Lawmaker defends comment on Asians

[No Passaran]

Source: CHRON.COM

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.”

The comments caused the Texas Democratic Party on Wednesday to demand an apology from state Rep. Betty Brown, R-Terrell. But a spokesman for Brown said her comments were only an attempt to overcome problems with identifying Asian names for voting purposes.

The exchange occurred late Tuesday as the House Elections Committee heard testimony from Ramey Ko, a representative of the Organization of Chinese Americans.

Read more: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/6365320.html

[DavidDvorkin]

1. I completely agree with her

I have endless trouble pronouncing those weird last names, like Weng and Ko and Park and Kim.

By contrast, everyone I meet has a ridiculously easy time pronouncing my Western surname.

[BR_Parkway]

2. Even better was her comment about "you and your citizens" - I guess

in her mind, non whites aren't citizens? So why are they voting?

“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?” Brown said.

[Ian David]

3. See prior thread

TX Rep. Brown (R): Asians should change their names 2make them ‘easier for Americans to deal with.’
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/Ian%20David/6270

[HowHasItComeToThis]

4. HU'S ON FIRST

HU JINTAO THAT IS

[Ian David]

5. Hwat's on second. n/t

[JayMusgrove]

7. Third laugh out loud of the day from reading at DU Thanks!

[Tempest]

6. Why is it Repugs never learn the first rule?

When you're in a hole, stop digging.

[LiberalFighter]

11. As long as there is dirt they want to dig?

[tomm2thumbs]

8. It will be no fun to go to an Asian restaurant for him anymore - all that spit in his rice

I suggest he eat at Weinersntizel, I mean Weenershnitzel, Uh - oh god, I don't know how to spell those idiotic germanic names. He needs to git them too. (sarcasm)

[pattmarty]

9. Jesus, I wonder how she feels about Mexicans???

[DrZeeLit]

12. oh duh, Jesus.

JK...but it feels like you can just HEAR them, can't you.

Completely. Out. Of. Touch.

[Buck Laser]

10. Keb Mo

[friendly_iconoclast]

13. She should change her name to Betty Winger Cliche

After all, Brown is a common surname and she might be hard to identify at the polls..

[struggle4progress]

14. I think I'll just call her Boo-boo

[Vinca]

15. So what about Zbigniew Brzezinski ??

[Overseas]

40. On yesterday's thread on this I asked what Rod Blagojevich might say. //nt

[villager]

16. Texas GOP Lawmaker Suggests Asians Adopt "Easier Names"

Source: Houston Chronicle

Lawmaker defends comment on Asians

Call for voters to simplify their names not racially motivated, Terrell Republican says

By R.G. RATCLIFFE

AUSTIN — 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.”

The comments caused the Texas Democratic Party on Wednesday to demand an apology from state Rep. Betty Brown, R-Terrell. But a spokesman for Brown said her comments were only an attempt to overcome problems with identifying Asian names for voting purposes.

The exchange occurred late Tuesday as the House Elections Committee heard testimony from Ramey Ko, a representative of the Organization of Chinese Americans.

Ko told the committee that people of Chinese, Japanese and Korean descent often have problems voting and other forms of identification because they may have a legal transliterated name and then a common English name that is used on their driver’s license on school registrations.

<snip>


Read more: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/6365320.html

[ZombieHorde]

17. Not as bad as what FDR did, but still pretty bad. nt

[LynnTheDem]

18. Edit to clarify; says AMERICAN CITIZEN Asians should adapt "easier names"

AMERICAN CITIZENS

But hey, it`s not about `race`. :eyes:

[aquart]

19. As opposed to, say, Italians? Armenians? Germans? Russians?

[LynnTheDem]

22. I guess she thinks she can pronounce their names. Just them darn Asian-Americans

she has trouble with.

[aquart]

26. Like Kim? Sing? Vong? Hu? Wang? Lee? Chan?

[LynnTheDem]

29. She`s a republican.

What can you do; they are the dumbest MFers on the planet.

