You said: With a name like "Ja'eisha" the kid never stood a chance.
You are exactly right, but expect to be called a racist for saying it. The names given to some of these children doom them to a life in poverty and, well, just ugliness. There are stories galore about some of the names given to these innocent children, so I won't go into that, but names like these are symptomatic of separation from the mainstream of American culture. That may sound extreme, but I believe it is true. Who, blacks included, would use an accountant by the name of Ja'eisha? What corporation would elevate her to an executive position, regardless of her ability? What could her mother have been thinking? Obviously, she simply was NOT thinking. It might be different if her name meant anything in a language of her "native" Africa, but it does not. Lest anyone label ME racist, this phenomenon has an analog among some whites, with names given like Apple, River, etc. No one outside of show business would take people with such names seriously. Worse, the names encourage a certain separation from the mainstream, which in Ja'eisha's case, appears to have begun to work.
I'll save my opinions of this school "system" and its treatment of discipline problems for another rant. I guess the coffee is kicking in.
I so, completely disagree. If someone decides to label her because of her name that is their problem. My daughter's name is what could be considered ethnic and I hate to brag again on FR but she is an gifted honor student, plays viola in the school orchestra, excels at field hockey and has been invited to attend the Govenor's Science and Math camp this summer. American culture is made up a variety of ethnicities and cultures and all should be appreciated. If anything, Ja'eisha's only handicap is her mothers lack of caring. Not her name.
>> Who, blacks included, would use an accountant by the name of Ja'eisha?
I agree, but is Condoleeza an exception to this rule? Not challenging your assertion, but it sprang to mind.
It of course has nothing to do with the color of your skin, it has to do with the contents of your heart, as Martin Luther King, Jr. correctly envisioned it should be. How many Korean, Vietnamese, Indian, and Pakistani people have come to America, worked 80-hour work weeks driving a cab or running a convenience story because they are so grateful to be out of the pest-hole they came from and be living in the greatest nation on earth, where their own hard work pays off in cold, hard cash? Look at the children of these immigrants, who regularly score higher than some snobby WASP kids, or than some "angry young blacks" who won't learn to speak proper English or how to respect customers because hey, they spend the money?
Even today, if you work at making your kids different from everybody else, they are going to be at a disadvantage when they stand in front of a prospective boss. Those who want to fit in will. Those who complain that "the Man is always ignoring me" will find it to be a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Here's my earlier comment that will get ME labeled as a racist:
" Was black slavery bad? You bet! And without it, many, many people who live in the richest nation on earth would today be starving in backwards, third-world countries run by tribal warlords who take the UN food and don't give their own kinsmen a bite.Was Hebrew slavery bad? You bet! Was black-on-black tribal slavery in Africa bad, selling their kinsmen to white men? You bet! And after all the recriminations, after all the race-bating, after all the whining, were is slavery still happening? The Sudan, you say? And why aren't Jessie Jackson, Al Sharpton and the others outraged about this? Follow the Benjamins, because it's not about race, it's about money."
I have to show up to work on time, work hard, please my superiors, show initiative, speak clear English, and do a good job pleasing the various people who are my bosses; if I fail in this, I am out the door. If they fire somebody else for falling short on the same criterion, they might be sued for being "racist." Sigh.
TV shows are full of respected professionals with these sorts of names. Who will use a financial advisor named Ja'mequah or Seagull?
Yep... It it time for the "Name Police"... That will solve all of the world's problem... You know, I've never seen a John act out... or a Michael act out... No they have proper names... Next, up we'll introduce you to the new food pyramid courtesy of the the "Food Police."
Sarcasm off...
As a teacher of many years I'ves come to the conclusion that most parents who give their children 'creative' names tend to be shallow and self-centered. Here are some real names I've come across: (twin girls) Button & Bobbin, (sisters) Brooklyn, Bronx and Yonkers, (boy) Dawn Day, (girl) Pity, Maedysin (Madison), (boy) Blarney, (sister, brothers) Sierra, Mojave, Yosemite, (boy) Sha-nana, (Sugar) Shugah
My personal favorite name-as-destiny is the unfortunate
Latrina (yes, it's pronounced latrine-uh)here in Washington, D.C., who was found guilty of neglecting a couple of her own children, one of whom died. People should give their children recognizable names that others can pronounce, if not spell.
How old are you? I've worked with very capable people with similar names. What you said is just racist. Period. By the way, if she were good, I'd use an accountant named Ja'eisha. What of it?