What91裸聊视频檚 in a name change, after all?
The water bordered by the Southern United States, Mexico and Cuba will be critical to shipping lanes and vacationers whether it91裸聊视频檚 called the Gulf of Mexico, as it has been for four centuries, or the , as . North America91裸聊视频檚 highest mountain peak will still loom above Alaska whether it91裸聊视频檚 called Mt. Denali, as ordered by former President Barack Obama in 2015, or changed back to .
But Trump91裸聊视频檚 territorial assertions, in line with , sparked a round of rethinking by mapmakers and teachers, snark on social media and sarcasm by at least one other world leader. And though Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis put the Trumpian 91裸聊视频淕ulf of America91裸聊视频� on an official document and some other gulf-adjacent states were considering doing the same, it was not clear how many others would follow Trump91裸聊视频檚 lead.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum that if Trump went ahead with the renaming, her country would rename North America 91裸聊视频淢exican America.91裸聊视频� On Tuesday, : 91裸聊视频淔or us and for the entire world it will continue to be called the Gulf of Mexico.91裸聊视频�
The politics of maps are undeniable
Map lines are inherently political. After all, they91裸聊视频檙e representations of the places that are important to human beings 91裸聊视频� and those priorities can be delicate and contentious, even more so in a globalized world where multiple nations often share the same maps.
罢丑别谤别91裸聊视频檚 .
91裸聊视频淒enali91裸聊视频� is the mountain91裸聊视频檚 preferred name for Alaska Natives, while 91裸聊视频淢cKinley91裸聊视频� is a tribute to President William McKinley, designated in the late 19th century by a gold prospector. , and the countries surrounding what the United States calls the South China Sea have multiple names for the same body of water.
The Persian Gulf has been widely known by that name since the 16th century, although usage of 91裸聊视频淕ulf91裸聊视频� and 91裸聊视频淎rabian Gulf91裸聊视频� is dominant in many countries in the Middle East. The government of Iran 91裸聊视频� formerly Persia 91裸聊视频� threatened to sue Google in 2012 over the company91裸聊视频檚 decision not to label the body of water at all on its maps. Many Arab countries don91裸聊视频檛 recognize Israel and instead call it . And in many official releases, , 91裸聊视频淛udea and Samaria.91裸聊视频�
Americans and Mexicans diverge on what to call another key body of water, the river that forms the border between Texas and the Mexican states of Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo Leon and Tamaulipas. Americans call it the Rio Grande; Mexicans call it the Rio Bravo.
91裸聊视频� titled 91裸聊视频淩estoring Names That Honor American Greatness91裸聊视频� 91裸聊视频� concludes thusly: 91裸聊视频淚t is in the national interest to promote the extraordinary heritage of our Nation and ensure future generations of American citizens celebrate the legacy of our American heroes. The naming of our national treasures, including breathtaking natural wonders and historic works of art, should honor the contributions of visionary and patriotic Americans in our Nation91裸聊视频檚 rich past.91裸聊视频�
But what to call the gulf with the 3,700-mile coastline?
91裸聊视频淚t is, I suppose, an internationally recognized sea, but (to be honest), a situation like this has never come up before so I need to confirm the appropriate convention,91裸聊视频� said Peter Bellerby, who said he was talking over the issue with the cartographers at his London company, Bellerby & Co. Globemakers. 91裸聊视频淚f, for instance, he wanted to change the Atlantic Ocean to the American Ocean, we would probably just ignore it.91裸聊视频�
For some, it91裸聊视频檚 decision time
As of Wednesday night, map applications for Google and Apple still called the mountain and the gulf by their old names. Spokespersons for those platforms did not immediately respond to emailed questions.
A spokesperson for National Geographic, one of the most prominent map makers in the U.S., said this week that the company does not comment on individual cases and referred questions to a statement on its web site, which reads in part that it 91裸聊视频渟trives to be apolitical, to consult multiple authoritative sources, and to make independent decisions based on extensive research.91裸聊视频� National Geographic also has a policy of including explanatory notes for place names in dispute, citing as an example a body of water between Japan and the Korean peninsula, referred to as the Sea of Japan by the Japanese and the East Sea by Koreans.
The Associated Press, which disseminates news around the world to multiple audiences, will refer to the Gulf of Mexico by its original name while acknowledging the name Gulf of America. AP will, however, use the name Mount McKinley instead of Denali; the area lies solely in the United States and as president, Trump has the authority to change federal geographical names within the country.
In discussion on social media, one thread noted that the Sears Tower in Chicago was renamed the Willis Tower in 2009, though it91裸聊视频檚 still commonly known by its original moniker. Pennsylvania91裸聊视频檚 capital, Harrisburg, renamed its Market Street to Martin Luther King Boulevard and then switched back to Market Street several years later 91裸聊视频� with loud complaints both times. In 2017, New York91裸聊视频檚 Tappan Zee Bridge was renamed for the late Gov. Mario Cuomo to great controversy. The new name appears on maps, but 91裸聊视频渘o one calls it that,91裸聊视频� noted another user.
91裸聊视频淎re we going to start teaching this as the name of the body of water?91裸聊视频� asked one Reddit poster on Tuesday.
91裸聊视频淚 guess you can tell students that SOME PEOPLE want to rename this body of water the Gulf of America, but everyone else in the world calls it the Gulf of Mexico,91裸聊视频� came one answer. 91裸聊视频淐over all your bases 91裸聊视频� they know the reality-based name, but also the wannabe name as well.91裸聊视频�
Wrote another user: 91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檒l call it the Gulf of America when I91裸聊视频檓 forced to call the Tappan Zee the Mario Cuomo Bridge, which is to say never.91裸聊视频�
