Brown suggested that Asian-Americans should find a way to make their names more accessible.
“Rather than everyone here having to learn Chinese — I understand it’s a rather difficult language — do you think that it would behoove you and your citizens to adopt a name that we could deal with more readily here?” Brown said.
Brown later told Ko: “Can’t you see that this is something that would make it a lot easier for you and the people who are poll workers if you could adopt a name just for identification purposes that’s easier for Americans to deal with?”
34 comments
Yeah, my first thought was that Gordon Brown had got shitfaced ...
Returning to the topic, actually some Chinese in Hong Kong actually do this, and call themselves Michael or John or whatever in their dealings with Westerners. I deal with people in HK and I always feel slightly insulted by the practice, as if they're treating the gwei-lo as too stupid to remember their Chinese names. Then again, considering most Western corporate suits, maybe they're right.
What the fuck? Since when do you need to learn another language to remember foreign names?
I suspect this is some latent resentment from Betty Brown towards people whose names aren't mind-bogglingly dull.
Well, Kalpen Modi claims his call backs increased significantly when he Westernized his name to Kal Penn.
Not necessarily racist, depending on the angle she was going for. It is a decision that many people who have to constantly deal with the Western world have to make. Although if Brown was making an insightful point on foreign relations in a quickly globalizing world then I think she missed the mark and put her foot in her mouth.
“Rather than everyone here having to learn Chinese..." First, not all asian americans speak Chinese, nor are they all of Chinese heritage. Why the hell would anyone have to learn Chinese?
"...easier for Americans to deal with?” Right. Because americans are all white and English speaking. Asian kids that are born here and speak English aren't american because they have funny names. Unless your last name is Crazy Horse stfu.
Speaking as an Irish person whose surname was anglicised because the occupying English BAAAW'd about how difficult our names were:
Fuck you, bitch. Póg mo thóin.
WTF?
My ancestors kept my Czech name, spelling, and full pronunciation when they came over. Hell, I'd be insulted if someone tried to tell me to change my name to accommodate more people
WTF?
My ancestors kept my Czech name, spelling, and full pronunciation when they came over. Hell, I'd be insulted if someone tried to tell me to change my name to accommodate more people
All I ask is they understand if I don't quite get it right at first. Of course, I've resigned myself to answer to anything that starts with M because people find my name oddly difficult, and it's not only the name of a famous actress but it rhymes with a more common woman's name spelled almost the same way. Kind of makes me lose hope for those sorts of Americans. They can't get an easy name right, why would they bother trying to get a harder one right? And I doubt they understand why they should, just as Betty here doesn't.
Not that "Ko" is particularly hard to pronounce. . . .
My guess is Betty isn't one to be "bothered" talking to people that aren't white enough anyway, so why does it matter to her if she can't pronounce their names?
Oh hell, this is from chron.com. This idiot probably lives down the street from me.
@ Not Today: If that's the case, I feel sorry for you.
What's her deal anyway? I seem to recall most people are OK with you having trouble with names so long as you say something like "correct me if I'm wrong" or "Forgive me if I screw it up the first time."
Pronouncing and spelling someone's name correctly is a way to show respect for that person. It's easy to make a mistake, but you should strive to get it as right as possible. Not even wanting to bother is very disrespectful.
My family name is spelled just as it is pronounced, but people seem to want to make it difficult.
America is made up of immigrants from all the world. What does it matter really if your family came 50 or 175 years ago? All of you together are what's forming the US of A. He is Asian-American? Oh, well, then he allready has an (Asian-)American name.
How is it easier for Ko to adopt a new name, and try to remember to respond to that name after responding to Ko all his life?
Say it like it is; you are only able to remember english names and want everyone else to conform to your stupidity.
Because Chen, the world's most common surname, is so much harder to pronounce than diCecci, Bresciani, Harwalszyk, or Thibealt.
for that purpose, you would have to adopt a name that the native americans; aboriginals can deal with more easily.
So... Is this supposed to be racist against Chinese with funny foreign names, or Americans who have enough challenge in spelling their own names?
Either way, it's hilarious!
"I've resigned myself to answer to anything that starts with M because people find my name oddly difficult, and it's not only the name of a famous actress but it rhymes with a more common woman's name spelled almost the same way."
Mariska?
Just guessing. Also, I just like that name.
Confused?
So were we! You can find all of this, and more, on Fundies Say the Darndest Things!
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