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RACISM
Why Saying Kamala's Name Wrong is a Racist Exercise in Futility
There's nothing to gain but much to lose from this behavior.
In the south, we have a saying that you catch more flies with honey than spoiled milk. It's a modified version of the Italian proverb, "You catch more flies with honey than vinegar." It means that people will more likely gravitate to you when you're kind rather than cruel or sweet rather than bitter. In political discourse, for instance, some are choosing to mispronounce Kamala Harris's name, opting for sour milk rather than sweet honey. Nevertheless, those exhibiting this behavior have nothing to gain and much to lose. Let's unpack this.
Mispronouncing someone's name when you know how to say it correctly is a microaggression, an effort to disparage them. In a society that places whiteness on a pedestal, the correct pronunciation of racial minorities' names has become a casualty of cultural warfare. While saying someone's name correctly indicates respect or civility, some believe they have no obligation to extend the olive branch or engage in constructive discourse. Name discrimination is insidious because it lends someone plausible deniability, as the speaker often denies they meant any harm, portraying their behavior as an honest mistake. This, in turn, pressures the offended party to accept their apology, even if it's not genuine. Sadly, this happens every day in America, and Kamala Harris is no exception.
In an NPR article, Deepa Shivaram explained that the proper way to pronounce Kamala's name is Kahm-uh-lu, like "comma," not CAM-el-uh, "like camel," or Ka-MAL-uh like "koala," arguing that it's important to learn how to say her name correctly. However, not everyone is willing to apply the lesson, as Donald Trump demonstrated on the campaign trail last July. He told the crowd, "They are explaining to me, 'You can't say ka-MALA — you can say COMMA-la," but "Don't worry about it — I couldn't care less if I mispronounce it. I couldn't care less." His disrespectful tone seemed to resonate with others in his party. For instance, Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C, told a panel on CNN, "I will say Kamala's name any way that I want to," defiantly rejecting efforts to teach her the correct pronunciation. Michael Eric Dyson characterized her…
