DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Tailgate Forum Asians should change their names to make them easier for Americans...

Quote:

---

My first girlfriend’s last name was Jaroszenko. The second one was Theodossiades. The third was Li. Tell me which one is easiest to pronounce.

---

Quote:

---

China hater.

---

Quote:

---

Dong, I didn't mean Asians or Chinese specifically and i have nothing against Asians, I just think its refreshing to see a politician who wants its people to conform to the American way instead of America conforming to the way of certain people.

---

conform to the "american way"

Are you telling me if i change my name to dave i'm more american then with my non "american name? lol how the HELL does that change who i am? that is just absurd. He isn't talking about learning english...he is talking about ppl changing their names so HE can say it.

Quote:

---

Quote:

---

China hater.

---

Respect thy mother!

---

Quote:

---

I agree its kinda stupid, but like i said it think its refreshing that for once a politician is wanting a certain group of people to conform to America instead of America conforming to them.

---

Quote:

---

I'm certainly not one who thinks we need to cater to anyone coming here as far as language, etc. However, nobody should have to change their name, that's just assinine.

---

Exactly ... it's a rediculous request. And besides most asians I know give themselves a pronounceable American name when they come here anyway. It shouldn't be REQUIRED though ... that's just stupid.

Quote:

---

nobody should have to change their name, that's just assinine.

---

Come on Jules! Here in America we say "plum stupid."

Quote:

---

On a similar topic,, how many of you like calling an american company and getting this statement: "For English, Press 1" When did it become fashionable to have it that way.. rather than: "For Spanish, Press 1"

I could understand if I was calling into a company from another country.. makes sense..

You know another thing,, some goverment offices (speaking federal here) will have that same thing..

---

Quote:

---

ALSO....chances are if the person speaks spanish only, that they won't know to press 1 or anything else unless its said in spanish. so most of the time it's like "for engish press 1" then some lady in spanish starts speaking i can only assume tells them to press 2 in spanish or hold for spanish.

---

Actually, I translated it and when the Spanish lady comes on to say 'press 2 for Spanish', She actually says "Stupid English only people pressed one, Spanish speaking people just hang on a second and we will put you through to free health, education(Spanish education of course), and connections to take American trade jobs away from the Americans, please hold."

Quote:

---

While i understand how you feel, and i see your point of view. Imagine their point of view? Say you moved to france or japan or something. Would u change your name so they can pronounce it? would you let go of your american culture? Why should you?

---

Quote:

---

It's getting harder day by day to keep your culture alive. Something as small as a name goes a long way in reminding you where you come from. Normally the people who DO take nicknames are still called by their real names by ppl of the same country that know them or family members.

---

Quote:

---

most names that were changed imo were just shortened...immigrants willingly did that

---

Quote:

---

"Rather than everyone here having to learn Chinese -- I understand its 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?"

---

Quote:

---

Those comments caught California Senator Leland Yee's attention.

"You would think these kinds of Neanderthal borderline racist comments would never happen ever again," Yee says.

These are strong words from the senator with a Chinese last name.

"It's an important aspect in my life; it defines a lot of who I am and what I'm about and my culture," Yee explains.

---

Quote:

---

A Texas state representative, Betty Brown, recently suggested at a legislative hearing on voting identification (a dubious proposition since the rate of voter fraud at the polls is infinitesimal) that it would be easier on Texas voting officials if Asian Americans changed their names to make it easier for officials to identify them on the voter rolls.

To quote her directly:

"Rather than everyone here having to learn Chinese -- I understand its 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 stated: "Cant 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?"

Last I checked, one of the most common Chinese surnames was still Wong. And Chin. And Lee. One syllable. I guess I'm a bit confused as to how these names are "difficult" for voter officials in Texas to figure out. I'm not sure what century Representative Brown is from, but the fact that she said "your citizens" -- as if somehow the quality of being an American is distinguished by national origin, accent, or skin color -- is pretty scary.

If the standard is "easy to deal with," then Brown has pretty much closed Texas' borders not just to Mexico, but pretty much the rest of the United States. Apparently, if the University of Texas basketball team offered the riches of croesus to the current coach of Duke, it would be conditioned on Coach Krzyzewski formally changing his name to "Coach K" so as not to stump Texas broadcasters and sports journalists. And the Rangers have a catcher named Jarrod Saltalamacchia, who clearly needs to alter his surname to just plain "Salt" for the ease of Texans' fantasy league picks. Surpringly, however, given her concerns about the burden on Texas voting officials, she evidenced no such concern about any other ethnic or national group, despite the apparent difficulty, for example, of saying, much less spelling, Ahmadinejad.

Representative Brown was revealing, in effect, that in her mind Chinese were not welcome. You don't need to to "learn" Chinese to check a name against a voter reg list any more than you have to "learn" French to verify, say, a Madeleine DuBois. Nearly a hundred years after the Chinese Exclusion Acts, there are still public officials all too ready to relegate us to second-class citizen status.

Piling on Ms. Brown is rightly and justifiably occurring -- most of it from her fellow Texans -- but there are broader issues to contemplate than the ignorance or bigotry of a single legislator. She is the metaphorical first iceberg, the warning that augurs the stormy seas ahead for an issue that President Obama has signaled he wants to navigate -- immigration.

When President Obama talks about immigration reform, it will be the Betty Browns of the world -- people who actually have policymaking roles in state and local governments across this country -- that he must be mindful with his rhetoric. It will be the Betty Browns who will misinterpret the tough talk, who will twist the firm resolve, and begin lighting their torches for the mobs. We cannot, however unintentionally, feed into the paranoia, racism, and intolerance that still simmers below the surface, especially during economic downturns that historically let loose scapegoating, hate crimes, and anti-immigrant fervor.

There are no easy answers on immigration reform. Luckily we have a President known for his cool demeanor, because our history shows that the pursuit of a solution historically devolves into a level of discourse that only serves to push that very solution out of reach, and induces the Betty Browns and her ilk out of the shadows.

---

Quote:

---

A Texas lawmaker has apologized for her comments regarding names of voters of Asian descent.

State Rep. Betty Brown, R-Terrell, said that she "apologizes for her remark in the Elections Committee on Tuesday, April 7," in a statement issued late Thursday. She said she appreciates testimony of problems faced by Asian Americans when acquiring identification.

The Texas Democratic Party and others called on her to apologize after she suggested voters of Asian descent should adopt names that are "easier for Americans to deal with."

The comment came in an exchange with Ramey Ko, a representative of the Organization of Chinese Americans, during a hearing concerning voter identification legislation.

Ko told the panel that Asian Americans can have problems voting because they may have legal transliterated names as well as common English names on their ID.

Brown said, "Do you think that it would behoove you and your citizens to adopt a name that we could deal with more readily here?"

In her statement, Brown said she was talking about transliteration and told Ko that she wasn't asking him to change his name.

---

Quote:

---

Wrong! My ancestors were FORCED to change their last name before going through Ellis Island. All the folks at Ellis wanted them to do was drop ONE letter or they'd be turned away. My great-grandparents dropped the letter because they wanted to be here. They did not do it willingly, they were strong-armed into it and did it begrudgingly.

---

Quote:

---

Would you rather it be for English press 3? They put English first because that is what the majority will press. Would you rather sit through the other options before getting to the button to press for English?

---