Say My Name

So a real life problem with some citizens is that their names are difficult for some Texans so one Republican has a solution. Just make your name more American

So before the people try to justify this by saying name changes happened at Ellis Island that is a myth. http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart...me-your-familys-name-change-180953832/?no-ist

I find this to be an amazing thing to suggest. Are we really to the point where our leaders want to destroy family history people because it is too hard to say their name?

 

I always heard people changed their own names when arriving in America. With the intent to make them more Americanized or for other reasons. Ellis mentioned as the point of entry. And your link supports that.

But I agree with the latest Republican face you want to use to bash Republicans in general.


Take the name "Netanyahu" for instance.

Based on that rousing speech full of straight talk, strength and respect.... he should change his name to "American President Netanyahu".

 

This is a non-story.

I would never blame Ellis Island for name-changing, but millions of immigrant names have changed, chosen by the immigrants themselves who wanted a name that was simpler for everyone to identify with, as your article mentions.

There's nothing wrong with suggesting that immigrants "americanize" their names to make it easier for themselves, their children and the rest of society, but it's just a suggestion. It used to happen all the time -- you might want to read up on that.

But, on the flip side, if the immigrant doesn't want to - so be it. No one's forcing them to do so. Many of my ancestors, some of whom were here before the Revolutionary War, changed their names, making it a bit harder to track them genealogically, but I understand why they did it.

When you say, "Are we really to the point where our leaders want to destroy family history people because it is too hard to say their name?," it indicates that you don't know there is a very, very long history of name-changing.

 

Actually I know a lot about it....I also know that many kept their names for the reason that they were proud of it. If I choose to change my name that is one thing. When an elected official says to do it that is wrong. Plain and simple.

 

LOL I don't think you understand the history behind name changing at all. We're talking about millions upon millions who changed their names.

I agree that it's their choice, but there is nothing wrong with suggesting something that has been done regularly for 300 years by choice.

I think you're actually digging (and you had to dig pretty deep for this one) to find anything you possibly can to smear a GOP'er with.

Surely, you can come up with something better than this?

 

I find it hard to believe that there is something the leftists don't think the government should tell people. But, in liberal California, you can be named Jose but not José. The government decrees that all names must be composed of letters on the English keyboard. So, if José moves from Tijuana to San Diego, does he have to change his name to Jose.

I haven't figured out the madness of old women to change their names. I've met Feather, Rain, Athena Peanut, Serenity--who wasn't serene--and Lake. I lived in a building with a Maris who was born Mary Jane and a Tinka who wasn't born a Tinka.

 

Nice, you want to promote a man running for office in another country, one that places a huge strain on american foreign policy, to president, but President Obama is the treasonous one? Time for some of you conservatives to look in a mirror I think.

 

Umm Don't you have that kinda backwards? The liberals aren't the ones trying to control everyone's lives.

 

Both want to control.

 

Names are automatically americanized when people move to america. Passing a law about is is unnecessary, and complaining about americanisation of names is pointless and futile. It's not as if you people pronouce Rehnquist, Lindbergh, Aldrin, Soderbergh or Gyllenhaal or other swedish names correctly. You don't even pronounce the ö, even though you are perfectly capable of saying it (it's the i in bird)! instead you turn it into an o. It's horrible is what it is, but it is what happens when swedes move to the USA. Americans neither can't nor want to pronounce our names correctly, and the same is true when it comes to asians.

edit: immigrants have by themselves adapted their names to american english when they moved to the USA. You can't just expect that americans will know how or even be able to pronounce your name correctly, especially not if you're chinese and your name is Zhixujiansgong liahua nihanguo. Yes, americans are horrible at speaking any language other than english, but if you move to american you'll have to live with that. The americans capable of pronouncing my surname correctly probably number in hundreds only, and those would either be swedish immigrants or linguists.

 

Where have you been living lately? Underground?

 

Nooooo, right here where I've always been. Just what is it you think the liberals are telling you to do?

 

First names should be changed to Anglo ones, you are living in a Anglo Country after all. Especially names from India, and Asia they are unpronouncable. Worst of all are the black people who purposefully give their children retarded names.

 

LOL, you do know the difference between proposing legislation and stating an OPINION? Apparently not. Everyone is entitled to the latter, and when I lived in China, even though I was only there for half a year, the first thing I did was get students to help me come up with a Chinese name. Agree with CC, nonstory. Is there no end to the faux outrage and offendedness the left displays? Gynoculture at its finest.

 

The question is, what is American? Is John an American Name? I don't think so--I think it's English. I guess we need to start naming people Hiawatha and Tecumshe and Sequoia, or unique American names like Demarcus and Shaniqua.

 

Your comment was, "...liberals aren't the ones trying to control everyone's lives."

Liberals, through the democratic party, seek to control as many aspects of citizens' lives as they possibly can. The are not called the party of "big government" for no reason. They seek to force citizens to purchase health insurance they might or might not want. They implement austere school lunch programs because they've decided some kids are obese and they think it's the government's duty to change that. They seek to control thought by adding "hate" to a crime if the victim is a minority. They seek to undermine the second amendment in order to restrict gun ownership. We even have some of them now wanting to criminalize global warming "deniers." They regulate and over-regulate everything that moves if left to their own devices. Most recently, liberals were pushing for federally mandated vaccines over a trumped-up measles scare. Face it - that's all liberals want to do is control the behavior of others so they, themselves, feel better.

So, like I said - you must have been living underground if you missed their control issues.

 

As a conservative, I'm totally against forcing people to take other names than what their parents named them. If they want to change their name (i.e. like Bobby Jindall), I'm all for it. But if they don't, they shouldn't be forced to by the threat of lethal force (aka the government).

 

There is a big difference between an immigrant choosing to change their name, and having the government force them or coerce them to change their name.

- - - Updated - - -

Both conservatives and liberals want to control everyone's lives, they just have different emphases for the most part.

 

Hmm, while I am not suggesting that conservatives are not also trying to force things, liberals certainly are.

Liberals are trying to ban the sale of large sodas, ban smoking (and now vaping), micromanage school lunches, force all of us to buy insurance plans that cover contraception and other things that are IMHO optional, restrict freedom of speech (college speech codes), force bakers to make gay wedding cakes, etc.

That, and rereading the story, the lady wasn't suggesting that it be a law to have "American" names, but that it would be a good idea.

 

They need not be anglo as long as they are pronounceable. Real anglo names aren't even that common in the USA. There's a big chance your name might not even be anglo.

 

My name is Nordic/Germanic actually, your right the names should be easy to pronounce at least.

 

Of course. I am against forcing anyone to do anything.

Some idiotic politician (redundant, I know) made a stupid comment and lefty runs here to create a thread about it.

 

Indeed. And what is considered to be "american" also changes over time. I'm sure reagan and kennedy are american enough, even though they're really irish. Eisenhower is german. rehquist is swedish. But there was a time when these weren't considered american. They have been subject to heavy americanization of their pronounciation though.

 

Ever hear of a nick name? Most people I know who have Asian names go by an Americanized version of their first name, there is no need for them to change or legally have an Americanized name for pronunciation sake. They can pronounce it just fine. . .and so can everyone else with about 10 seconds of effort to learn how to say it correctly.

 

Well I am more talking about first names.