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Virginia Is Renaming A Confederate Highway & Twitter’s Got A Few Ideas

by Cate Carrejo
Joe Raedle/Getty Images News/Getty Images

A stretch of highway in northern Virginia is receiving national attention this week as Americans come together to find it a new name. People are using Twitter to suggest new names for the Jefferson Davis Highway, and the current offerings are an interesting mix of serious and very silly.

The process of renaming the highway has been going on since long before the recent displays of white supremacy in Charlottesville, Virginia — the city council of Alexandria voted unanimously to rename the road nearly a year ago. But the nationwide calls for removal of Confederate monuments this week brought the renaming process back into the spotlight, with the added bonus of a direct way to communicate your preference to the advisory group in charge of choosing one final recommended name.

Naturally, that kind of opportunity brought out all the politicos and jokesters on Twitter. People have shared great ideas for the new highway, both funny and serious. If you want your suggestions for the highway's new name to actually be considered by Alexandria's advisory group for renaming the road, make sure you fill out this form before Sept. 15. The group is making its recommendation to the city manager on Oct. 5, so be sure to fill out the form, and put your suggestions on Twitter for a good dialogue (or laugh).

Remembering A Slave

For A Memorable President

There Were Silly Suggestions

Good Luck With That

A Bit Of A Mouthful

Actually... Most Of Them Were Silly

Missy Misdemeanor

And Last But Not Least, This Social Climber

Whatever the final verdict is, the entire process is a masterclass in the way 21st Century democracy is supposed to work. The government is rejecting symbols of white supremacy and allowing people to choose what icons they want reflected in their culture. Even if the highway's final name is silly, it may mean more than its former name ever could.