When I initially saw that Piyush was being used I thought racism but...

[Bonhomme Richard]

I have had second thoughts. Some of those using Jindals given name certainly are being racist, even if they don't know it, and it reminds me a lot of the way the right wing portrayed Obama.
My problem is that I would like to see a nation where all are comfortable using their given names rather than try to adapt and fit in with some faux image of ourselves that doesn't really exist. Only a child could think that they would get mileage out of an argument by using someones name. In the same line of thinking I feel that, as a nation, we have to get over the notion that Americans are named Bobby, Joe, Sara, Hank, Patty, Mary etc, etc, etc.
We really need to grow up. I would like to see a nation when the name Barack Hussien Obama and Piyush Jindal does not cause anyone to pause or take notice.

[Juche]

1. Barack Obama used to go by Barry Obama

I can't remember when or why he stopped, but its somewhat similar to Jindal's situation.

[KamaAina]

70. Barry is short for Barack

no one ever bothers to point out, for instance, that the Vice President's given name is Joseph, though he goes by "Joe".

Jindal, on the other hand, took "Bobby" from -- Bobby Brady!

[Hello_Kitty]

2. That's all well and good but Bobby is the name Jindal chooses to go by so we should respect that.

[Kahuna]

5. Whatever! Still, no one is calling him outside of his name. nt

[Taverner]

9. I agree

The tone of sneer with Piyush is the same as the Republican's with Hussein, but for different reasons

But reasons aside, the tone of sneer is based on a racial issue, and should be left alone

[Kahuna]

14. It's not the same. Apples and Oranges. Hussein was used to imply

Obama was a muslim or a terrorist. The only thing that can be taken from using Jindal's given name is that he has Indian roots. Why is that racist??? Is there something wrong with Indians??? The people who think it's wrong to point out Jindal is an Indian (even though they aren't really pointing that out at all, since one look at him tells you his roots) are the ones being racist because they seem to believe there is something WRONG with being Indian. :wtf:

[vanderBeth]

39. Why do you feel the need to bring up he is Indian?

The people who keep bringing up Piyush are the only ones who keep bringing his race.

My problem isn't that he is Indian. It is why you feel the need to keep bringing it up. Do you have a problem with it?

[Kahuna]

45. Stupid question. Perhaps because the angst that DUers are having

about his name is because it's an Indian name. You all think it's shameful to point out his ethnicity. I do not. I'm not the one hung up on jindal's ethnicity. The people hung up on his given name are.

[vanderBeth]

53. Why the hell would you use his name when you know hes called Bobby unless you think it is an insult?

Stop acting so fucking obtuse. I can find your EXACT post on Free Republic about Obama.

The reason people are going out of their way to use his given name is to use it as an insult or else they wouldn't be using it. You tell me why they should find it insulting. If you aren't so hung up on Jindal's name, then stop bothering to use it.

[Kahuna]

3. The only way using Jindal's given name could be racist is if you think..

there is something wrong with being Indian-American and having an Indian name. I think the people who are outraged by the use of his ethnic name need to examine their own hearts rather than to try to judge those using his given name. I'm sure that bobby is just as proud of his name as Obama is of his. What is the big fuckin' deal?

[PVnRT]

6. How are they using it?

Maybe there are some that are just using his given first name, but the overall tone I get is similar to those who always said Obama's full name, accenting the "Hussein" in it. Do you think those people weren't being racist?

Many of those using Jindal's real first name here are doing the same thing; tapping into racist sentiment for the purpose of scoring political points. It's ugly regardless of who does it.

[Kahuna]

7. I guess it's me. I'm not racist and I do not believe there is anything racist..

about using someone's given name. I just don't. :shrug:

On edit: It's ridiculous to compare "Hussein" with Jindal's name. The reason people used "Hussein" was to imply Obama was a muslim or a terrorist. What is implied by using Jindal's name? That he's Indian-American???? One look at him will let you know that! And what shame is there in being an Indian? I don't get it. Like I said, the people who think it's racist to point out Jindal's Indian roots need to look into their own hearts to determine why that would be considered a "bad" thing.

[PVnRT]

23. Why do you feel the need to use his given name?

There have been at least a few people who have outright admitted they do it to stir up racist sentiment in the GOP. It really doesn't matter what you mean when you say it, it's the end that matters, and the end is to get racist Republicans to not like him by reminding them clearly that he's a minority.

Did you call Jindal Bobby or Piyush before the past few weeks? If Bobby, why did you switch? Maybe you and others ought to ask yourselves why.

[Kahuna]

25. Because it's his fucking name. And until he changes it legally, it's

still his fucking name. Get it?

