From the Houston Chronicle: “A North Texas legislator during House testimony on voter identification legislation said Asian-descent voters should adopt names that are ‘easier for Americans to deal with.'” Representative Betty Brown’s comments to Ramey Ko, a representative of the Organization of Chinese Americans, are as follows:
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? … 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?
Whoa. This is wrong on so many levels. One, asking someone to change something so close to their identity as their own name is unreasonable, especially for only potential misunderstanding which is not their fault. And two, even more insidious, is the xenophobia. Hello, Asian-Americans are Americans! Poll workers have to “deal with” names of all kinds. It’s their job. And no, it doesn’t require “everyone here having to learn Chinese.” I don’t know how she thought all this wasn’t offensive.
It reminds Thom and me of a sketch from Goodness Gracious Me:
7 replies on “Texas rep suggests Asian voters adopt ‘easier’ names”
dear.lord.
Texas.
I know people in Texas who are incredibly intelligent, progressive, and loving…. and I don’t know how they deal with the other Texans at all.
This sounds like something Betty Bowers, America’s Best Christian, would say.
The fact that someone real said it is just downright depressing.
To master a person’s name is a particular sign of respect. The English are still struggling with Scottish names. My own can be McGinley, McKinley, MacKinle, McKindley, MacKinlay, MacKinley, M’Ginley (and more), none of which is correct! I like having friends with 18 letter surnames, or 10 letters and no vowels!
Hilarious!!! 🙂
Um, because nothing could be as difficult as “Ko.”
Honestly. Just for that, I’m going to make my name *even more complicated*. I will now officially go by Rajani Joginderpatelsivaramagurupathimurthy.
Oh my gosh, I saw you on LJ (the WP comm) and just had to comment on this. As a Texan I am appalled at this woman! God, this state. We are so fundamentally backward it’s unreal. And to respond to Gene up there – IT AIN’T FRICKIN EASY.