What’s in a name? We all were given our names for a reason—be it a family name, a name with a special meaning, or a name that was just made up by innovative parents. Whatever the reason, names often define who we are.
For hundreds of years, black people in America have been called all sorts of names—slave, three-fifths, colored, Negro, nigger, black, Afro-American, African American, boy, George, gator bait, Ann, ape, Aunt Jemima, Buffie, coon, crow, gable, jigaboo, Jim Crow, jungle bunny, Leroy, Macaca, monkey, mosshead, mustard seed, nig-nog, nig-jig, nigra, powder burn, quashie, Sambo, smoked Irish, sooty, tar baby, thicklips, Uncle Tom, and host of other names that were used by America to try and define a “race” of people (go to Wikipedia for a full list of ethnic slurs and their meanings).
Black people have now been able to define for themselves what it means to be black in America. With the emergence of hip hop, there has been much controversy surrounding the word nigger—who can say it, who can’t say it. Many of the names black people have been called over the years have been offensive at best and totally negate the sticks and stones malarkey we all grew up hearing. But I do believe in the wise words of many elders and Whoopi Goldberg when she says, “It’s not what you’re called, but what you answer to, honey.”
So why ask the question of what’s in a name now? Well, I have two reasons really. First the use of names in the current presidential race, and second, the younger generation’s attempt to relate through a total lack of respect. I know Hillary is no longer in the race, but I’m going to throw her up in the mix because this applies to her as well.
Next time you get a chance (if you own a television, this won’t be difficult), listen to the way the media talks about the candidates, and more importantly, how they refer to them by name. Now I can’t take the credit for this observation because I really hadn’t thought about it until my sister brought this to my attention. The media always refers to John McCain as McCain, Senator McCain, or John McCain. However, they feel comfortable occasionally referring to Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton as Barack and Hillary. Is the media showing a lack of respect because he is black and she is a woman? I don’t know, but we do know that this presidential race has been full of isms—racism, sexism, and ageism. So anything is possible.
