I'm glad to see Barack decided to use his middle name when he is sworn in!

[Tim4319]

First of all, a name does not make the person; the person makes the name! If a name was such a huge issue, a person with the name of Bush should never occupy the White House ever again.


http://thedailyvoice.com/voice/2008/12/i-barack-hussein-obama-do-sole-001443.php

Shortly after 12 noon on January 20, Obama will place his left hand on a bible and raise his right hand and say: "I, Barack Hussein Obama, do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States." At that point, he will officially become the 44th president of the United States.

[Captain Hilts]

1. That's what they ALL do. William Jefferson Clinton, etc. nt

[elleng]

2. He said he wanted to do it the 'traditional' way,

that is, as everyone had done, NOT to draw attention.

[bdamomma]

3. Well it is his name and tradition.

I wish it would hurry up and get here his inauguration.

[zulchzulu]

4. Perhaps the MSM can do a piece on King Hussein of Jordan

A great leader and a man of peace in the Middle East...

http://edition.cnn.com/WORLD/meast/9902/07/king.hussein.obit/chrono/chrono.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hussein_of_Jordan

[sellitman]

5. Frankly I could care less either way.

With all the problems we got going that this is even a story in the news makes me ill.

[olkaz]

8. No kidding. Who cares?

Seriously.

[pnwmom]

9. I care.

I think it's great that we have a President's name that isn't WASPish.

[olkaz]

14. A rose by any other name...

It's the man, not the name. This is silly.

He could be named Farquar Scrumtrillescent Spittoon for all I care.

Being excited about his name being non-waspish makes about as much sense as the people being angry that his name is non-waspish.

[pnwmom]

15. His name is non-WASPish because he is the first non-white President

in history.

And that's something to celebrate.

[olkaz]

16. That's a completely different thing.

And has nothing to do with his name.

[pnwmom]

18. Names are a product of their languages. His name isn't derived from English or

from German or any of the other European languages that have produced names of Presidents in the past.

His last name came from Africa, and his middle name from a Muslim grandfather. His names mean a lot.

[olkaz]

19. So electing our first non-white president would have meant less if he was named Frank Smith?

We're probably going to have to agree to disagree I think.

[pnwmom]

23. That name itself would have been less history-making,

but the individual would still would have been a historical first.

[Mosby]

22. Hussein is a very respected name in Islam

It harkens back to Imam Husayn, the 3rd Imam:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Husayn_ibn_Ali

[pnwmom]

24. Thank you, Mosby, and welcome to DU! n/t

[mtnsnake]

6. Everytime someone posts about Barack's middle name it means they're concerned about, no?

What's the big deal? Don't all presidents use their middle names when they're sworn in? :shrug:

[pnwmom]

7. Yes it's traditional to use middle names. But I was criticized here once for calling him

Barack Hussein Obama, as if that were a slur. (Since Fox news uses it that way.)

I think he has a wonderful name and I'm glad he's not dropping the Hussein.

[tigereye]

13. it's his name, and it's a very good thing

:thumbsup:

[Catherine Vincent]

10. Good!

[OneBlueSky]

11. at precisely that moment, right wing fundies throughout the nation . . .

will suffer the world's first case of collective apoplexy . . .

[tigereye]

12. I'm so glad that reason was able to triumph over fear...

and his very election makes the US seem all the more inclusive....

[cottonseed]

17. It would be embarrassing if he didn't.

Alt Headline: "First American President in History NOT to Use His Middle Name" - Fear of ticking off idiotic American's to blame.

[treestar]

20. It's Barack Steve Obama

Get Darth away from those children!

:rofl:

[Starry Messenger]

21. No shit, huh.

My eyes went right to Malia and Sasha and I thought, Cheney Proximity Alert!!

[Afikpo Chic]

26. Obama must remove the stigma from his middle name by..

proudly answering it. Each time I see his name in full, my heart skips a bit. I want that heart-skipping stopped. The stigma must be removed. The power it gives right wingers is too much. The power to use that his middle name as a venomous sting on Obama must be removed. Simply by now adopting and using your his full given name.

[ACTION BASTARD]

25. The more that "Hussein" is out there, the less effective it is for the radical right to try

to use it as some kind of slam against The ONE.