Sunday, July 27, 2008

What's In A Name?

I'm inspired to post this after reading a great post last week by the blogger Emily Mills, here.

It took me a while to get to it, but what better use is there of a quiet Sunday morning? (That's a joke and evidence that I definitely need something I haven't had in a long time - - a vacation.)

I don't know Ms. Mills, but she said it all with more flair than can I, and what I want to do is agree with her theme, especially with these points below:

She is an intelligent part of the continuing discussion about names in politics - - specifically the correct name of the political party with the donkey as its symbol and the full names of both parties' presumptive nominees.

The facts are that correct name of the party is The Democratic Party, and the nominees' full names are Barack Hussein Obama and John Sidney McCain III.

Some Republicans (I first heard it from Bob Dole years and years ago), and conservative bloggers and pundits like Rush Limbaugh, routinely use the dismissive name "Democrat Party," and add Obama's middle name to his every mention.

Adding Obama's middle name is a sly way to suggest Obama is a Muslim, or worse, somehow related to that late Iraqi leader who made the name infamous.

In retailation, some bloggers on the left have siggested always adding in McCain's middle name, but to what end? That's stupid, too.

Middle names are for official, or sworn documents, and few other everday uses.

I've known a number of people who have legally dropped them; women who take their husbands' last names often omit their given middle name and use their maiden name as a new middle name, if they use one at all.

The candidates and The Democratic Party should be referred to by the name each chooses.

That way, we stick to the facts, and then, maybe the issues?

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