Weird News

Well another weird news item to come out of the United States. Apparently a New Jersey couple, whose childrens' names are, and this is no joke, these are the names of his toddlers:

Adolf Hitler Campbell
JoyceLynn Aryan Nation Campbell
Honszlynn Hinler Jeannie Campbell

If the web is to be believed, then the latter of these children, Honszlynn Hinler, is actually named after Nazi scientist Heinrich Himmler. The sad thing about these racists, and let's call it what it is, these people are clearly white supremacists, is that they are ignorant to the point where they fail to even properly replicate the name of their child's namesake. It's the kids a person has to feel sorry for. Growing up with parents like these.

Now the parents of these children allegedly called a local grocery store looking to have them decorate little Adolf's birthday cake with, not only his name (as the two parents contended) but a SWASTIKA as well!!! according to the store bakery's manager. And these two people have the gall to say that they aren't racists?

What sort of parents would even let their kids attend little Adolf's birthday party - I do not know. Apparently some of the guests were of "mixed-race" ancestry. Heck, if I was a Korean-American or African-American I wouldn't let my kids deliver flyers to that house! let alone attend a birthday party! The party hats were probably adorned with swastikas and they likely hailed "Hitler" instead of singing young Adolf "Happy Birthday".

Mr. and Mrs. Campbell, there are some names that you simply don't bestow upon your children. Your children who are growing up in the 21st century (read: less racist, less homophobic, and more tolerant and accepting than Nazi Germany). Your kids need to go to school with black children, Asian children, Native American children. I can't see their peers looking upon them favourably with names like those! Heck, not even names. Better words have been used to describe faeces.

Governments want to allow for freedom of speech, expression, etc. In the United States, this I believe is cited in the First Amendment. However, there are other clauses and conventions that coincide with this Amendment and the right to freedom of expression. Namely, "the right to swing my fist ends where your nose begins." In other words, we can say, express what we want, if, and only if, what we are saying does not infringe on the rights of others. To a point of course: the whole no saying "Merry Christmas" thing in Canada these days is ludicrous. Because we have been saying this for over a century and this is a part of our culture. If I go to a Jewish synagogue, are they not allowed to say Happy Hanukkah to me because that might infringe on my freedom of religion?

The "Merry Christmas" debate aside, what these parents have done is clearly unacceptable and crosses a line within the parameters of the Freedom of Expression. For they have infringed upon the "liberty and happiness" of their child.

Looking down the road (as his parents have clearly failed to do), how is he supposed to get a job with a name like that? How is he supposed to go through high school with a name like that? High school can be bad enough with a name like John Smith as many a John Smith out there would no doubt tell us.

What these two parents have done goes beyond freedom of expression. The manager of the bakery was totally in the right to have refused such a request for a 3 YEAR OLD's BIRTHDAY CAKE!

If some people are clearly so inept at choosing appropriate names for their children perhaps it's time the government step in, as they have had to do in some other countries where parents have bestowed such absurd names upon their offspring.

Read the story for yourself:
URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28269290/?gt1=43001