The Travesty of the Don Maison signs.

THE TRAVESTY OF THE DON MAISON SIGNS

There is a type of street sign called “toppers” used when they give a section of the street what they call an honorary name. This is a token gesture done to avoid actually renaming a street so they can refuse the request, but appear to have been supportive, though it is largely worthless. An appendix is supplied showing how toppers are basically a failure.

However, this paper is to show the travesty of a recent “topper” installation in Dallas, Texas purportedly to honor Don Maison who worked to support persons infected by HIV. The word topper is in quotes since in this installation they aren’t the top street sign on the pole.

The following pictures are a topper used for a street “honorary” naming for Atatiana Jefferson in Fort Worth, Texas. This would be a typical installation.

Figure 1. Close up of the sign. Notice that it has a nominal name, “Memorial Parkway.”

Figure 2. Shows why they are called toppers. They are usually added to the top of the existing sign pole. Notice that it is in alignment with the street sign for the street for which it is supposedly the honorary name.

Figure 3. Again, notice that the honorary street sign is parallel to the street to which it is supposedly giving an honorary name.

Figure 4. Again, parallel to the street to which it is indicating an honorary name.

The normal use of toppers has these common practices.

1. The honorary name includes some type of thorough fare name, such as “lane,” “boulevard,” “street,” etc.

2. It is parallel to the street for which it is giving an honorary name consistent with the usage of all signs designating the name of a street.

3. They are clearly designed differently so that they aren’t confused with being the official street name, useful for not confusing drivers, especially police and ambulances responding to an emergency.

4. As practical they are placed on top or in such way again so that they are away from the street signs by which a driver would be navigating, in particular police and ambulances.

The Don Maison signs on Marsalis

These are four photographs of the Don Maison signs at three different locations. The fact that some poles are at an angle isn’t an issue, road repair was underway and the sign poles can be expected to be properly vertical when done.

Figure 5. There are multiple fails here.

(1) A section of Marsalis is supposedly getting the honorary designation, but the Blue Don Mason sign is parallel to the Comal sign. This suggests that Comal is getting the honorary name.

(2) Is it Don Maison Street, Boulevard, Lane, or Dog Poop Station? We have no idea what type of thoroughfare it is supposed to be.

(3) The city of Dallas does use blue street signs so the honorary status isn’t clear. The Don Maison sign isn’t using a different font or color. This is a hazard for emergency responders. See Figure 10 for a blue street sign currently in use.

Figure 5. See details above. Taken 9/8/2022.

The following pictures were taken on 9/9/2022 excepting the Lamar St. picture.

Figure 6. Notice the Don Maison sign is in alignment to Sabine St. and perpendicular to Marsalis. The sign is titled due to construction and I presume will be righted.

Figure 7. The Don Maison sign is left stranded aways from the pole which holds the Marsalis St. sign. Unlike with the Atatiana Jefferson sign, it isn’t attached to the same pole. It is left to be standing by itself perpendicular to the direction of the street to which it is supposedly giving an honorary name. (Red arrow points at sign.)

Figure 8. You can see in this picture how far away the Don Maison sign is from the Marsalis St. sign. Also, the real lack of impact. It is just a stray sign orphaned long the road way. (Red arrow points at sign.)

Thus, the usual convention of signage for streets as implemented by the City of Dallas indicated at different corners that Comal, Sabine or Colorado is given a designation as Don Maison something, and nowhere do they indicate an honorary name for Marsalis.

Since they lack a thoroughfare designation, they don’t even indicate that it is an honorary street designation. What the sign might mean, will be something that will be left to the speculation of the viewer. Perhaps Don Maison died at that spot or did something heroic there, or the viewer will look to see if some nearby house has a plaque indicating that he lived in one of the houses. Being perpendicular to Marsalis they will indicate that they aren’t related to that street, and are like stop signs and warning signs to tell you something, but not indicate the name of a street.

Figure 9. The sign is parallel to Colorado Street. (Red arrow shows Don Maison sign.)

Figure 10. This shows how a blue sign with similar font is already in use and how the Don Maison sign could be confused with an official sign. It also shows how the Dallas establishment is reluctant to give up white supremacist street names. Taken 6/26/2021.

In summary, the Don Maison sign has the following severe issues.

1. Not in parallel to the street to which it supposedly gives an honorary name.

2. No thoroughfare designation of street, lane, boulevard, road or other type.

3. A navigation hazard given that it uses a color and similar font to street signs already in use.

4. It is parallel to the street signs of three different streets suggesting each street possibly has a Don Maison honorary designation.

