[VOA]

Re your post #389 - That was my reaction as well.

Thank you...but for folks in the forum...as well as to make full explaination to
as any visitors, e.g., from DU (Democratic Undergroundz)...

I was being constructive in my posting...NOT racist.

As an white fellow who grew up in flyover country, got to move to Southern California
(at a major research university) and has traveled A LOT, I offer this reason why
IF I ever get married, I will probably take a bride from one of the Asian countries.

BECAUSE:
1. Just noticing the work ethic of the Asians (immigrant and multi-generational Asian-Americans)
that I come in contact with here in Southern California...especially the ones
who escaped from the Communist takeover of Vietnam (e.g., from Orange County, CA)

2.An epiphany experienced on a bus in the Twin Cities (Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN) during
a visit to an academic laboratory at the University of Minnesota a couple of years ago.
I noticed three ladies (age 25-35, I would guess) with a single child they had with them
during the bus ride...

a. the "white" mother was sitting there with her child...staring off into the
"Great White North" of winter time Minnesota...they didn't hardly say a word
during this 20-minute bus ride...

b. the "African-American" mother was sitting with her hyper-active child who was
running up and down the aisle of the bus...Mom was staring off into space and doing
NOTHING to encourage the child to not block the aisle so that other passengers could
make their entrace/exit of the bus without concern over stepping into a child...

AND (drumroll, Maestro,)

C. an Asian-American lady, who was sitting with her child and working through some
mathematics drills.

Which type of female of the human species would I take for a wife, with the hope
of raising happy, intelligent, productive citizens...?

I won't even answer that...I'll leave the members/lurkers of this forum
to decide THEIR OWN answer to that question...using their own brains (and not speaking their
answer aloud and taking a bunch
of flames for liberal folks who have been sheltered by the resources of a trust fund.

OK, call me a racist...but I've noticed a number of similar situations
here in even ultra-liberal and hyper-tolerant Southern California that confirm
the conclusions I made on that bus in cold Minneapolis a couple of years ago...

I'm talking CULTURAL problems...I come from a Christian cultural background and
fully embrace the idea that humanity is "one flesh"...but I can't shut
off my brain from noticing that certain ethnic groups in the USA have made decisions
about their general level of how much they will "strive" to be successful and
good citizens in this country...
NO MATTER where they came from, when they or their forebearors got here, or what
sort of mindless prejudice they encountered here.

[summer]

I hear ya, and I respect what you say, but, I must also add: There are Asian kids in gangs out there in CA. I mention this only because while your experience is certainly one that influenced your thinking (and I don't criticize you for such influence), I also know all kids are prone to certain influences of today's world, UNLESS they have stronger family ties than the alleged lure of a gang.

And, for the record for lurkers and others -- I was thiking about this thread and why I so dislike the name "LaTissue" and I think it's simply this: I find it hard to take said name seriously. It would be a funny name for a character in a circus or on a tv show, but as someone attempting to do something serious like run for president, well, then, I just tune out to a name like that, because I perceive it as plain silly, be it the name of a black girl or a white girl or an Asian girl. Or any boy named "LaTissue."

And, finally, there are some really interesting links on this thread, including the link to the Social Security register of names (since 1990) and their lists of the most popular names, as well as the ABC news article about "strange" names of babies.

I'm sure the odd names mentioned by ABC are not limited to black children by any means. We're going through a time when parents are making some very peculiar choices as to first names of babies. According to the ABC article, the celebrity chef, Jamie Oliver (a white British male) just named his newborn daughter "Poppy Honey." So, she is "Poppy Oliver." To me, that sounds like the name of someone's grandpa.