The Clark County Commission on Tuesday voted unanimously to rechristen McCarran International Airport for former Nevada Sen. Harry Reid despite opponents’ fears that the move would be politically divisive and miss an opportunity to align the airport’s brand with Las Vegas.
Spearheaded by Commissioner Tick Segerblom, who tried as a state senator in 2017 to rename McCarran after the longtime influential Democratic lawmaker, the commission directed county staff to submit a request for the name change to the Federal Aviation Administration.
Article continues in the Las Vegas Review Journal HERE
Petition to NOT rename McCarran International Airport. Sign the petition HERE
Just name it Las Vegas International Airport, forget the Harry Reid business.
Let’s ponder this for a moment: If Reid and McCarran both considered themselves Democrats, how can this be called a “divisive” endeavor?
Well…?
I think the answer lies deep in the “Southern Strategy” phenomenon which took place in the mid-1960s AFTER McCarran was a serving member of the Democratic Party. Anyone not familiar with this era in American politics needs to do some reading & research. Essentially, the racists of the Southern US who had been members of the Democratic Party FLIPPED their affiliation and became Republicans:
https://www.encyclopedia.com/social-sciences/applied-and-social-sciences-magazines/southern-strategy
So, the people who might consider this renaming to be “divisive” are probably feeling that big flip deep down. After all, what modern day Democrat would have things like the following said about them:
“his dark legacy of virulent racism, anti-Semitism, and xenophobia have no place representing Nevada”
https://www.rosen.senate.gov/rosen-horsford-cortez-masto-titus-and-lee-call-removal-patrick-mccarrans-statue-us-capitol
Certainly not Harry Reid!