Comments on: GOP Bigot Eruption: Betty Brown Of Texas

By: Jay Tea

Jay Tea — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 23:10:05 +0000

Oh, and what is the current spelling of the dictator of Libya? Saturday Night Live, back in the early 80′s, had a Weekend Update when they scrolled all the possible ways to spell it. There were some brilliant insults buried in there.

By: Jay Tea

Jay Tea — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 23:07:23 +0000

Uh-oh… the truth of what Brown said — in full context — is starting to come out. What she was actually suggesting was that people from countries that don’t use our alphabet somehow standardize how they transliterate their names into English.

Oh, the racism!

When I was growing up, the capitol of China was Peking. On some older maps, it was Peiping. Now, it’s Beijing. And it hasn’t move one inch.

I have a copy of Jane’s Fighting Ships of World War II. The section on the Imperial Japanese Navy has over 400 ships listed with their “old” and “new” names, as issued by the IJN. Just the battleships and aircraft carriers:

Old/New
Satsuma/Satuma
Mutsu/Mutu
Fuso/Huso
Yamashiro/Yamasiro
Hiyei/Hiei
Kirishima/Kirisima
Takematsu/Takematu
Chichibu Maru/Titibu Maru
Shokaku/Syokaku
Ryujo/Ryuzyo
Hosho/Hosya

For some reason, after the war, nearly every ship reverted to the original names. (The Hiei’s name stayed the same.)

As far as other, non-Asian cultures… I know some “Liptons” whose ancestors were “de-Lipshitzed” at Ellis Island. Not one of them ever considered changing it back; they prefer the “tea” jokes (no connection with my chosen nom de plume) over “lip-shit” remarks.

Standardizing the Anglicizing of original names not using our alphabet to make life easier for everyone concerned, while not changing their original name in their original writing untouched? Yeah, that’s REAL racist.

By: Randy Brown

Randy Brown — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 00:20:23 +0000

SpiderJ, you trying to talk sense to someone named “Kathy”?!

By: Duros62

Duros62 — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 15:44:41 +0000

The question posed was to adopt characterzation of the citizen name that is readily available on the local level.

We call it English up here. It would be unreasonable to fill out forms in Texas in Korean kanji. Is that what you’re saying?

By: beeblebrox

beeblebrox — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 10:47:40 +0000

This IS the party that passed around a photo of the White House with watermelons on the front lawn, saying “No more Easter egg hunts at the White House.”

Par for the course.

By: Tom Woo

Tom Woo — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 07:41:33 +0000

“…easier for Americans to deal with?”
Hey, Betty… just what Americans are you referring to? My name is Tom Woo (mother born in Denver, CO – father born outside Guangzhou, China) and I was born in Portland, OR..
.
I’m American.
.
I’m not going to suggest you’re a racist. I really don’t think you are one. But I do think you’re clueless in a way you wouldn’t understand if I tried to explain myself.
More than anything it’s sad that you’re so extremely disconnected from reality in that you would even say such a thing. The fact that you didn’t even stop to think of the impact of your comments, while you were dribbling this self-blinded nonsense is troubling.
It’s time to retire, Betty… you’re getting old and too far out of touch. Perhaps you’ve done some good in years past, but when you don’t know why an apology would mean something, even if you didn’t mean to offend, it’s time to move on as the years have caught up to ya.
.
Just as American as you are,
Tom Woo

By: SpiderJ

SpiderJ — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 04:17:16 +0000

It is government at its best, it is not bigotry just the fact that not many states are equipped to handle the natural characters of every language.

Then the answer is to get the government up to speed, not to ask citizens to change their names.

Oh, and Kathy? Asking these American citizens to change their names to make it easier “for Americans” is bigotry.

By: David Allan Ko

David Allan Ko — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 00:11:35 +0000

Perhaps Newt Gingrich should consider a name change as well.

By: Jaim

Jaim — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 00:03:12 +0000

Seriously, are Republicans every going to try and win the presidency ever again? Like, in a real way, not a Sarah Palin way?

By: Randy Brown

Randy Brown — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 22:46:27 +0000

I wonder what weird, exotic, 14-syllable Germanic names are in her ancestry…

Johann Gambolputty… de von Ausfern-schplenden-schlitter-crasscrenbon-fried-digger-dingle-dangle- dongle-dungle-burstein-von-knacker-thrasher-apple-banger-horowitz- ticolensic-grander-knotty-spelltinkle-grandlich-grumblemeyer- spelterwasser-kurstlich-himbleeisen-bahnwagen-gutenabend-bitte-ein- nurnburger-bratwustle-gernspurten-mitz-weimache-luber-hundsfut- gumberaber-shonedanker-kalbsfleisch-mittler-aucher von Hautkopft. Of Ulm

By: Kathy

Kathy — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 22:16:37 +0000

The legal problem is created by the state department issuing papers in original name utilizing characters that are not available in every state. Texas issues documentation on state level not compatible with federal state department paperwork. The local level cannot accurately compare the documentation. It is government at its best, it is not bigotry just the fact that not many states are equipped to handle the natural characters of every language. The question posed was to adopt characterzation of the citizen name that is readily available on the local level. It is a matter of choice that will come up every day.

By: Duros62

Duros62 — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 22:07:50 +0000

Yeah, but then Mexico would have to take Bush. Might start a war.

By: Bruce

Bruce — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 20:59:02 +0000

“Ko” – but I bet “Coe” would fly just fine.

I was reading today about the Mexican-American War, how we Americans bled and died to keep Texas a U.S. slave state instead of a largely Anglophone, Mexican sub-province where slavery was at least technically prohibited.

I would have no problem with returning Texas to Mexico; that would increase the per capita income of both countries (dramatically in Mexico’s case, slightly for the U.S.), though it would probably lower the average Mexican IQ if this legislator is reflective of the state.

By: rmrd

rmrd — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 20:37:49 +0000

The difficult name was “Ko”

By: Quaker in a Basement

Quaker in a Basement — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 17:25:37 +0000

And while you’re at it, a little facial surgery would make it easier for us to tell you people apart.

By: Robert

Robert — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 17:24:05 +0000

This should have been an ‘Onion’ story. The fact that it really happenend dismays me. Growing up in California, I may have missed out on the whole ‘Asians aren’t really American’ meme.

I’m just saddened by this. I can’t even make fun of this woman, that’s how bad it is.

By: ed

ed — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 17:10:11 +0000

Your modern Republican party, charming as ever. Love how she’s resisting calls for an apology. Can’t wait for Rush Limbaugh to champion her.

By: Grumpymann

Grumpymann — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 17:09:53 +0000

Cons not too big on choice after all hu?

By: I'm a Hick

I'm a Hick — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 17:03:18 +0000

Crap. Would put ‘Bruce’ when filling out forms.

By: I'm a Hick

I'm a Hick — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 17:02:20 +0000

“If you are Asian, please adopt “Bruce” or “Sara” as a first name, and select from one of the following last names:

Lee

Kim

Smith”

This is Texas, that should be ‘Bruce Bob’ and ‘Sara Sue.’ I had a good friend at work named Lee from South Korea. He didn’t have a middle name but would put Lee when filling out forms.

Ms. Brown should know there are a lot of Czech settlements near Austin whose residents probably wouldn’t want people messing with their names.