Identity crisis

Most times I forget that our nation's -- and North America's -- highest peak is not officially called Denali, but Mt. McKinley (for President McKinley from Ohio). Alaskans usually prefer Denali, which means "the high one" in Athabascan. You can differentiate the Lower 48-ers and cheechakos from Alaskans by how they refer to the mountain.

I'm all for the effort underway to change the name to reflect Alaska and our cultural heritage, even if it is a long shot. Apparently Ohio senators (since 1975!) have felt the need to block any and all name-change legislation on OUR MOUNTAIN. Which is made even more crazy when you find out that President McKinley had absolutely nothing to do with the mountain, and never once stepped foot in Alaska.