This is Denali - the tallest mountain on the continent of North America. It is located in Alaska and it stands 20,310 feet above sea level. Mount Everest is 9,000 feet taller.
The mountain is located 133 miles north of Anchorage in the territory of the Koyukon people. These indigenous Alaskans called their mountain Denali for several millennia before a gold prospector working in the region in 1896 decided to change Denali's name to Mount McKinley after William McKinley who was, at the time, seeking election to the position of US President.
It was not until 1917 that the US government officially endorsed the name change from Denali to Mount McKinley in an act of what might easily be seen as thoughtless imperialism that carelessly bulldozed through the wishes and history of native Alaskan people.
In 2015, under President Obama, it appeared that a wrong had been righted when the name Denali was restored and "Mount McKinley" was ditched. It seems to me that resurrecting the traditional name represented an act of restorative respect for the original Alaskans who had always clung to the historical name anyway.
Then on January 20th 2025, along comes Trump (he's very nasty) and instructs that Denali will be Mount McKinley once again. He doesn't say why and he gives no indication that he is aware of past debates about the name or any ethno-cultural sensitivities. Is he aware that McKinley never visited Alaska and had no particular attachment to the state? He was after all an Ohioan.
The renaming of The Gulf of Mexico is quite absurd but trying to blot out the name Denali a second time round has a pretty vicious and spiteful edge to it. The decision shows no heart or historical perspective. Perhaps it is Donald J. Trump who needs renaming and I invite visitors to this humble Yorkshire blog to give their considered suggestions in the "Comments" below...
He has always been called Shit For Brains by me, and I think the name fits perfectly.
ReplyDeleteChanging Denali's name was his childish way of thinking he bested Obama. I doubt he could find Alaska on a map.
You are probably right about him simply wanting to cock a snook at Mr Obama.
Delete"Vicious and spiteful" sums up the name reversion to perfection. It's nothing but white supremacist hatred in action.
ReplyDelete"Donald He Who Spits"
DeleteVicious and spiteful describes rumpty dumpty very well, he is mean, small-minded and selfish along with 100% clueless about how things actually work.
ReplyDeleteAnd to use one of his favourite words, he's "nasty". Isn't that the kind of judgement word that small children use in playgrounds?
DeleteSatan
ReplyDeleteThe evil one
The orange evil
The orange f***r
He who needs a bullet between the eyes
The leader of the douche bags
Elons puppet
Donolph
Surprisingly kind alternatives. It's surprising you held back on the alternatives.
DeleteHow about the late Donald Trump?
ReplyDeleteHa-ha! I love that one Carol. One day, one day...
DeleteI would just set Deefa on him 'fat twat'!
ReplyDeleteOh yes, Deefa R.I.P..
DeleteBy the way, I am changing the name of the Moon to Magnon. Much better don't you think?
ReplyDeleteThe new name is a bit cheesy.
DeleteTrumpton?
ReplyDeleteThe problem with trying to settle on a name for that shithead is that there are too many options. He is not only an idiot, but he is cruel, a rapist, a cheat, a liar, a racist, a misogynist, an adulterer, and just about every other nasty thing a human can be. He is disgusting, foul, and vain.
ReplyDeletePerhaps Satan?
In some ways these are very petty action from Rump. But to the world these are very important issues.
ReplyDeleteAs someone who thoroughly enjoyed the Harry Potter Books, He Who Shall Not Be Named, abbreviated HWSNBN. He is more evil than stupid. A bitter loser, who is filled with vile and vengeance.
ReplyDeleteI recognise the name Mount McKinley but must have missed the change of that name back to Denali. So until reading this post I also did not know Trump want to change it back again. Does seem like an odd thing to have at the top of the priority list, even for him... (But I suppose a fairly easy one to tick off the list of one's ambitions - at least compared to for example buying Greenland...) - I just googled the meaning of Denali and find that it means "the great one". Maybe Trump considers that a threat??
ReplyDeleteGoddess what a frickin' moron.
ReplyDeleteApparently Trump has a thing for President McKinley. McKinley strengthened the Republican party, expanded America's territories by winning Puerto Rico, the Phillippines and Guam from the Spanish, also made Hawaii a territory and he LOVED tarriffs. Trump wants to emulate him. But then McKinley came to a bad end. So there's that.
ReplyDeleteI suggest "The Fool".
ReplyDeleteThe man is truly evil, in my opinion. Evil covers cruelty, viciousness, a lack of empathy and a lack of conscience, all things he has demonstrated for years.
ReplyDeleteI can't better any of these. He enjoys playing the dictator.
ReplyDelete