time on his hands. I believe he must have been lounging in a chaise next to his pool in Orinda when he had this ah-ha moment: "I'll propose a bill that will remove names associated with the Confederacy from all public places in our fair state!"
He composed Senate Bill 539 and introduced it to the State Legislature.
Dan Walters, a reporter for the Sacramento Bee, picked up on this and wrote an article questioning whether the bill might affect our little town of Fort Bragg, which is named after—uh-oh—the Confederate General Braxton Bragg.
This hit the internet and unleashed a torrent of comments.
Reactions in the mainstream media are, for the most part, carefully worded. For example:
I was born and raised in the Deep South. I certainly agree that confederate flags should not be flown over government building but that is where I stop…most of the people things and places are named after did more than just fight in the war on the losing side. In one way or another they helped shape our nation. I gripe all the time about the far right wingers who jump over the cliff about their issues and now the far left wingers are jumping over that same cliff…the bodies at the bottom are really piling up.
Comments on the Facebook pages of the Fort Bragg Advocate-News, Mendocinosportsplus and You Know You're From the Mendocino Coast if…. are more raw. I must say I most admire these comments because these people are unafraid to say what they really think (no grammatical errors have been corrected):
This is why I say liberals SUCK
WTH…I'm about to leave this God forsaken state…
Lunacy at it's best! My biggest concern is we may have to change our dog's name to be in accordance to the law, his name is Braxton. I could say he was named after Toni Braxton. But I will probably say he was named after Braxton Hicks.
It's going to suck for all of you anti-gun liberals when the next civil war happens which is a lot closer to happening than many would like to think what's going to happen is a lot different from the civil war that has already happened and that you criticize so much. You won't have any way to protect you because "all cops are bad" "all guns are bad" you all have got another thing coming your way and honestly when the next civil war happens I'm going to enjoy taking part in the winning side (I'll give you a hint: its the side that will actually have weapons)
Really?? This is what is on Sacramento's agenda? With ALL the REAL problems out there, these numbnuts have to after something with no bearing on anything. This state gets more communistic every day, all these bleeding hearts, "oooo, someone's feelings are hurt". Grow up this is the real world, if any of these bleeding hearts go anywhere else in the world, it will chew them up and spit them out.
Fortbragg focus on giving us a Taco Bell or even a Mall, Not something that's part of our History
lol – Bunch of rebels there in Ft. Bragg I was one –
The Dems . Won't be happy till it's called Jose's Rainbow Bay !!!!!!
So if it applies to schools would Fort Bragg High School have to change its name?
I need to start a "WTF" page so people can really say what they feel.
We should probably rename it to "Fluffy Kittens" that way nobody is offended
It won't happen anyway so I'm not worried about it. However I am curious as to what the natives called this area before it was Fort Bragg.
Response: Maybe they called it "the beach"….but that may have been offensive to someone.
No series of comments would be complete without at least one fight breaking out:
Original commentator: forts and braggng….mmmm the north coast deserves a name more fttng
Response: are u even from Fort Bragg?Or live there? I've seen u bad mouthin our home's name on all Fort Bragg sites and our beautiful home is obviously not a place for u.
Original commentator: I live in Jenner and would love to move farther north, (I'l throw a party you'll never forget when ft bragg changes its name
Responses: Actually why don't you stay down there in jenner.
No one in Fort Bragg cares about your party you could never do it Fort Bragg style anywAy that's obvious
Original commentator: keep playing dumb, and being hurtful, it reveals so much.
Responses: Who's being hurtful. So far you are the one thats approaching that level.
It only hurts because her ego is being deflated.
Finally, my favorites:
Let's name it Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. But we'll call it Fort Bragg for short.
Enough is enough. Find something else to do. Bake some cookies, do the laundry. Try to keep busy.
This entry was posted in California, Fort Bragg California, Humor, Mendocino County, Northern California, Small Town and tagged Braxton Bragg, California State Senator Steve Glazer, Fluffy Kitties, Fort Bragg Advocate News, Jose's Rainbow Bay, Orinda CA, Sacramento Bee by Kate. Bookmark the permalink.
20 thoughts on "What's in a Name?"
marcia Williams on July 10, 2015 at 2:48 pm said:
This was a great morning chuckle! I'm going to suggest Oz for the name change!!
Kate on July 10, 2015 at 3:56 pm said:
Oz is as good as any other suggestion. Probably even better!
castadiva2014 on July 10, 2015 at 3:29 pm said:
I never, ever, associated Fort Bragg with the Civil War until this current political correctness broke out in California. While I can understand wanting to change the name because of its until now rather obscure(to me) racial bigotry association, something historical and necessary to retain the past would be lost if the name Fort Bragg, CA disappeared from the map. I read that the man proposing the change in California said it would not effect the city of…Hmmmm….
I agree Pat!
jan on July 10, 2015 at 3:53 pm said:
Oh my. Orinda is a small town and I happen to have met Mr. Glazer – can't say I voted for him though. In my opinion, a silly waste of time and money.
I don't mean to show disrespect to Mr. Glazer. I would like to make him aware of how upsetting his proposal is to local people. I wonder how he would react if his hometown, one in which his family had lived for generations, was being considered for a name change. Or his high school. Or grade school. Or college.
Kate ONeal on July 10, 2015 at 5:50 pm said:
I agree this is totally ridiculous but do love to entertain the thought of a beautiful coastal type name….Aahhh. ( One where I don't automatically get assumed to be an "army brat.") lol
Yay! More controversy please, Fort Bragg, so that Kate may further highlight these posts in her most hysterical manner, and keep me so joyfully entertained!
I live for controversies like this. I love it with the populous gets so passionate!
Sheelah on July 11, 2015 at 12:37 am said:
A friend of mine suggested that since the city is located between Pudding Creek and Noyo River we rename it Noyo Pudding. I kind of like it. 😉
Yes, has a nice ring to it. And makes me crave pudding!
Zida Borcich on July 11, 2015 at 6:23 pm said:
o god Kate…unbelievable. xoxox
Oh, don't you think it would be more "modern" and less violent to change Fort Bragg's name to 95437? I know it's a lot more syllables, but the nickname could be ZIP.
A perfect solution!
Katy Pye on July 12, 2015 at 6:30 pm said:
Thanks for pulling it all together, and Zida, I love your idea!
Kathy Waller on July 21, 2015 at 2:40 am said:
Was Ft. Bragg named for the Braxton Bragg who was the career officer in the U.S. Army, or the Braxton Bragg who served as a general in the CSA Army? Would that help determine whether his name should stay or go?
He was one and the same Kathy. I'm writing a followup piece on Braxton that will appear soon.
Kathy Waller on July 21, 2015 at 2:58 pm said:
I didn't make myself clear. I meant when was Ft. Bragg named? If it was in 1857 (?), before the Civil War, then it was named for Bragg as a a U.S. Army officer, and the name shouldn't be a problem. If it was named during or after the Civil War, after Bragg served in the Confederate army, then the name would be offensive. I assume it was named before the CW, so it shouldn't offend. (I know that doesn't work in real life, but it's the less expensive way of looking at the question of renaming the place. It would save a lot on replacing the stationery and all that.)
Kate on July 22, 2015 at 12:53 pm said:
Fort Bragg was named in 1957. Braxton Bragg served in the US Army from 1837-1856. He retired, then joined the Confederate Army in 1861.
John on June 26, 2020 at 11:42 pm said:
Leave the name Fort Bragg as it is!
My home is named Fort Bragg.
It should stay Fort Bragg California!
Go find something else to do.
John S Lushenko