Kansas City Must Read: Troost Rename Activist Confronts Critics

On this topic, we have the best discussion in the city going right now and something more thoughtful than a RIGGED rally disguised as a public meeting or TV feel-good talking points.

Accordingly . . . 

This comment sent our way seems legit because it's thoughtful, informative and essential to understand the KCMO discussion about an upcoming street rename on Troost. 

Here's the word . . .

Chris Goode: "This is not a joke to me or to this community"

Chris Goode here. We have been engaging with the community on this topic for years now. We’ve conducted surveys, sent out mailers, held engagement sessions, and created placemaking exhibits. Currently, we are collaborating with the Museum of Kansas City to develop a permanent exhibit that details the history of Troost—the person and the avenue. Thousands have expressed their support through surveys, emails to the city, in-person statements, as well as the entire UMKC campus and Rockhurst.

Slavery is one of the most reprehensible occurrences in the timeline of humanity. The celebration of this name as noble should come to an end—not just because I believe so, but because we’ve taken the necessary steps to engage the broader community. I’ve come across some untrue and disrespectful comments on this thread on Tony’s platform, all submitted anonymously. I welcome voices that hold genuine opinions on either side of the conversation.

History isn't learned merely from the streets. By elevating the truth in this matter, many are learning and engaging, whereas we have allowed this street to perpetually divide us for decades when we don’t need to. The TRUTH isn’t hard to express. If TRUTH is difficult for you to acknowledge, I suggest you take a good look in the mirror. To be deemed noble while dehumanizing others is not noble at all. Hiding behind anonymity on Tony’s platform only creates further division and reflects a lack of interest in true engagement beyond just generating clicks.

This action was already approved to occur in two years; we are merely accelerating the timeline. If you have a genuine opinion, please attend the hearing. Also, I am not concerned about media coverage. I want to ensure that the person who was complicit in the raping, murdering, and theft of Black human bodies is not honored. I say this as a property owner and as someone who has served my community for the past 20 years in various capacities.

It’s easy to perceive these actions as performative if you lack insight into all the other work being done alongside this effort.

Ask yourself this: why am I so triggered and falsely invested if this truly doesn’t matter at all?

This is not a joke to me or to this community, and all proper steps have been taken to ensure that the city's voice has been heard. I am very accessible; don’t hide behind anonymity—talk to me.

To the owner of this platform I’ve never done anything wrong by you and if you have the ability to screenshot things from my ig page to create value on your platform you could just as easily reach out to learn the full perspective.

The evil jokes and commentary being spewed here anonymously do nothing but live in the heart of you the anonymous commenter. Time isn’t stopping, don’t go into the soil with evil in your heart. Superiority based on race, money, political status etc is evil that was long ago manufactured from insecurity. Don’t live in that because you always have. It’s pointless.
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