Journal Taco Cowboy's Journal: Is it a taboo to use the full name of Obama ? 1
In the comment http://slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=4728375&cid=46105237 I was commenting that the Nobel Peace Prize committee should take back the prize that they have wrongly awarded to Obama.
In the comment I used the full name of Obama, which is Barack Hussein Obama, which in fact, is the LEGAL NAME of the current POTUS.
For whatever reason, a fella "Stargoat" flamed me for using the full name of Obama and specifically accuse me of using the name of "Hussein" !
I was totally floored by the way that knee jerk threw his temper tantrum. I mean, The word "Hussein" isn't my invention, I wasn't the one who "gave" Obama that name.
It was Obama's dad who gave him that "Hussein". Not me.
Is it a taboo to use the full name of Obama ?
If it has become illegal to use Obama's full name, why don't they make an official law from now on, making it a federal offense for any "peon" to call the Emperor/ President / Dictator of the United States of America by his/her full name ?
All About The Name Hussein (Score:3)
It's not illegal, but it is taboo. Urban Dictionary [urbandictionary.com] says it best: " Barack Hussein Obama: Obama's full name. His middle name is emphasized by haters to imply similarity to Saddam Hussein, or that he is radical Muslim (which Saddam was not). The other candidates say they oppose this tactic as juvenile name-calling, but their supporters keep doing it. McCain reamed talk radio goon Bill Cunningham for chanting 'barack HUSSEIN obama' over and over again."
There is a subtlety that you probably missed for a variety of reasons. I know you were not born in America, and I don't think you spoke a word of English when you arrived. I am currently struggling with the whole new language in a new country problem right now and as a native English speaker, I very much wonder if I'll ever get all the subtleties of German. (I know that your Chinese -- which ever dialect it is -- is even more different from English than German.) You're also not pro-democrat and not pro-republican. In this case, you'd need to at least have ties to the pro-republican camp. (They may deny they are pro-republican, but if all they can spew is anti-democrat, then... well, you understand.) In my case, I know pro-republicans and I hear them speak. It is when you speak to them about politics where the taboo becomes evident... if you have good enough command of the English language.
They will say "Barack Hussein Obama" with an emphasis on the middle name. Sometimes subtle, sometime more pronounced. It is very much an insult referring to Suddam's shananigans, Saddam's middle eastern ties, and Obama's alleged (by the pro-republican camp) middle eastern ties. I continue to see email jokes floating around even today by the pro-republican side about Obama's "ties to the middle east". They love to use the middle name in such things.
Like you, I am neither pro-republican nor pro-democrat and I'm pretty tired of hearing the back and forth over this stupidity. I know you well enough (from comments you post on Slashdot) that you do no intend the slur to Obama's middle name. You'll chastise him for the real stupidities that he does and I greatly appreciate that. It's a breath of fresh air. (My basic rule is, if you're going to insult someone, make sure you insult them for real reasons instead of the childish games that the two political sides usually take.) Unfortunately, the pro-democrat side will see his middle name as an insult. I think it is pretty sad that someone's middle name can be twisted so awfully. I mean, after all, it is their name and why shouldn't they be able to use it?
Don't take it personally. I've missed a few new words in English before and gotten ribbed pretty good for it. In this case, you accidentally touched on one of America's sore spots.
There are days when I think to myself, "I'm tired of being blasted by both sides of the political spectrum. Maybe I should pick a side so I'll only be half as picked on." Then I remember that I can't bring myself to that level of ignorance again... nor do I ever want to be that ignorant again. I just get very tired of arguing with and being yelled at by both sides. The two different sides want me to play the childish games they do. I try to reason with them, but they won't listen.
Hope this helps.