Layla Maynard: Alaskan Mountain Renamed

Summary: Today, August 31, 2015, President Barack Obama officially renamed North America's tallest peak. The mountain was renamed to the original name, Denali. The reason there is so much controversy over this topic is because many Ohioans are upset by this decision. The mountain was renamed after President McKinley (born in Ohio) over 100 years ago. President Obama renamed the mountain while in Alaska today to give his global warming speech.

Analysis: Keeping in mind that I know almost nothing about Alaska, President McKinley or Denali, I think it was a good decision to change the name. The Alaskan locals had been fighting for the renaming of the mountain for years, and even address it as Denali. The fact that the only people with any issue with the renaming are those from Ohio, shows how irrelevant the issue is, especially since President McKinley had never even been to Alaska. I was born in Cleveland, Ohio and my family lived there for years, and it hasn't affected any of us at all. I think if the renaming of the mountain harmed or concerned Ohioans in any way, then there would have to be more of a discussion about whether it was the right choice. But, since it has almost nothing to do with them, I believe changing the name of the mountain back to its original name was a good decision.

Source:  http://www.cnn.com/videos/tv/2015/08/31/obama-alaska-mckinley-denali-bear-grylls-acosta-lead.cnn