We got the Civil Rights Commision Called on US

[Misanthropical]

I was named after a Roman Goddess, so no, my name isn't American by any means. I will not answer to any name but my own, so those people who put an "e" in where the "a" goes will be ignored. BossMan has been known to go up to the person and tell them the correct way to say my name, if they ever hope to get my attention.

I have a very Italian last name, which most people can not pronounce correctly the first few times. It's funny to hear how people will butcher my last name so that it's almost unrecognizable.

As for the WOP thing, I have called my husband that in jest, when he makes fun of me being from South Dakota. I would never say it to any other Italian, because I know they might not see the humor in it.

Now for the Coon thing. When I was growing up I heard people say "I haven't seen you in a Coon's age!" to people they haven't seen in awhile. It never occurred to me till I was an adult that it might be offensive.

[ditchdj]

What's ironic about this whole thing is that it's not even necessary for the government to dictate how a business does business. Come on, you really THINK that a store or business establishment is gonna have clerks openly speaking about different races and using words like spooks and whatever. IF that really happened the town the store's in would boycott them out of business.

[Gabrielle Proctor]

My last roomie is a "furry" and thus has a raccoon fur suit. He said he wanted to wear it more in public, but was scared of it being racist. I looked at him and said, "Tumor, it's just a raccoon fur suit, I could understand if you had any other indication(such as a hateful sign?) that it was MEANT to be racist, but since it isn't you don't have anything to worry about." He went on about how I didn't know anything, etc, etc...

I eventually kicked him off of my friend's list on LJ because I was sick of his race references, such as, "Awww, they're black, they don't know any better." I was completely sick of it and I'm not even black. He just needs to go back to the pleasant, WASPy golf course he grew up on. The world would be a whole lot better.

[protege]

I have a very Italian last name, which most people can not pronounce correctly the first few times. It's funny to hear how people will butcher my last name so that it's almost unrecognizable.

I have a Norwegian last name...and very few people can pronounce (or even spell) it correctly. I've seen plenty of variations...including some from my own family members

[technical.angel]

A lot of the Chinese/Korean business students and faculty at my school do that. Makes sorting mail more difficult, since I know most of them by their "American" names, and I have to figure out that "Xinhua" is "Jane". But whatever makes them feel comfortable is fine with me.

The uni used to require that all the Taiwanese students (we have a large program... although, why someone would choose a small school in the middle of Missouri confuses me...) choose "American" names. It did make life much easier, but, eh, I've adapted.

[Dilorenzo]

So, this basically amounted to "I think you're racist, so here is my completely racist and stupid solution to what I perceive is an issue?"

Ugh...

Also, my last name is pretty much unpronouncable by any non-Italian speakers, at least on first attempt. The whole ch=k under most circumstances thing.

[Chanlin]

Now for the Coon thing. When I was growing up I heard people say "I haven't seen you in a Coon's age!" to people they haven't seen in awhile. It never occurred to me till I was an adult that it might be offensive.

Actually this has no racial overtones to it at all. Most etymologists debate the exact origin of this phrase. Some say it stems from the belief in the past that raccoons lived a long time and since coon is a shortening of raccoon that is where the phrase originated.

A more popular, and I personally think far more plausible origin is that it is an adaptation of an old British saying of a crow's age.

[Hemily]

I have a Norwegian last name...and very few people can pronounce (or even spell) it correctly. I've seen plenty of variations...including some from my own family members

i have a Norwegian last name too

and it includes the letter ø, which makes it hard to order stuff using my VISA, american sites don't know this strange letter ø

usually end up using a o instead of the ø, my street name has a Ø too...

[dawnfire]

Many Native Americans also use multiple names, an "American" name and a tribal name.

my mum had 3 first names. the one on her birth certificate, a local name (as the locals couldn't pronounce her first name) and her chinese name. her surname was as complex as it was a hyphenated surname plus an extra (K$%&-K*^ J$#^) she could have used before the hyphen, just the last part or the whole thing. She actually had to have a document saying that all these people were all her.

[Bliss]

With hard names, well my name (second of three first names, but it's the only one I respond to) is nordic, my last name is austrian, and I'm southamerican from southamerican (another country) parents.... talk about confusing, if I find one person who can pronounce my last name every year I celebrate.

