The Artesia, CA City Council has decided to reject a proposed highway sign designating the area “Little India.” India West reports (The full story appears in the print edition of India-West.):
The Artesia City Council has rejected the wording of “Little India” for a sign to be placed on the 91 Freeway’s Pioneer Blvd. off-ramp in favor of a more generic sign that reads “Artesia International and Cultural Shopping District.” In the third and final townhall meeting on the issue of what wording should appear on the “Little India” sign, which late last year was approved by the California legislature, the Artesia City Council voted four to one to adopt a compromise offered by Mayor Sally Flowers.
Roughly half of the 90 speakers who turned out to voice their opinion during the Jan. 25 meeting at the Albert O. Little Community Center here favored a sign that simply read “Welcome to Artesia.” Those from the local Indian American community wanted “Little India,” as originally proposed in state Assemblyman Rudy Bermudez’ ACR-67 legislation.
Indians get shafted again. Bermundez wasn’t happy:
When Bermudez heard of the alternative name for the “Little India” sign, “I expected nothing less than the racism that has been demonstrated by the city council and the mayor,” he commented to India-West.
Looking at one of the original concepts for the sign I am left wondering what they could possibly have done to make it more acceptable?
“our samosas are ALWAYS hot” ?????? HOW CORNY!
Disclosure: This sign wasn’t really proposed by Artesia residents but by me. Corny? You just don’t know a great idea when you see one. 🙂
I summarily reject the billboard proposal (and not necessarily because my nickname in college was samosa ;-)).
Back to the drawing board……
Obligatory samosa song:
Jab tak rahega Samose me alu Little India signs will be as rare as a bhalu
or something :p
Amelie-Freak – is it too much pressure to “always” be hot?
I’m not only hot……I’m spicy. 😉
Why can’t Indians have a “Little India”? LA has Chinatown and Koreatown. Indians are an asset to our country, they are hard working, respect the laws, have well behaved children. They never get mad, are humble and friendly. As a property owner in Artesia, the Indian community has raised property values. We are multi-cultural here, and live together peacefully, and it’s a rich experience. The white mayor should be rcalled, and Indians should run for city council. That’s the only way to get respect.
anyone were i can get jackfruit seeds in ilttle india
Artesia is a little backwards. I’ve always called the area Little India and it would be awkward to have somekind of “international” designation to it. The newly opened Ranch Market isn’t even close enough or ethnic enough to deem that whole section of the city “international”. I’m Korean and I think there should be a sign on the freeway that points out Little India. Screw the politicians.
I believe that it is sad that this ethnic group cannot have some sort of recognition in the form of a simple sign. It’s not like they want to put up a sign that is derogatory to anyone. It’s just like having signs everywhere that lead you to Disneyland, what’s the diff?
Residing one mile from Pioneer Blvd, I love refering it to Little India, it’s a great place! Los Angeles designates small areas “Little Ethiopia, Little Armenia, etc”. The city of Artesia has nothing to offer and Little India brings people and businesses to the small town. A small favor of a sign is not much to ask. Hope they reconsider.
racism. pure and simple.
I agree, they should reconsider the sign to designate the Pioneer exit as “Little India”. Concentration of specific ethnic communities is a great asset to Los Angeles, and would probably bring more tourists, foot traffic and curiosity seekers into the Artesia area, bringing $$$ – win/win situation, right?
I dont see what all the fuss is about personally.There is also a sizeable Portuguese community in Artesia and I think thats why they wanted to put the International sign. They were here before the influx of Indian Businesses and Never got a sign recongnizing them when they were the dominant group. Its a classic case of Old immigrants resenting new immigrants. Maybe some dialouge between those groups would benifit to try and difuse the racial tension.
If AAA can call the area “Little India,” why can’t Artesia? (See AAA Westways March/April 2006 issue, pg. 69) Were planning a trip to Little India next month – no other reason to visit “Artesia.” Maybe they should change the name of the city instead so that we can find Little India more easily.
this is the same situation that presented itself in detroit. a group of people (blacks — some recent african immigrants and some african-americans) wanted to designate a small section of that town as Little Africa and it was rejected, and this in a city that’s over 70% black!!!
i fully agree: a Little India sign would help people find the location easier (something simiular to the small off-ramp sign for Little Saigon in westminster).
p.s. i don’t think any racist comments are funny (see the note section)…
Where is Artesia? Why do entrepreneurial Indian people live in this hick town? The sweetest revenge would be a mass exodus by the Indian business people to somewhere truly more welcoming…
As a resident of the city for over 25 years now, my impression is that nationalistic messages tend to divide people. When I see the signs designating areas as “little….fill in the blank”, I don’t feel included. Little Saigon, Chinatown, etc. says to me, “we’ve left our homeland but we don’t want to assimilate into the American culture”. “We don’t want to mix in among others…..only our own kind.” I find it ironic that the “race card” is thrown at someone who simply disagrees. I also think it might be somewhat hypocritical, as I can’t imagine there being a “Little America”, or “Little Germany”, or anything else in India. The mere proposal would be met with utter disdain, and the group banished if even thought of in India. You’re in America now….can’t we all just get along without the nationalism?
The city of Artesia is ONLY recognized to most people outside of the area because of Little India. Perhaps when some younger people take over the reins of the city, the socio-economic reality of Little India will be accepted for what it is: a benefit to a city otherwise destined for urban obscurity.