# "No More Freedom:" Freedom Tower to be One World Trade Center instead **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 27, 2009, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-freedom-freedom-tower-to-be-one-world-trade-center-instead/490999 "2009-03-27T15:32:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-freedom-freedom-tower-to-be-one-world-trade-center-instead/490999/1 "2009-03-27T15:32:01Z")
[Shameless thread title shamefully stolen from The Post.](http://www.nypost.com/seven/03262009/news/regionalnews/port_authority_doing_away_with_freedom_t_161457.htm) I saw the above headline this morning and thought “_thank fucking god_.” Freedom Tower was always a horrible, horrible, doubleplusungood name. Former governor Pataki insisted on the name, and now, sorta like him, it’s apparently been stricken from memory. I suppose it’s a little ominous that the “freedom” was removed after some of the space was leased to a Chinese company. But then again, at least they didn’t rename it The Harmony Tower. ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Tompkins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/258eb7/32.png) [@Jeff\_Tompkins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Tompkins)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-freedom-freedom-tower-to-be-one-world-trade-center-instead/490999/2 "2009-03-27T15:44:32Z")
Was that inspired by the “freedom fries” crowd? ---
**Author:** ![Lungfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d78d45/32.png) [@Lungfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lungfish)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-freedom-freedom-tower-to-be-one-world-trade-center-instead/490999/3 "2009-03-27T16:05:58Z")
The re-naming of French Fries to Freedom Fries came about when the French Government refused to support the US Governments war with Iraq approx. 1 1/2 years after 11 September 2001: [US Congress opts for “freedom fries”](http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/2842493.stm). What right did Pataki have to name the new tower anyway? It is good to see that commonsense has prevailed if it is for commercial reasons. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-freedom-freedom-tower-to-be-one-world-trade-center-instead/490999/4 "2009-03-27T16:19:02Z")
It’s certainly of the “freedom fries” mindset. Pataki didn’t name the tower himself, he just coined the name and pushed for it. And apparently screwed with the process of choosing the design. Maybe he had the right because the Port Authority or other state agencies were involved, I don’t know. I do need to correct myself: “No More Freedom” is the Daily News headline. The Post went with “Free Dumb Tower.” That’s at least two thirds correct - the name was dumb, it’s a tower, and if they can’t find any tenants they might have to start giving space away (maybe I can move in if they ever finish building it!). But I think the Daily News wins the headline battle for today. ---
**Author:** ![Eureka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/74df32/32.png) [@Eureka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eureka)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-freedom-freedom-tower-to-be-one-world-trade-center-instead/490999/5 "2009-03-27T16:32:18Z")
On the one hand, I don’t care what it’s called as long as it gets built. On the other hand, Freedom Tower irked me as a name. One World Trade Center is Boring, but at least it isn’t so heavily weighted with Symbolism. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-freedom-freedom-tower-to-be-one-world-trade-center-instead/490999/6 "2009-03-27T16:48:08Z")
I now and forever will associate the word ‘Freedom’ with George Bush. And not in a good way. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-freedom-freedom-tower-to-be-one-world-trade-center-instead/490999/7 "2009-03-27T16:54:05Z")
It was another example of the Rule of Naming: if you have to _tell_ people that you’re free… you aren’t. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-freedom-freedom-tower-to-be-one-world-trade-center-instead/490999/8 "2009-03-27T16:55:49Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > I now and forever will associate the word ‘Freedom’ with George Bush. > And not in a good way. Same here. It lost all meaning in the past seven years. I always pictured Inigo Montoya saying to him, “You keep using that word, I do not think it means what you think it means.” I even had someone make that into an LJ avatar for me. Now I guess I can retire it. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-freedom-freedom-tower-to-be-one-world-trade-center-instead/490999/9 "2009-03-27T16:56:11Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > It’s certainly of the “freedom fries” mindset. Pataki didn’t name the tower himself, he just coined the name and pushed for it. And apparently screwed with the process of choosing the design. Maybe he had the right because the Port Authority or other state agencies were involved, I don’t know. The Port Authority owned the World Trade Center - and that authority is jointly headed by the governors of New York and New Jersey. So there you go. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-freedom-freedom-tower-to-be-one-world-trade-center-instead/490999/10 "2009-03-27T17:24:12Z")
I propose that it be named Colbert Tower. Who’s with me? ---
**Author:** ![Alienhand](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8edcca/32.png) [@Alienhand](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alienhand)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-freedom-freedom-tower-to-be-one-world-trade-center-instead/490999/11 "2009-03-27T17:27:26Z")
> [@Captain\_Carrot](#): > > I propose that it be named Colbert Tower. Who’s with me? Only if it’s in the form of an online vote. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-freedom-freedom-tower-to-be-one-world-trade-center-instead/490999/12 "2009-03-27T17:28:29Z")
In a long ago thread on this topic someone posted, “Is that Freedom Tower? Well, turn it UP!” 🙂 For that reason alone, I liked the name. ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-freedom-freedom-tower-to-be-one-world-trade-center-instead/490999/13 "2009-03-27T18:54:02Z")
> [@Eureka](#): > > On the one hand, I don’t care what it’s called as long as it gets built. Seriously. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-freedom-freedom-tower-to-be-one-world-trade-center-instead/490999/14 "2009-03-27T20:12:28Z")
> [@Captain\_Carrot](#): > > I propose that it be named Colbert Tower. Who’s with me? Along those lines though, I predict a very humorous new Colbert Report on Monday. Between him winning the NASA competition and this, it’ll be non-stop gold! ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-freedom-freedom-tower-to-be-one-world-trade-center-instead/490999/15 "2009-03-27T20:43:00Z")
> [@Sunspace](#): > > It was another example of the Rule of Naming: if you have to _tell_ people that you’re free… you aren’t. In the same sense that calling a country “The People’s Democratic Republic of \_\_\_\_\_” indicates that it is not run by its people, it is not democratic, and it is not a republic? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-freedom-freedom-tower-to-be-one-world-trade-center-instead/490999/16 "2009-03-27T20:44:49Z")
> [@Eureka](#): > > On the other hand, Freedom Tower irked me as a name. One World Trade Center is Boring, but at least it isn’t so heavily weighted with Symbolism. I think One World Trade Center is even more weighted, personally. But weighted in exactly the right way. I’m really happy about this change. Now if they would just build a giant Buddha on the top it would be perfect. ---
**Author:** ![Deeg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/deeg/32/2955_2.png) [@Deeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deeg)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-freedom-freedom-tower-to-be-one-world-trade-center-instead/490999/17 "2009-03-27T21:09:31Z")
The right-wing loonies are gonna be up in arms over the “One World” part. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2009, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-freedom-freedom-tower-to-be-one-world-trade-center-instead/490999/18 "2009-03-28T01:45:43Z")
As a New Yorker, I am so damn glad to see it called One World Trade. It’s exactly the name it deserves, stronger and better than Freedom Tower. ---
**Author:** ![Ruby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/13edae/32.png) [@Ruby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2009, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-freedom-freedom-tower-to-be-one-world-trade-center-instead/490999/19 "2009-03-28T04:14:08Z")
One World Trade Center seems perfect to me as well. The name stands strong in the face of terrorism. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2009, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-freedom-freedom-tower-to-be-one-world-trade-center-instead/490999/20 "2009-03-28T04:22:06Z")
I’m glad they changed it. Freedom Tower is just tacky. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-freedom-freedom-tower-to-be-one-world-trade-center-instead/490999.md?page=2)