Put Your John Hussein Hancock on the Line

I voted for Barack Obama in the primaries and my wife voted for Hillary Clinton (though she notes her vote was not against Obama). We completely agree, however, that we're wholeheartedly against Bill Cunningham and all those who support his tactics. We think there will be more hatred to come, with everyone from Rush to AIPAC getting into the act.

The RNC denounced an ad that ran in Tennessee which emphasized Obama's middle name, and we applaud their action. We also think Senator McCain is a gentleman and won't stoop to racist slurs. But we also feel that it's not enough just to hope. We have to act.

Therefore, today we're both changing our middle names to "Hussein" and encourage everyone to do the same.

Justin Hussein Frank
Heather Hussein Frank

Comments

[research]

12:09 AM on 03/03/2008

Say it proudly:

President

Barack Hussein Obama!

[MariaHopeful]

05:15 PM on 03/02/2008

I am Maria Hussein!

[jade7243]

03:34 PM on 03/02/2008

Nonna1... your age is showing. The idea is to break down the notion that the name Hussein is scary or connotes anything bad. If Mr. Cunningham thinks he is "smearing" Barack Hussein Obama by using his middle name in that fear-bombing kind of way, we are showing solidarity by becoming "Husseins" too. Fear bombs only work when people like Cunningham think they are in the majority, when they think people will be too afraid to stand up to them. But this simple act of adding Hussein to your name, turns the bomb into a dud.

I'm Jade7243 Hussein... one of million Husseins for Obama.

[ljsfolly]

12:55 PM on 03/02/2008

To take the fear out of a name is to name the fear for what it is. Sometime back in the past we all have recieved something from our parents that has not one thing to do with DNA, our names. Most bear the last name of our father, some the last name of our mother and some seem to have shown up with only their first name but they tend to be singers or something that they feel makes them "famous". The first and second names are randomly chosen from family, friends or even those "famous" people with one name. My first name was from Linda Darnell (sic) some actress from the movies way back. The middle is a mystery except that many from Okla and Ark had such a name. It might have been after my dead Aunt Jeannie but my middle name is Jane. Every one of us can take our first and middle names apart and maybe figure it out. Barack's dad was from Kenya and early in his life was a muslim then changed to christian if I remember correctly. So with the mother from Kansas and father from Kenya that he was given a name with special meaning. Barack is a name many of us have had to learn to say. Hussein is a name given freely to many, many men in the middle east as a tradition it seems but both names make up the one person we have come to know as Obama. Would he be different had his middle name been george or fred or sam or max? I doubt it as no one is a product of their name but many of us might suffer because of it. Made fun of because of it but no one became something merely because of our names. If all men named Hussein were the same would that make any more sense? The name issue should be no issue because it is no issue.

[knerd]

03:52 PM on 03/02/2008

As long as Obama supporters remain uncomfortable using/hearing Barack's middle name, it will continue to be a problem. It's his name. Use it.

What would happen if African Americans sudenly began putting small confederate flags on their auto antennas?

[nonna1]

10:47 AM on 03/02/2008

The idea of changing your name to Hussein is ridiculous. There are so many issues to be debated, the idea of making an issue out of a name is pretty lame.

[Boobaloo]

06:53 AM on 03/02/2008

"We think there will be more hatred to come, with everyone from Rush to AIPAC getting into the act"

** I agree Mr. Justin Hussein Frank

Sincerely,


Boobaloo Hussein Smith

[yeswecancan]

02:59 AM on 03/02/2008

I love this and can tell you it's already sweeping the NY times posts as well.
Bette Hussein Yeswecancan

[nonna1]

10:01 AM on 03/02/2008

I have never heard anything so childish in my 75 years. Changing your name to support a candidate. What will you do if he doesn't meet your expectations? Grow up.

[TheRealMacDaddy]

01:33 PM on 03/02/2008

I too have never heard of anything so childish in my 50+ years, someone who actually believes that Mr. and Mrs. Frank legally changed their middle names to Hussein. It was a parody Nonna, a parody.

But I ask what are you going to do if and when Hillary Clinton doesn't live up to expectations? Adopt Rodham as your middle name?

[TheRealMacDaddy]

01:34 PM on 03/02/2008

Oh, I forgot to sign my name.

The Real Mac Hussein Daddy McNatt

[LionEater]

11:31 PM on 03/01/2008

Lion Hussein Eater!

Reporting for duty!

[Preya]

09:59 PM on 03/01/2008

I'm with you!

:)
Preya Hussein Clark

[mommadona]

09:52 PM on 03/01/2008

What a great idea!

Yertle the Turtle would be proud!

Yertle the Turtle-----------------by dr. seuss

http://www.angelfire.com/mn2/anarchistpoetry/articlesdir/article1.html

[rinpochet]

08:26 PM on 03/01/2008

Wonderful idea! I think this would be effective if people in the public limelight follow this example and change their middle names to Hussein.

Vivienne Hussein Farmer

[desmirl]

07:59 PM on 03/01/2008

I am Hussein! No, I am Hussein, No, you're Spartacus, silly.
Couldn't resist, but thanks for a great article. You put things into perspective in a very few words.

[DemandTruth]

07:30 PM on 03/01/2008

Demand Hussein Truth!
But I suppose we'd have to be careful, or we'll all end up on the no-fly list, and carted off to Halliburton-Kamp eventually!

[realitybase]

06:41 PM on 03/01/2008

Read:

http://www.juancole.com/2008/02/barack-hussein-obama-omar-bradley.html#comments

Reality "Hussein" Base

[realitybase]

06:24 PM on 03/01/2008

Professor Juan Cole has a great essay where he addresses the name "Hussein."

found here:

http://www.juancole.com/2008/02/barack-hussein-obama-omar-bradley.html#comments