Also my name is the same name of a well known drummer from a rock band which I despise, so everytime someone goes "Oh!!! like L.... U...." I grith my teeth. One day a friend of a friend said "Oh!! Like L... V... T...!" (a famous, very nice cinema director) I almost danced with joy! lol

Talking about missunderstood names, a friend of mine's relatives (several generations removed) emigrated originally to Colombia (not my country), theyr last name was chinese, Lin Wao. The immigration office noted it down as "lengua" (sounds almost the same... literally means "tongue" in spanish)... so ever since then the family is legally called "lengua" (tongue)... it's been the source of more than one joke.

[FenigDurak]

My grandmother, who is a full blooded Cicilian woman, absolutely HATES the term "WOP". She doesn't mind "dago" too much, but let her hear "WOP" - even on television and she gets upset.

(WOP means Without Papers)

Back when I was a Sup in a call center, I had an agent call me over for a customer who didn't want to give her personal info to "no damn spick."

My reply was "You're not going to want to give it to me either then. I'm a damn WOP."


I wish I could remember all the spellings of all the names of the people I met when I was in Cambodia. I only remember the spelling of the man who ran the clinic we were working at, but that's because I was working closely with him.

[Cia]

I could see the woman trying to sue the American Kennel Association cause they have the audacity to have Coonhounds as a dog breed.

In my world 'coon' is short for raccoon and a spook (spy) is my Aunt. We called her that cause when she was a nurse in the Army whenever there seemed to be trouble in the world she got sent to where ever it was happening.

[Jay 2K Winger]

I have a few coworkers who use "American" names to make things simpler for us ignorant Americans who can't pronounce foreign names that well. (Me, I have a knack for languages, so I could probably do it pretty well, but that's not the point.)

Now I happen to know what their actual names are, so if I get someone asking for so-and-so with a foreign name, I can go, "Oh, that's Toni! She's up at the membership counter." Or, "That's Francis. Let me see if we can page him for you."

The one that makes me uncomfortable though is one of our managers, whose name is Jesus. And that's pronounced "Jee-zus," not "Hey, Zeus." Me, personally, I can't actually call him that, since I'm always afraid I'm gonna get struck by lightning or something for doing so, so I usually call him "Jee" to his face, which he thinks is fine.

It's funny to see the reactions on some people's faces when we page him over the PA. "Jesus, to the front desk, please."

There was one time a woman kept trying to correct us.
Toni: "Jesus, to the front desk, please."
Woman: (correcting) "Hey, Zeus."
Toni: (repeating into PA) "Jesus, to the front desk, please."
Woman: (louder, correcting) "Hey, Zeus."
Toni: (ignores her)
Me: "Actually, that is his name."
Woman: "It's pronounced 'Hey, Zeus.'"
Me: "No, he pronounces it 'Jee-zus.'"
Woman: "Really?"
Me: "Yeah. I think it's weird, too."

[Velfarre2001]

Also my name is the same name of a well known drummer from a rock band which I despise, so everytime someone goes "Oh!!! like L.... U...." I grith my teeth. One day a friend of a friend said "Oh!! Like L... V... T...!" (a famous, very nice cinema director) I almost danced with joy! lol

Lars Ulrich and Lars Von Trier?

Personally only get it when I pronounce my name. People ALWAYS hear the more common version which happens to be spelled completely differently. It is not a long or hard name, but damned if I can get someone to hear it by sound without repeating myself..... sigh.

[draftermatt]

As for the WOP thing, I have called my husband that in jest, when he makes fun of me being from South Dakota. I would never say it to any other Italian, because I know they might not see the humor in it.

My wife is Italian (mother's family from Sicily). We were once helping her brother with his homework "what rhymes with mop?" I said "lop" and her mother was very upset with me because she thought I said "wop" I explained what I said and all was well.

Then I had to go home and ask my father what in the world made "wop" offensive.

Ironically enough, my last name is German (despite having mostly British routes, long story, involves murder in late 19th century Virginia). But no one has ever said something racially to me.

Except for a kid who lived near me who would call me "coon" every time I wore something black.

The one that makes me uncomfortable though is one of our managers, whose name is Jesus. And that's pronounced "Jee-zus," not "Hey, Zeus." Me, personally, I can't actually call him that, since I'm always afraid I'm gonna get struck by lightning or something for doing so, so I usually call him "Jee" to his face, which he thinks is fine.
"

There was once a basketball player named "God Shamgod"

Yeah.