The Name Game: Truth Or Racism?

[OhWhopDaChamp]

The father of embattled co-host of TV talk-show The View, Raven-Symoné, spoke out in support of his daughter, who has been under fire in recent days for saying that she would not hire someone with a black-sounding name.

The father of embattled co-host of TV talk-show The View, Raven-Symoné, spoke out in support of his daughter, who has been under fire in recent days for saying that she would not hire someone with a black-sounding name.

Raven-Symoné (actress formerly on The Cosby Show) was roundly condemned on social and mainstream media last week after she said: “I’m not about to hire you if your name is Watermelondrea. It’s just not going to happen. I’m not going to hire you.”



The comment came during an on-air discussion about a new study released in the Journal of Evolution and Human Behavior, which found that Americans make racist assumptions on basis of people’s names.

This is the not the first time Raven-Symoné has dissed blacks. Last year, she rankled social media when she told Oprah, “I'm tired of being labeled. I’m an American. I’m not an African American; I’m an American.”

What’s ironic about her prejudice against black names, as Damon Young noted in a piece in The Root, is that “Raven-Symoné is quite possibly the single blackest name in pop culture today.”

Christopher B. Pearman, father of Raven-Symoné, Weighs in on Black Names - The Root

 

[OhWhopDaChamp]

I think this is a throwback opinion that she heard growing up and has adopted as her own. We're similar in age and I heard the same sentiment from black middle class adults.

Nowadays it's really senseless as the next generation of breeders has adopted the trend of "unique" names for their kids, regardless of race.

 

[ThatOneDude]

This is the not the first time Raven-Symoné has dissed blacks. Last year, she rankled social media when she told Oprah, “I'm tired of being labeled. I’m an American. I’m not an African American; I’m an American.”

Christopher B. Pearman, father of Raven-Symoné, Weighs in on Black Names - The Root

Why was this such a problem? Why is saying shes an American wrong or a dis to black people?

 

[Chief]

1. Having not met a person, their name does give a first impression. Big surprise... most names are cultural.

2. Judging a person's skill and aptitude based solely on the name their parents have given them only displays your ignorance.

 

[OhWhopDaChamp]

1. Having not met a person, their name does give a first impression. Big surprise... most names are cultural.

2. Judging a person's skill and aptitude based solely on the name their parents have given them only displays your ignorance.

To be fair in the past this was a total thing in corporate America when reviewing a résumé I'm told. "La Tonya's" were routinely disregarded and that is supposedly witnessed by the sharp increase of black females into the military in the 80s

 

[OhWhopDaChamp]

Why was this such a problem? Why is saying shes an American wrong or a dis to black people?

Because it's seen as a denial of blackness and the social & justice issues that are faced by people of color in America as well as a revocation of being an example of successful black accomplishments.

Reading things other than TMZ can be helpful.

 

[Deleted member 1]

Reading things other than TMZ can be helpful.

Oh shit.

 

[ThatOneDude]

Because it's seen as a denial of blackness and the social & justice issues that are faced by people of color in America as well as a revocation of being an example of successful black accomplishments.

Reading things other than TMZ can be helpful.

Wtf is TMZ.
I kind of like that's she said fuck it, I'm American. It's like giving a fuck you to race all together. We'd all be better off if we stopped letting race, something we have ZERO control over, define us as a person. Being proud of being black, or white, or yellow, or red, or purple is dumb too in my opinion. It's a roll of the dice.

 

[OhWhopDaChamp]

Wtf is TMZ.
I kind of like that's she said fuck it, I'm American. It's like giving a fuck you to race all together. We'd all be better off if we stopped letting race, something we have ZERO control over, define us as a person. Being proud of being black, or white, or yellow, or red, or purple is dumb too in my opinion. It's a roll of the dice.

Sure. As a black woman I'll rebuke the real issues I face because of the completely random color of my skin because you said I should.

I'm sure that will stop a lot of injustice and unfair treatment people of color face. We'll just accept that All lives matter and we're just plain old American , that'll make all those pesky little problems go right the fuck away.

 

[ThatOneDude]

Sure. Aa a black woman I'll rebuke the real issues I face because of the completely random color of my skin because you said I should.

I'm sure that will stop a lot of injustice and unfair treatment people of color face. We'll just accept that All lives matter and we're just plain old American , that'll make all those pesky little problems go right the fuck away.

No what I'm saying is I wish that's how society was so those real social issues were non existent. I just wish people were as color blind as I am.

 

[La Paix]

Wtf is TMZ.
I kind of like that's she said fuck it, I'm American. It's like giving a fuck you to race all together. We'd all be better off if we stopped letting race, something we have ZERO control over, define us as a person. Being proud of being black, or white, or yellow, or red, or purple is dumb too in my opinion. It's a roll of the dice.