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

74. Most racist don't think they are.

[Waiting For Everyman]

12. It's the hypocrisy.

The point is being missied in falling over ourselves to be PC. This is a Rethug. Remember? Their agenda? Get it now?

[PVnRT]

16. So, does that mean we can call Steele a house n*****r?

[Kahuna]

18. Only if that's his given name.

:eyes:

[PVnRT]

26. Roll your eyes all you want

When did you start calling him Piyush? Ever since he first became prominent a few years ago, or the past couple of weeks?

[Kahuna]

29. I will roll my eyes at someone who is so anxious to out of the blue..

call someone a n***er, for some reason that has nothing to do with THIS topic.

As far as Jindal goes, it matters not to me what to call him. I don't see the issue.

[Name removed]

32. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[mitchum]

62. That's not his name, but rather his position

[treestar]

11. True. To be racist is a bad thing. To use someone's Indian name

being racist somehow flips back on itself - an Indian name is a bad thing then. And that's racist too. The people who say it is insulting to use an Indian name are in essence saying an Indian name is a foreign, invalid thing and that's xenophobic in itself.

And for all we are going on about it at DU, we have no indication that Bobby is insulted by it. It's assuming that he is embarrassed by his Indian name. Just because he decided to be called Bobby doesn't mean he is ashamed of Piyush or insulted by being called it. That's an assumption on the part of the DUers saying it. Examine that assumption, and it's xenophobic in itself.

[Kahuna]

17. Right. Those who think it's wrong are saying there is something bad

about an Indian name... HUH????? I just stepped through the looking glass.

[PVnRT]

27. Great mischaracterization there

Kudos on that, rather than actually addressing anything that's been said.

[Kahuna]

33. You need to give it up already. Your "heart" has been exposed...

you think there is something wrong with an ethnic name and you think we should call Mike Steele a n***er. Consider yourself ignored as you add nothing of substance to the discussion.

[PVnRT]

55. Horseshit

You have no argument of your own, so you just call me a racist. Typical of the level of discourse by some people at DU these days. I did NOT say we should call Steele a n****r. That's just you, like usual, dodging the point.

[psychmommy]

66. i saw it in post 16.

you were trying to compare apples and oranges and kahuna called you on your crap. my brothers name is doug we call him tiki. he doesn't care how we address him. i remember when freeps were insinuating crap about hussein that many duer's added hussein to their own names in support. there is nothing wrong with hussein or piyush. let's respect diversity without pointing fingers and throwing out the n word.

[PVnRT]

71. Using a name to elicit racist responses in others is OK with you, then

Gotcha.

Go ahead and keep believing, though, that I think the name itself is racist. Whatever you need to do to make yourself feel better; in fact, I'm sure if you alert on this post, you can get it deleted, too, since calling people racist because you deliberately misinterpret what they say is OK now on DU.

[psychmommy]

73. i think you feel that using his first name is racist.

perhaps context is important. i don't think using his first name is bad unless you mean it as a slur. i have no reason to alert on you but, i will remember how quickly you threw the n word out and that will also be a part of context for me. i think there is a cultural disconnect that folks aren't getting-some folks use a nickname to assimilate. as african americans we will never truly be able to assimilate and i find it hard to understand why anyone would want to do so. bobby can be whoever he wants-i like his real name better but, i assume his real name would get considerably less votes in la. i don't remember calling you a racist, but, you are trying hard to make us feel bad for using the gov's first name.

[Waiting For Everyman]

60. Exactly.

And the analogy to Obama's middle name being used by RWers during the election is absurd. That would've been fine if McCain's middle name had been used too... SIDNEY. If McCain had been called John Sidney McCain constantly too, then using Obama's middle name wouldn't have been an obvious ploy.

Besides, the name "Barack" is hardly an "American" name. Nobody got offended because he wasn't called "Barry", even though he's known that way to his friends.

[Greyhound]

31. It took today's orgasm of outrage for me to know what the hell the deal even was.

I think you're observation is absolutely correct.
:thumbsup:

[jpgray]

36. What nonsense

In that case, using Obama's middle name is only bigoted if you think "Hussein" is something to be ashamed of. The NY Post cartoon was only offensive if you think black people are like chimpanzees. You don't have to hold ignorant, bigoted views to recognize the ignorant, bigoted views and intent of others. Ideally no one would think in such a bigoted way, but if one recognizes that many do, that is not an admission of thinking that way oneself.

[Kahuna]

38. You're right about the Obama's middle name. The chimp shit is off topic..

Some people used Obama's name as a slur. Others used it because it is in fact his name. We knew which was which. Again, apples and oranges. You obviously find something "malicious" about using an ethnic Indian name. I don't know why, but maybe you can explain what slur is intended.

[jpgray]

42. Easy. Both can be used to emphasize "otherness"

Someone named "Piyush" is not one of us, someone with a middle name of "Hussein" is probably a terrorist or evil muslim, etc. You don't have to believe this to recognize that many -do- believe it, and people will emphasize a foreign name for exactly that purpose. None of the situations I mentioned above are perfectly comparable, I agree, but I'm just trying to say that one doesn't have to hold a bigoted view to recognize an attempt to promote and exploit bigoted views.

[Kahuna]

46. So? There are a lot of ethnic names in our great melting pot. We are

all still Americans regardless of our ethnicity. Only the racists don't view it that way and I can't change MY ways to appease THEM.

[jpgray]

48. But if someone does choose to go by another name, it's our job to force him to fit our ideals?

[Kahuna]

50. You have no proof that he has a problem using his given name. You only ASSume

he does. I find it hard to believe that he would.

[jpgray]

52. It makes no difference if he has a problem or not. He chooses to go by Bobby

Why force him to do otherwise? I'm not understanding you.

[burythehatchet]

54. I do hope you "get it" some day. What you wrote is so fucking insulting and you have no

idea, do you?

[PVnRT]

56. No, he doesn't

He will probably start calling you a racist soon, too.

[EFerrari]

72. Nope. Racism is about how you use words, not about the words.

You can make an insult out of anything. In fact, that's how racists get by, these days.

That's the big fucking deal.

[shanti]

76. edited...

not worth it.

[MineralMan]

4. Well, it's less racism than jingoism, I think.

The GOOPers started with the emphasis on Hussein when referring to President Obama. It wasn't to imply his dark skin so much as to link him, somehow, with Islam.

We shouldn't take the bait, in my opinion. Let the GOOpers do it. Let them display their jingoism as much as they wish. It's so 2001.

[tangent90]

8. Which is somewhat amusingly ironic since Saddam Hussein was hardly the penultimate

Muslim.

[MineralMan]

22. But the GOOPers certainly tried to sell the idea

that he was some sort of "closet" Muslim. It didn't work, of course, but they gave it a shot.

The radio blabber, Billy Cunningham, is still doing it.

[tangent90]

34. I know, that's why the irony is somewhat amusing.

:D

[NewEngland4Obama]

10. Jindal not using his given name because the GOP might

not like it is wrong to me. Obama used his middle name, Jindal shouldn't be ashamed to use his.

[Hello_Kitty]

13. According to his bio, Jindal has gone by Bobby since he was a child. eom

[NewEngland4Obama]

15. If that's true then I understand him using Bobby. Most of us

have nicknames from childhood.

[durablend]

19. So?

What's to say he didn't have aspirations of being a political hack even when in diapers? I wouldn't be surprised if he called mom a "socialist pig" when she brought him a bottle!

[CitizenPatriot]

20. I'm calling him bobby because that is what he prefers

I didn't know that he had a different first name until last night. Oh, how beautiful is Piyush! I love the sound of his name...but I understand why he wouldn't want to use it as a youngster, and perhaps a politician. That's sad. I'm so glad Obama had the courage to go by Barack, because it opened the door for others with "foreign, exotic," etc names.

Bobby's policies scare the daylights outta me and his speech was horrific, but his real name is luscious.

edited to add that I don't think people using Piyush here were being equivalent to the snide "Hussein" which is used to reference a terrorist and was done to discredit Barack based on his name (which is incredibly stupid). I got the feeling people here at the very worst were throwing his real name in the GOP's face because they aren't exactly the party of diversity and if this were our guy, they'd be Piyushing their way into cringe-inducing snide racist jingles.

[Kahuna]

24. I mean, really. Now using ethnic names on DU is bad?????

To me, it's only bad if you think it's bad. Then that's "your" problem.

[PVnRT]

30. How about using it because other people might think it's bad?

No, nothing wrong with that, of course. It's OK when we do it.

[Kahuna]

43. First the PC police..now the Thought Police...

:crazy:

[PVnRT]

58. LOL do you even have a consistent argument?

First, I and others are racist because of some specious reasoning on your part, now we're the thought police. Brilliant. Are you actually going to answer anything asked of you on this thread, or just continue to be a jackass?

[October]

21. Interesting

My husband has the most anglo-saxon name on the planet -- and he can't stand it. LOL!

When my Irish ancestors came here, their name was changed -- I believe the "O" was removed, and the rest of it was spelled phonetically. The story goes that my great-great-grandfather would always claim to be related to others named "O'Malley," and my great-great-grandmother would just shake her head in disbelief thinking he was telling a tale and thought he was related to every Irishman -- but then, sure enough she'd learn he was telling the truth. It seems some of his "cousins" hadn't had their name changed upon arrival!

Likewise, my German ancestors.

They made my grandmother and great-grandmother change their French first names, too.

My own last name was changed from its original spelling, and they made it worse. No one EVER pronounced it correctly. Let me tell you it is no fun having an unusual name -- first or last. Many times I'd wished my was different. My whole life, in fact. It had nothing to do with ethnicity (though I had one teacher who was rude about THAT). If they'd left the spelling as it was, it would've been fine. LOL!

[Political Heretic]

28. That's nice, but refusing to accept someone's self identification is a form of bigotry

Refusing to accept how someone identifies, instead insisting that some other more "alien" more "other" sounding identification be used is pretty much the definition of prejudice.

[Kahuna]

35. Using someone's legal name is not bigotry. If he legally changes it,

then maybe it would be. As long as it is still his legal name, there is no disrespect.

[Political Heretic]

40. Acutally, yes it is.

Legal has nothing to do with it. Pretend he was a liberal democrat and it was free republic refusing to address him as he asks to be addressed. It has to do with his CHOICE, he presents himself to you in a certain way and your reject that and instead purposefully choose to emphasize his "otherness"

Prejudice... pure definition.

[Kahuna]

41. If jindal is insulted by his name, he'll change it. It's not for you to determine

that an Indian-American should be ashamed of his given name from his country.

[vanderBeth]

44. You shouldn't have to change your name to be called by a nickname.

Many politicians don't. I don't.

[Hello_Kitty]

65. Seriously, how many of these people calling Bobby Piyush insist on calling Bill Clinton William

Or Ted Kennedy Edward. Eisenhower's given name was Dwight. Where the hell did "Ike" come from?

[Political Heretic]

47. Actually, its not for you to usurp is right to present himself by whatever name he wants

And when you reject his self-identification and instead say, no I will not call you by the name you give, instead I will purposefully call you by some other name -- **WHY** are you doing that? If his name was William but he preferred to go by "Bobby" you wouldn't be going out of your way to call him William all the time, emphasizing it every time you write anything about the guy. No, that only happens because his given name is "Foreign sounding"

THAT is why its emphasized. Just like Hussein got emphasized in reference to Obama. It is purely prejudiced, and none of your weak rationalizations change that fact.

[Kahuna]

49. You are the one ASSuming that he would be bothered by his given name.

not me.

[jpgray]

51. Whether or not he's bothered by it, he chooses to go by Bobby

Why not just respect the choice, without presuming that he is "bothered" by his given name?

[Political Heretic]

57. I'm not assuming it, people making a purposeful point to use it are assuming it.

Despite his own self-identification, people are rejecting that and then purposefully putting forth the "foreign sounding" name instead. Why? They wouldn't be doing it if his given name was William and he went by "Bobby" even though "Bobby" isn't his "legal name." They are doing it to reinforce his OTHERNESS.

That's the definition of prejudice.

[fed_up_mother]

67. I agree with you.

[Hello_Kitty]

64. It's not for you to determine why he chooses the name he uses.

How fucking arrogant and presumptious can you BE?

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

75. So it wasn't disrespectful of republicans when they used Barack Hussein Obama, it's his legal name.

Is that your argument?

David

[Marr]

37. I wonder how many people here have anglicized Irish or German surnames and don't even know it.

[Political Heretic]

59. I do! Well, I guess that means that I "know it" heh.

[Marrah_G]

61. My great grandparents

Shortened their Irish name in the late 1800's to something more English sounding when they immigrated here.

[Karenina]

68. M-Girl...

I ask you to connect a few dots on the brave and honest "self-identification" in view of the explosion on this board today. I find it quite hilarious!!! :rofl::rofl::rofl: Please PM me if you'd like to share the turkey-jerky another DUer brought me from the states!!! I ALSO have some Paulaner in the fridge! You like Hefeweizen? :toast:

[Hello_Kitty]

63. Good point. eom

[Karenina]

69. Your problem is IGNORING what IS

and in doing so trying, perhaps unconsciously, to OBFUSCATE the oh-so-perfectly-timed issues this tempest in a teapot reveals.

Piyush, Piyush, bo Biyush,
Banana'fana fo Fiyush,
Fee, Fi, MO Miyush,

Piyush!

Perhaps you missed the thread. The board is like whitewater rapids today! ;-)