The lack of care in implementing this “honorary” street renaming is like urinating on the memory of Don Maison and is an insult to the entire Gay community of Dallas.

There are many short streets in Dallas named after dreadful people that could be renamed. Bowser is named after a Confederate soldier and Klan member. Throckmorton is named after a white supremacist governor of Texas. Hood Street is named after Confederate Gen. John Bell Hood. Knight Street is named after a family of major slave holders and Confederate soldiers. Lee Parkway, named after Robert E. Lee hasn’t been changed. This is just some of them in the immediate neighborhood of the Cedar Spring gay neighborhood. There are many, many others from which to choose.

DIS HONORARY

Streets are made known to us in many different ways besides just the perception of a street sign and in understanding this we can see how a so-called “honorary” street sign is just a token gesture to not truly honor a person.

We are made aware of street names in many different ways, some everyday and ordinary, some novel.

A street with “honorary” signs will be visible to those who live on the street and somewhat to those who drive on the street or across it, depending on the visibility of the “honorary” street signs by drivers who are also watching the official street name signs and focusing on driving. Sometimes “honorary” signs being a token gesture, often aren’t installed where they will have good visibility. For example, consider this sign.

The “honorary” naming will also be known in news stories about the initial naming, but as time goes on the knowledge of the “honorary” naming will fade.

Contrast this to the vastly greater presence of an official name.

For starters, the official name will be used on maps. In using and looking at maps whether physical or Google maps, we become aware of many streets in a city, even streets were aren’t driving along or across. Our gaze at a street map perceives many streets. “Honorary” streets won’t be on the map.

For exit signs on the highway the official street name will be used. This allows the people driving past on the highway, who might never drive on a street, to be aware of its name.

(The honorary Atatiana Jefferson sign is in the picture.) Where’s Waldo?

For example, Highway I 35W has a very large sign telling drivers of the exit for Allen Street. There is no visibility at all of the Atatiana Jefferson name.

News reporting uses official street names for reporting on events and traffic.

The mails use the official street name, so letters written from an “honorary” street will use the official street name for the correspondence and return addresses. The same applies for the mail addressed to person and businesses on the “honorary” street, the official name will be used, not the “honorary” name.

Very tellingly even the city which has granted an “honorary” street name will be using the official street name to the persons, churches, businesses, and others on the street. Official records for all levels of government will use the official name for official records for taxes, permits, police records, building permits and other records. The census bureau will use the official street name. Driver licenses will use the official street name.

Real estate listings will use the official street name. Commercial transactions requiring a street name will use the official street name. Credit card applications, mortgage applications will use the official name.

Businesses, Churches, and other entities often adopt street names as part of their names. They do this to help give themselves a local community identity and also to let people know where they are. A Filbert St. might have the Filbert Street Cleaners, and the Filbert Street Methodist Church, and the Filbert St. Diner, etc. Since businesses and others are interested in letting people know whether they are located and assist in finding them, they will be using the official name, not the “honorary” name. The official name is on the map and is very likely to be known to many more people than the “honorary” name. The advertisements and events of these businesses, churches, and other groups on the street will publicize the official street name, not the “honorary” street name.

“Honorary” name signs are not essential for navigation through the streets by drivers and will be of lower priority for repair. As decades pass there is a risk that they simply will disappear with the neglect of the street signs. For official street signs there are likely standards and some policy for their maintenance. For “honorary signs” it is not clear what regular inspections they will receive, if any. The existence of “honorary” streets isn’t on maps, but relies of the remembering of news stories and people still living to get after the city to maintain them. The official record of the city council voting for an “honorary” street record will be buried in the records of the City Council.

Consider also what the message is if the official street name was that of a white supremacist. What type of “honor” is it to share a street name with a white supremacist whose name will take precedence over the minority person in all things, excepting perhaps on the street signs and even there the white supremacist might have the occasion to have precedence. How seriously was the “honor” really when it was thought that it would not necessarily require the elimination of the name of the white supremacist.

“Honorary” signs also signal that a group requesting the street re naming didn’t have the influence or importance to get the official name changed and person for whom the street was to be renamed wasn’t that important. It communicates that the person for whom the street was to be renamed wasn’t that important. It communicates that the group which failed to get official street name change isn’t important and that their lives don’t matter that much.

“Honorary” signs dishonor not only the person who they are supposedly to “honor” but also the groups who hope to receive some measure of justice in a street renaming.

When you truly honor someone.

When you honor Botham Jean.

When you truly think Black Lives Matter.

When you respect the Body Politic of the City of Dallas.