What's In a name?: Freedom Towers

There has long been debate on all aspects of the rebuilding the towers on ground zero in New York, site of the 9/11 terrorist attack that killed thousands. Part of the debate still going on, all these years later, is what to name the new structure. The most recent?:

Critics call WTC tower name change unpatriotic
March 28th, 2009 . by TexasFred

Critics call WTC tower name change unpatriotic

NEW YORK (AP) - Even without the name, the symbolism of the Freedom Tower as an American response to the Sept. 11 terror attacks was hard to miss.

The original architect designed a twisting form he wanted to imitate the Statue of Liberty, with a spire that rose to the deliberate height of 1,776 feet to recognize the year of American independence. Politicians called the tower proof of the country’s triumph over terrorism.

Former Gov. George Pataki said visitors to the iconic skyscraper “will know our determination to overcome evil” in a 2003 speech that first gave the Freedom Tower its name.

The tower - still under construction with a projected completion date of 2013 - no longer has the same architect, design or footprint on the 16-acre site. And this week, the owners of ground zero publicly parted ways with the Freedom Tower name, saying it would be more practical to market the tallest building in New York as the former north tower’s name, One World Trade Center.

Critics called the name drop an unpatriotic shedding of symbolism by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Some newspaper editorials blasted the agency for years of missed deadlines and changing plans for the site.

That's from TexasFred's. Read the rest here. (A must read!)

Then today comes this:

CHANCE FOR 'FREEDOM'

By GINGER ADAMS OTIS

Freedom may be returning to One World Trade Center.

A bill to be submitted this week in Albany seeks a permanent name change for the tower at Ground Zero, officially declaring it the Freedom Tower.

Brooklyn Sen. Marty Golden is submitting the legislation in defiance of the Port Authority, which owns the site.

The agency last week announced it was dropping the patriotic moniker.

Golden is canvassing fellow Republicans as well as Democrats in the Legislature for support for his bill. (source: New York Post here)

The debate continues. Stay tuned.