The different names we call ourselves

I love Harry Butts: full of character and definitely very cute. The problem with Harry Butts is that every time someone mentioned his name, people wouldn’t think of Harry; the father of three kids and a community volunteer, they would think of a somewhat bushy backside (posterior). And that isn’t fair because here’s a man who’s led a completely honest life but just can’t escape the weight of his name.  And if there’s anything Harry Butts taught me, as I’m sure he taught all of us, is that you can’t classify someone on merely the merits of his or her name.

But no matter where you want to run we have to admit- certain names come with certain suggestion of character.  If you have a child and you name him Jeeves; he’ll probably be a butler.  You name her Bo-Peep; she’s going to be a Shepard.  Name him George Michael, and you will have a very interesting child.

So you see it’s quite important that you give your child the right name so that he or she ends up in the right places because all names carry with it a certain weight But as much as there are certain names we can choose, there are certain names we can’t. Ones we’re born into and then have to live with.

I’m an Indian, you’re Chinese and he’s Burmese

And we say it to everyone. It really isn’t about living next to each other

Some people say it’s about celebrating diversity.  The problem is the more we say it, the more we remember it.  The more we remember it, the more we are conscious of it and as much as we say we’re celebrating diversity, we’re classifying it.

And that’s a pity. It’s a pity that we’ve chopped up and labelled humanity in so many different categories. It’s a pity that we cross that line separating diversity and division. And the worse part is, we believe it.

Because when you open the newspapers today, you read about a group of people linked by history, culture and geography willing to risk those bonds, which they know are there because of the barriers which they think there are.  Because essentially they’re called different things.

I’m Indian, you’re Chinese and he’s Taiwanese.

Then there are people out there who believe a difference in name necessarily means a different agenda.  And a lot of blood and pain is worth justifying a difference that might not even be there.

I’m Chinese, you’re Indian, and he’s Pakistani

At the end of the day, we end up the biggest losers.  Whatever security we want, whatever union we work for, these invisible barriers break down.

I think we all have to learn form our experience with Harry.  You cannot define a person by one name; you cannot divide a race by different names.

That isn’t fair Whether you’re a Red Indian or a white Caucasian, Black African, or a Green Peace Activist.  (a little Bo-Peep or a George Michael we’re all part of one race; a human race.   Perhaps a name is nothing more than a name Commonality section is missing And perhaps China and Taiwan should have realised this, perhaps India and Pakistan shouldn’t have exploited it.

For every different name, we’re actually quite the same.