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As best I can tell, the Minneapolis City Council is responsible for the future of George Floyd Square. Although many of their mistakes are commendable, they are still mistakes (“Fight over George Floyd Square continues,” May 22).
- They have not given adequate attention to Voltaire’s admonition that perfection is the enemy of good. Make a decision and go with it. Waiting for perfection is simply not an option. There is no such thing.
- They are hoping to achieve unanimity among the many groups involved. Make a decision and go with it. It is not possible to achieve unanimity, no matter how wonderful the decision is. Some will be offended. Some will think it silly. Some will think it stupid. Some will think it wonderful. They will never all believe the same thing.
- This is not etched in stone. For some reason, the council hasn’t noticed that things change. The perfect monument today is not going to be the perfect monument tomorrow. (Look at Monument Avenue in Richmond, Va., if you don’t understand.) Make a decision and go with it. If it changes in the future, so be it. That’s not on you. Different councils will make different decisions, and that’s OK.
- This isn’t about you; it’s about George Floyd Square. This isn’t your opportunity to be enshrined in history. In the future, nobody will care who made the decision. And, see point #3, George Floyd Square is probably going to change over the years, anyway.
The future of George Floyd Square will start with your decision, if you decide to act. If you insist on perfection, if you insist that the future is etched in stone, if you insist that this is your legacy, then you are destined to disappoint.
Michael Hartenberg, Newport, Minn.
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As a result of our summer highway construction season, my daily commute includes Chicago Avenue through George Floyd Square. Many others on these pages have described the deplorable condition of the square and obvious damage to the local buildings and businesses. After five years, it’s time to provide a solution.
Just a block away is the Phelps Recreation Center on Chicago between 39th and 40th streets. The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board website suggests that the Phelps Community Center was named after Park Commissioner Edmund Phelps, who in the early 1900s was the longest-serving park commissioner. While I’m sure Phelps was a fine, deserving fellow, this park and community center would seem to provide a natural solution for appropriately recognizing George Floyd. We have plenty of precedent in renaming major Twin Cities landmarks, so why not rename Phelps as George Floyd Community Center and Fields?