Two brave members of the Berkeley Unified School District Board have expressed doubts about renaming Jefferson Elementary School, because the Founding Father and president owned slaves. Faculty and staff of the school have already voted to re—name it Sequoia Elementary School — not that there are any Sequoia trees in its neighborhood.

Unfortunately, the Berkeley City Council has already enacted an absurd law requiring companies wanting to do business with the city to prove they (or any corporate predecessors) have never benefitted slave holders. This will only discourage companies from bidding on city contracts, thereby raising costs. And it will benefit nobody, except those who are looking to cash in on class action lawsuits some day, alleging some kind of harm.

Insanity rules, but maybe there is some hope. The are real problems in the here—and—now which need attention.

Thomas Lifson   9 10 05