The Importance of a Name

     Since Americans do not feel that they need to learn about other cultures, they often pronounce things incorrectly, if they even try at all, and will not put in the effort to educate themselves on different dialects.  They take the names of people of color and turn them into mockeries and swears, believing that their way is superior.  People of color are expected to perfect American pronunciation, but Americans are not held to the same standard to put in as much respect for other cultures.
     A name is a unique title that means something to each person and their culture.  Names make up who we are.  Everything that we say or do is under our name, but some people are forced to change their title as a means of survival, which takes away a piece of them.  Changed names can make the person or even their  family feel as though they are rejecting their culture.  However, people of color are forced to change their name because if they do not, they are often times rejected when applying for jobs.  Either way they are not truly happy since if they change their name they are taking away something special to them, but if they do not, they are to respected and cannot find jobs since they are assumed to me immigrants.
     Among the many challenges people of color face is the mockery of their names.  Generic and simple one-syllable American names are considered ideal, and anything different is rejected.  People of color are expected to change their names in order to fit in.  Americans force them to change their beautiful names with unique meanings to something average and easy to pronounce.  Americans are scared to look stupid and are insecure of their own culture that functions on sterotypes.  They want to keep the superiority that they consider their birthright, bringing down other cultures in the process.
If people of color do change their names, Americans begin to assume that it is their "real name," which often subjects them to hearing derogatory terms about their culture.  They hear their names warped into profanity.  Either the name itself is spit out as a swear, or it is changed to be a swear.  For example, the author of the essay titled "The F-Word," Firoozeh Dumas tells the reader that her name was changed changed to "dumbass" in order to mock her.  The title of the essay itself is in regards to her first name being taken as a swear.  It was seen as something wrong that should not be said in its entirety.
     Not being willing to learn a person of color's name is a form of racism.  Very few people are willing to learn about the meaning and pronunciation of people of colors' names.  However, as more people are making the effort to end this disrespect, there may come a day that the names of people of color will be treated with the same amount of respect as American names.  With the growing awareness on the acceptance of people of color, there is more of a chance for the names of people of color to be accepted in American society.