Let Market Street Issue Die

It’s hard to believe that, 18 years after the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was gunned down in Memphis, there can still be a debate in San Diego over whether to rename a street in his honor. By July 28, the City Council must decide whether to place on the November ballot a referendum challenging the renaming of Market Street.

It is to be hoped that the council will avoid the embarrassment that would be inflicted on the city by approval of this proposal. Such a referendum is not likely to showcase the best side of San Diego.

Arguments against the name change have included the expense and inconvenience for businesses that would have to change stationery and other items, the historical significance of the name Market, and the suggestion that some of the areas the street traverses are unworthy of bearing King’s name. Most who oppose it publicly, of course, are quick to point out that race in no way influences their feelings; a few do admit to a lack of sympathy with King’s accomplishments.

We hope the debate over honoring the Nobel Peace Prize winner ends Tuesday with unanimous council rejection of the ballot proposal. Since the days of Benjamin Franklin, few Americans other than presidents have had as much impact on our society as did Martin Luther King Jr. The entire city should be honored to dedicate a street in his memory.