I like this. What's weird is years ago I'd hear on the news or where ever PC talk is expected descriptions of Indo-Canadians but have never heard of Africa-Canadians or Chinese-Canadians and so on. Now the same demographic is described as South Asian. Not sure the reasoning in putting the race before the nationality in the majority of cases unless giving a physical description.

 

[OhWhopDaChamp]

No what I'm saying is I wish that's how society was so those real social issues were non existent. I just wish people were as color blind as I am.

I wish Kevin Lee was my boyfriend and the weather temp stayed at 68° but that's unlikely. Wish in one hand and shit in the other. Platitudes suck.

 

[check it]

interesting topic, mel. and i like that it's all about opening the dialogue.
right now..i'm studying culture and perception in education. it's a class all about teaching teachers how not to make judgments about their students based on their cultural heritage. i believe this is EXACTLY what that's so raven is doing. she's making an unnecessary assumption about somebody's ability because of their name. it's sickening to me, especially given that her name is on the unique side as well.

She should feel ashamed. im embarrassed for her .

 

[OhWhopDaChamp]

i'm studying culture and perception in education. it's a class all about teaching teachers how not to make judgments about their students based on their cultural heritage. i believe this is EXACTLY what that's so raven is doing. she's making an unnecessary assumption about somebody's ability because of their name. it's sickening to me, especially given that her name is on the unique side as well.

She should feel ashamed. im embarrassed for her .

"That's so Raven" legit screamed LOL!

Thats exactly what she's doing. She's rebuking the same segment of the population that gives her permission to say this type of opinion. If she wasn't seen as a black person she'd be labeled a bigot and possibly lose her job.

 

[ThatOneDude]

I wish Kevin Lee was my boyfriend and the weather temp stayed at 68° but that's unlikely. Wish in one hand and shit in the other. Platitudes suck.

While I get your point, the quicker everyone stops giving a fuck about race the quicker it won't matter anymore. I'm trying to be part of the solution damn it.

 

[OhWhopDaChamp]

While I get your point, the quicker everyone stops giving a fuck about race the quicker it won't matter anymore. I'm trying to be part of the solution damn it.

Ignoring an existing problem has never solved a damn thing.

If turning a blind eye and radio silence worked then there should be no famine in far away places that we have no use for, the majority of child molesters would stop molesting, extra marital affairs wouldn't be as old as the practice of matrimony, and Flavor Flav wouldn't need a big clock necklace

 

[Hired Gun]

Do some people even put thought into the names their use for their children anymore? My wife thought for months before she came up with our daughters name.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Chief]

Do some people even put thought into the names their use for their children anymore? My wife thought for months before she came up with our daughters name.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I told my wife the only requirement I had was that I wanted our son to be able to see his name on key chains and those miniature license plates that kids put on their bikes.

We settled on my grandfather's name, Joseph.

 

[Darqnezz]

I'm black & I completely disrespect people (including those of color) with jacked up names. If your parents were dumb enough to name you Concretia, Chipmonkdre, or Apple, then I assume you didn't fall to far from the retard tree. I could be mistaken but I doubt it.

 

[BJTT-Rizzo]

Lady down the road from me named her kids Tyrone and Kiesha. There is nothing wrong with either name. Reading them on paper some may make assumptions.

 

[627]

Get over it bro the racism is in your damn head. Anybody can achieve their goals in this nation. Takes hard work.

 

[OhWhopDaChamp]

Get over it bro the racism is in your damn head. Anybody can achieve their goals in this nation. Takes hard work.

To which bro are you referring? Raven isn't a registered member here

 

[627]

To which bro are you referring? Raven isn't a registered member here

I don't know that fool Raven.

 

[Ted Williams' head]

That's pretty silly. It's not your fault your parents stuck you with a stupid ass name. It'd be different if I knew a person willingly changed their birth name to something stupid though. Judge people on their own personal merit and all that other horse shit, but if I know a grown adult changed their name to "Moongoose Starlight LaFonda", that resume is going in the trashcan before their ass is out the door.

Even though I think Raven is off base on this one, I think she generally gets too much flack. Unfortunately, any member of a "minority" group (blacks, women, gays, transgendered, ect) who doesn't completely "toe the company line" on every issue seems to face an incredible scrutiny/backlash from that group, and are ostracized from that group. It's sad that people feel the need to pressure others like that, because it totally destroys independent thought.

 

[ThatOneDude]

That's pretty silly. It's not your fault your parents stuck you with a stupid ass name. It'd be different if I knew a person willingly changed their birth name to something stupid though. Judge people on their own personal merit and all that other horse shit, but if I know a grown adult changed their name to "Moongoose Starlight LaFonda", that resume is going in the trashcan before their ass is out the door.

Even though I think Raven is off base on this one, I think she generally gets too much flack. Unfortunately, any member of a "minority" group (blacks, women, gays, transgendered, ect) who doesn't completely "toe the company line" on every issue seems to face an incredible scrutiny/backlash from that group, and are ostracized from that group. It's sad that people feel the need to pressure others like that, because it totally destroys independent thought.

Very well put