ACLU opposes Shockley park
‘Callous and unacceptable’ of district to take gift
The idea of naming a 28-acre parcel of publicly owned Auburn parkland after eugenics proponent and Nobel Prize winner William Shockley is getting some high-profile opposition. The Sacramento County chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union has come out against the Auburn Recreation District board’s recent decision to accept the parkland on the condition that it is named “Nobel Laureate William B. Shockley and his wife Emmy Shockley Memorial Park.” Jim Updegraff, the ACLU chapter’s chairman, said Wednesday that the group objects to the parks district board accepting a gift of land and money that’s contingent on a park being named after a man who was an avowed racist and believed African-Americans were inherently inferior. The parks board voted 3-2 on March 23 to accept the bequest but no discussion took place on naming the park after Shockley, who died in 1989 – 33 years after receiving the Nobel Prize for his pioneering work in electronics. In the ensuing years after the award, Shockley became a controversial eugenics proponent, advocating people with low IQs be paid to voluntarily have themselves sterilized. “We want to emphasize that Shockley was perfectly free to say whatever he wanted,” Updegraff said. “But that doesn’t mean the district should accept the gift with the condition that it be named after him.” The gift is an affront to African-Americans and shows a callous and unacceptable attitude on the part of district directors, he added. “Would they have accepted land to be named after Adolf Hitler?” Updegraff said. Scott Holbrook, a district director on the losing end of the March 23 vote, said Wednesday that the parks board doesn’t have the funding to hire an attorney to research possible legal alternatives to naming the park after Shockley. But Holbrook said he believes it would be open to working with ACLU lawyers to explore the possibilities. Holbrook was unaware of Shockley’s connection with eugenics when he initially voted against the district accepting the park. Director Curt Smith also voted against it. Holbrook’s objections revolved around what he considered upkeep costs the district couldn’t afford. Kahl Muscott, district administrator, said the board voted on a Thursday and the bank handling the estate had sent a check by the following Monday or Tuesday for the $50,000 in cash for park upkeep that was part of the bequest. It’s doubtful they’ll take it back, he said. Holbrook said that there is no majority of the board looking for ways to give it back. Two board meetings have since occurred, with the first drawing speakers both for the park purchase if the name was part of the bargain and for keeping the Shockley moniker off the park. The move to prevent Shockley from being honored with a park name has also drawn the support of Sacramento’s Jewish Community Relations Council. Chairman Barry Broad said the organization is outraged that the recreation district would name a park after a scientist whose name has become synonymous with racism. The council was on the front line in decisions in recent years to rename a Sacramento-area park and middle school that had honored Charles Goethe, another racist and eugenicist. “For many generations, racism masquerading as science has sought to harm religions and ethnic minorities,” Broad said. “Never forgetting means not honoring those who would pervert science in the service of racism.” Broad said his group is drafting a letter of objection to ARD board members. Muscott said one of the options open to the district board is to just hold onto the land and leave it as open space. The board has accepted the property, located off Shockley Drive, but hasn’t given direction on what to do with it. Part of the $50,000 is being used to develop a fuel-load management plan, Muscott said. The issue of a sign at the park – and what to write on it – also hasn’t been addressed by the board. The Journal’s Gus Thomson can be reached at gust@goldcountrymedia.com.
Keywords
Nobel Prize, William Shockley, eugenics, Sacramento County chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, Auburn Recreation District, Nobel Laureate William B. Shockley and his wife Emmy Shockley Memorial Park, Jim Updegraff, Scott Holbrook, Jim Gray, Kahl Muscott, Sacramento’s Jewish Community Relations Council, Barry Broad, Charles Goethe,
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It's like a black hole of psychic convergences designed to kill wildlife and oak trees and put McMansions up in the name of faux social justice.
Oh, and could we, just for once, not have to invoke Godwin's Law into a discussion ?
And who gives a tinker's damm what the ACLU thinks?! They can take their circus down the road where it plays to the fools who drool on their every word.
No one will be forced to use the park, drive by the park, read the sign, or bow allegiance to Mr. Shockley. For those who actually would appreciate the gift, let them have it; and let the naysayers and blinded men who seek perfect philanthropists just keep their mouths shut and go find something else to complain about.
Here is a suggestion. Since the gift carries with it the naming of the park and the ACLU strongly opposes it there are two alternatives.
One, the gift is refused, the land sold to developers and more homes and cars plague Auburn.
Two, which I prefer, the ACLU buys the property, that way the naming doesn't apply, then they donate the land to ARD with the $50,000.00 for maintenance with no strings attached. That way, the people will have their park, there won't be any development of the land and the ACLU is satisfied that the bigot Shockley is not mentioned in a good light. Clearly a win- win situation.
ACLU, please put your wallet where your mouth is, of course, you also have the option of shutting the heck up and let the local people decide for themselves, they are capable of doing so, really.
HEY! i made the hitler reference first. told you all about the aclu didn't i? no one listened then. and deja view, when you have your rights violated, call barnum and bailey.
No suprise here that the ACLU has jumped into this issue. Shockley has been gone for how many years now?
LR: You hit the nail on the head about the ACLU.
i'd be happier with a walmart or costco instead of a park. to be honest. now dont freak out, when was the last period in any of your lives when you frequented a park more than a shopping store?
"And who gives a tinker's damm what the ACLU thinks?! They can take their circus down the road where it plays to the fools who drool on their every word."
Exactly send them packing ....
The ACLU usually supports for the rights of citizens to write, speak, worship and think freely--- rights are guaranteed by the Bill of Rights. In the process, the ACLU has advocated the rights of persons and groups that most members of the ACLU find abhorent. Rush Limbaugh and a group of neo-nazis in Michigan received legal assistance from the ACLU. With that background, it seems hypocritical for the ACLU to get involved in the naming of a park, solely on the grounds that the donor of the park---besides being a Nobel laureate---held some very unpopular ideas. During his lifetime, the ACLU would have fought to protect Shockley's right to express his opinions. It is odd that many years after his death, the ACLU would weigh in on naming a park after a noted and respected scientist, who happened to have some politically incorrect ideas about race.
If the ACLU is against something, I'm all for it!
“We want to emphasize that Shockley was perfectly free to say whatever he wanted,” Updegraff said.
So, Updegraff, what is the problem?
Is it because you don’t want the park named after Shockley since, “We want to emphasize that Shockley was perfectly [not] free to say whatever he wanted.” If may have offended someone, somewhere, somehow. You goobers really are unique to state the least. Here is something I typed slowly so you could possibly understand it:
hy•poc•ri•sy Pronunciation: \hi-?pä-kr?-s? also h?-\
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural hy•poc•ri•sies
Etymology:Middle English ypocrisie, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin hypocrisis, from Greek hypokrisis act of playing a part on the stage, hypocrisy, from hypokrinesthai to answer, act on the stage, from hypo- + krinein to decide.
Date:
13th century
1: a feigning to be what one is not or to believe what one does not; especially: the false assumption of an appearance of virtue or religion 2: an act or instance of hypocrisy.
Source: Merriam-Webster Dictionary©
ACLU: Apparently defines hypocrisy as:
We want to emphasize that (name) was perfectly free to say whatever he wanted, as long as we agree.
Go away! Visit your friends in an Afghan cave, and stay there.
>
Great, just what this county needs, an ACLU battery of lawyers to try and overturn an agreement the county made. If the county opts to not name the park for him as they agreed when they took the property, then give it back.
ACLU Is one of the largest wedge organinizations in the country. They are here to promote lawsuits. What else do you a group of lawyers have in mind. Letigation = $$$$$
Shockley didn't just say unpopular things. He was a driving force behind the promotion of faux science. He distorted reality and ignored important factors to fit his psuedo-science. But he was not just a regular guy. This mad scientist was a tenured professor at Standford. Using his high postion he attempted to spread his garbage by giving lectures and promoting research that distracted from more important educational diciplines. His influence over students, faculty and laymen did much harm to society in general. He could have been a voice of reason but instead chose to use his power and authority to conjure up hate. I doubt seriously that the ACLU would have defended his right to use his delusional opinions as science even though Stanford did. One has to wonder why.
I say sell the park, hide the money from Arnold and use it to provide parks in areas that are more accessable to everyone.
gulliver... i completely agree with your comments. you put things into proper context.
and getalong... as regards to your question: "when was the last period in any of your lives when you frequented a park more than a shopping store?" if you include county, state, federal as well as city parks, my answer would be most any period right up to the present. i don't know if you're saying you're a huge consumer constantly shopping or what, but we're all different, my friend.
if we were to truly examine every philanthropist or person who donated something or was honored for something, we could be in real trouble. let's start with Andrew Jackson on the 20 dollar bill. there could be very good arguments to boycott the 20. let's move on, ACLU, despite the good that you do, there's nothing to see here.
"He was a driving force behind the promotion of faux science."
I guess a Nobel prize must have been fake also....
# The ACLU's work is sustained by over 500,000 members and supporters who play an active role in defending freedom.
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"So long as we have enough people in this country willing to fight for their rights, we'll be called a democracy." - ACLU Founder Roger Baldwin
The ACLU is our nation's guardian of liberty, working daily in courts, legislatures and communities to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties that the Constitution and laws of the United States guarantee everyone in this country.
It's true that Shockley taught at Stanford - where students generally rejected his eugenics theories. I'm sure it made for some spirited discussions. But Shockley also co-invented the transistor, and Henry Ford hated Jews and Blacks. So what?
I support the ACLU as the only organization protecting our Bill of Rights, but I disagree with them on this one.
wow - the ACLU must really be bored. Makes me wonder who alerted them to this horrible travesty about to occur in little ole Auburn..?? Me thinks our once neighbor-friendly population has been infiltrated by a not so friendly influx of haughty trouble makers. The ACLU has out-lived its usefullness and now only represents elitist snobs and power-grabbers.
For one of the few times I can remember, I agree whole heartedly with Skeptic.
Wrighter, Glad to see you back.
I am surprised to see the ACLU jump on what appears to be their opposition to a freedom of expression case. Makes you wonder about what is the ACLU's real mission to exist. I believe the ARD Board has made the right decision in the gift acceptance and should proceed with the name in honoring a Nobel Prize winner and his wife for the work he done in electronics. After all, 100 years from now how will he be remembered - Nobel Prize winner or for some of his other theories that did not receive any prize. I believe with the park name as described in the article that it will be the former.
Shocker.
The Anti-American Criminal and Leftist Union is complaining.
Didn't see that one coming.
getalong;
When my rights are being violated I take care of it myself.
I have never received any help from the ACLU...even when they should have intervened...and I don't expect any from them. Their ideology leads them by their collective, sniveling noses...NOT their desire for equal justice or equal rights.
ChuxxR;
Funny, I don't see the ACLU suing Planned Parenthood or trying to close their abortion mills because their founder Margaret Sanger was a known supporter of eugenics. Right!
As far as the faux science garbage, I thought you were talking about Al Gore....except he is not even a scientist of any kind. Yet the world praises his ignorance and fairy tales. Maybe the ACLU will protect us from all the forced changes in laws and forced taxes to support Gore's phony "faux science". Again...yeah, right.
I’ve never seen the ACLU come to the aid of those that have had their rights to the Second Amendment infringed. The ACLU is very selective in “supporting our liberties.” They have a very left leaning agenda. I don’t see them filing a law suit here. I don’t think they have anything. They are attempting to bully their way on this one. My guess is that Scott Halbrook got them involved as a scare tactic.
Ironically, he mentioned nothing about African people. He mentioned "low IQ people". I think the ACLU is racist in deducing that his comment refered to a particular race when it did not.
Sacramento’s Jewish Community Relations Council??? WTF is that? And why should THEIR opinion matter to people in Auburn?
Karen has contacted the ACLU, as well as the NCAAP and probably other organizations. THere is no method to give the property back, the ARD received the check, the deed has been filed with the County - the Trust has no interest at all in taking the property back. Patrick50 is obviously one of the Blissful ones, why in the world would Scott Holbrook want to contact the ACLU to scare what? There was a brief letter to the editor found in the Sacramento Bee from Jim Undergraff who says the ACLU Chapter deplores the acceptance of the park land which must be named after William Shockley, the brief letter to the editor goes on to say the gift should be refused. I understand Mr. Updegraff personally sent a copy of this letter to the district board members, but nothing on ACLU letter head or any other official ACLU documentation has been received by the ARD. For all anyone knows Mr Updegraff IS the Sacramento chapter of the ACLU. The property is now that of the community, the restrictions of the gift look valid, but there are no funds to do anything with this property and it likely will sit as is for some time, and be used as it has for decades (a party spot for some, a place for neighbors to walk through), hopefully funds will become available so more in the community can and will use this property.
Karen Tajibl and Scott Holbrook are both wackos. Bottom line.....it was a gift. Why don't we get the existing "Shockley" family members to a called meeting-so that all these people opposed to it can explain face to face why they can't look past someones beliefs from years and years ago. FOR CRYING OUT LOUD PEOPLE, LET IT BE---this is explains why this world is turning into a disaster.