Black student - 7 yrs Assault/ White student - probation arson, Paris TX

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by AKA_Monet

Because most people think they can name their children what every they want in the US. Moreover, the freedom to name one's offspring has occured for at least 50 years. Yet, should a child be ashamed for what his or her name because that is what his or her parents chose as a name?

Having a name is one of the first levels of critical thinking for oneself...

So are we suppose to become submissive and fit our names under what you describe essential for our names?

I use to know someone who did that, we use to call him overseer or "Massa".

Whoa. People can name their kids anything they want; I certainly don't dispute that. I haven't outlined anything as essential for "your" names. I just pointed out the results of a study about resume screenings; I didn't screen the resumes.

I joke around about naming my kids after characters in Shakespeare, but I think they'd take a lot of extra teasing for it, so I don't think I really would.

So I wonder if you know that giving your child a certain kind of name will close doors for him or her, why would you do that? Is your answer "just because we can"?

[AKA_Monet]

Originally Posted by Alphagamuga

So I wonder if you know that giving your child a certain kind of name will close doors for him or her, why would you do that? Is your answer "just because we can"?

Doors are closed for people for any given reason. The way names are spelled to their looks or what interviewers are looking for in a candidate. That is the nature of jobs and careers in this country (I am unsure how is it in other countries).

If people want to be prejudicial regarding names, then let them say it and relish and bask in their bigotry.

But some people make a ton of money based on their weirded out name and that becomes all relative...

You think the kids who were named after the first gulf war: Bush and Saddam are having issues?

Hayle, I knew kids named after Marc Antony and Cleopatra and they were anything but Black...

So, yes, Black names can get wild and out, but so do other names and the everyone wants there child to be that one child who will change the world and become unique.

Too bad they didn't tell them it has more to do with actions than names...

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by AKA_Monet

If people want to be prejudicial regarding names, then let them say it and relish and bask in their bigotry.

This was the part I was trying to respond to. My impression, and it's a pretty dim memory, is that the resume screeners didn't know until it was pointed out what they had done, so they couldn't have declared what they were doing with relish and basked in it.

Sorry for being unclear.

[AKA_Monet]

Originally Posted by Alphagamuga

This was the part I was trying to respond to. My impression, and it's a pretty dim memory, is that the resume screeners didn't know until it was pointed out what they had done, so they couldn't have declared what they were doing with relish and basked in it.

Sorry for being unclear.

Most of the time, they know. They would have to be a twit to not know. They just say the don't to "save face" and look like they would "really never knew".

Besides that's a lame excuse and lip service. They will do cartwheels and dance around the really subject at hand and that is Black folks giving their kids funky sounding names because they want their children to be unique and never find little key chains for their names.

Besides, no body says anything when it comes to a polynesian name and it sounding different. Or an asian name and it sounding different from the average American "Joe". But when Black folks do it, for whatever reason, it is ghetto or not giving their child a chance, or demeans them, or ashe...

And we all Black folks know this. So maybe it is our way of protesting our only thing we think we can control as part of our creation--naming our children.

And hey, if that is not an American Truth, then I don't know what is anymore.

EFF cultural norms and mores. EFF all that. I protest.

[Munchkin03]

Originally Posted by AKA_Monet

Besides, no body says anything when it comes to a polynesian name and it sounding different. Or an asian name and it sounding different from the average American "Joe". But when Black folks do it, for whatever reason, it is ghetto or not giving their child a chance, or demeans them, or ashe...

There's a huge difference between naming your daughter Kerala (Indian) or Shoshanna (Hebrew) and naming your child Alize'tta.

[AKA_Monet]

Originally Posted by Munchkin03

There's a huge difference between naming your daughter Kerala (Indian) or Shoshanna (Hebrew) and naming your child Alize'tta.

What? What is this HUGE DIFFERENCE?

The fact YOU think no thought was put into the name? That Indian or Hebrew names MEAN something MORE that a name from people the think Alize is cool beverage and want to make it their own by naming their child a derivation of that?

Oh, it's okay to infringe upon the rights of people now?

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by AKA_Monet

What? What is this HUGE DIFFERENCE?

The fact YOU think no thought was put into the name? That Indian or Hebrew names MEAN something MORE that a name from people the think Alize is cool beverage and want to make it their own by naming their child a derivation of that?

Oh, it's okay to infringe upon the rights of people now?

How has anyone infringed upon the rights of people?

I don't think anyone questions the thought that goes into selecting or creating names; it's a distinction between names that are traditional in any culture versus names that are created.

I think naming your kid after a beverage is less meaningful than giving the kid a significant Hebrew name for what it's worth.

As far as GreekChat is concerned, I have a lot of respect for you, AKAMonet, and you clearly have strong feelings on this issue while for me it's just a casual thing. I'll defer to your wisdom.

[macallan25]

Originally Posted by AKA_Monet

What? What is this HUGE DIFFERENCE?

The fact YOU think no thought was put into the name? That Indian or Hebrew names MEAN something MORE that a name from people the think Alize is cool beverage and want to make it their own by naming their child a derivation of that?

Oh, it's okay to infringe upon the rights of people now?

Lord, no one is saying that it is okay to infringe upon anybody's rights. I understand perfectly what she is saying. Liking a type of liquor and deciding to name your child after it (Alize'tta, Hypnotiqua) is completely different than naming your child a traditionally Indian or Polynesian name. There absolutely is a huge difference.......sure, the latter may sound funny, but I don't think it gives off nearly as bad an impression as someone who has been named after a bottle of booze.

[UGAalum94]

I think they know that a Temika is likely Black, but I don't think they were aware that the only "weakness" of the resume was the name and suggested race and that similarly qualified people not named Temika got through. I tend to think they would have been more careful about deliberately screening for implied race for simply pragmatic reasons. Hiring directors don't want to get sued. But I don't really know.

It's discrimination and bias never the less; I don't dispute that.


I don't think anyone questions historic, cultural names of any kind. I think what people wonder, if they wonder at all, about are made up names or names that to them seem misspelled. It projects more about background that a traditional name, whether you mean to or not. If you want to give your child an traditional African name, more power to you, except for the first day of school thing.

ETA: But is this "EFF cultural norms and mores. EFF all that. I protest" statement expected to be disregarded when selecting an employee? Is it a trait most people are hiring for in a big institution?

[KSig RC]

Originally Posted by Alphagamuga

ETA: But is this "EFF cultural norms and mores. EFF all that. I protest" statement expected to be disregarded when selecting an employee? Is it a trait most people are hiring for in a big institution?

Oh Jesus - is this trait apparent in a person's name?

Y'know, since they didn't really . . . select . . . their own name . . . or am I missing you here? How else can I take this point?

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by KSig RC

Oh Jesus - is this trait apparent in a person's name?

Y'know, since they didn't really . . . select . . . their own name . . . or am I missing you here? How else can I take this point?

Well, it wasn't apparent to me until it was suggested that this is the reason that people give their kids these names. Sure, people don't pick their own names, but they were raised by the same folks who named them in a lot of cases.

I'm not really defending the practice, but if unique names are a way of saying F you to the man, and you can choose a candidate who wasn't so transparently raised by people saying F you to the man and someone who might have been, is it racism alone on which you are basing your decision?