[dbackjon]

23. Many were changed when they emigrated here

At Ellis Island, and other places.

[friedgreentomatoes]

34. Greeks! Greeks! Greeks!

One of the longest last names

[NBachers]

36. What about Al Szyzywzyzywzycz?

Or Nikki Gropopopoulous?

Why not sick the Name Police on them, their ancestors, and their cursed deszendyntz?

No right-thinking Republican parents would ever name their kid Konapiliahi - it's downright un-Amurkin

Let's Start an Investigayshun

[Warpy]

20. I once worked with a Japanese gal who had real problems

pronouncing my name. One day she looked at me in frustration and asked, "Why couldn't they have named you Sue?"

Of course I told her she could call me whatever she wanted to as long as it wasn't too insulting and we both got a laugh out of it.

However, suggesting any immigrant population change something as personal as their names is insulting beyond belief, just because linguistic blockheads can't say them correctly.

Most Asian people I know who want to keep their names go by initials, at least in the first generation. They give the second generation an ethnic name and the English name closest to it.

[aquart]

27. And I have a Hebrew name and an English name.

Immigrant tradition.

[provis99]

21. easier names?

This Texas idiot can't cope with names like "Park" and "Wong" and "Chang"? Simple one syllable names are beyond her? Can she even spell her own name? What a typical Republican flaming dumbass.

[New Dawn]

24. Just wait until she discovers Polish last names...

[aquart]

28. Yeah, I forgot Polish. And Rumanian.

[Coventina]

41. Don't forget Poland!

Ahhhh....bashing W just never gets old.....

[Alamuti Lotus]

25. ...he's just calling Americans stupid and lazy

unintended subtext, I'm sure.

[Baby Snooks]

30. Welcome to Texas!

She was probably confused by the word "transliterated" and assuming it had something to do with "sexual orientation" she simply wanted to change the subject. Republicans in Texas do that a lot.

[Hulk]

32. Exactly!!

Why is it there are so many nut balls in public office in TX? Guess it's because they represent so many nut balls.

I'm always nervous when I drive through that f*cked up state. They certainly have their share of dumb asses. Fortunately they have some pretty sharp folks there too, or I'd be demonstrating to give the whole f*cking state back to Mexico....if they would take it back.

[rpannier]

31. Yep those amazaingly difficult Korean names

Kim
Park
Baek
Go
Hyun
Shin
Gwak
Jo

Betty Brown is obviously an illiterate moron

[elleng]

33. Well, it was easier for those of us whose ancestors came thru Ellis Island!

The 'authorities' just changed their names, when they couldn't figure them out!

Really! :shrug:

[jobycom]

35. "you and your citizens" she says.

“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?”

Again, she was speaking to an American citizen.

[Number23]

37. Like, oh I don't know... BOBBY????

And folks wonder why so many Indians refuse to call him that.

[Judi Lynn]

38. Easier for Americans to deal with." Why aren't they named sensible names, like "Trak?"

The very nerve of people in other countries choosing names they deem appropriate for their own children rather than for Republican half-wits just makes me overwrought. I don't know when I've been this upset. Time for a Lone Star beer, while singing "The Eyes of Texas Are Upon You," and then a nap.

http://www.norvillecenter.org.nyud.net:8090/Betty-Brown-for-web.jpg

Rep Betty Brown, god love her. By the way, don't mess with Texas.

[Thor_MN]

39. How would anyone know if someone messed with Texas? Seems pretty well messed up already.

OTOH, we have an idiot former senator that doesn't know when to quit, so I shouldn't be tossing any stones.

[DebbieCDC]

42. This is making me think of the movie "Aliens"

When the aliens got released to earth after quarantine, they all picked "American" names because their language was unpronouceable by humans. Who can forget the great cop name of "Sam Francisco" and other characters like "Harley Davidson". If I recall correctly, when cop James Caan ("Sykes") was laughing at this, his alien partner politely informed him that in the alien tongue, "Sykes" was the equivalent of "excrement".

Take a lesson Rep. Brown :rofl: