[aclee]

Emmitt Smith here too. Emmitt Till was 14 year old boy who was murdered after whistling at a white women. I think that part of the concern is that as "white people" we wouldn't be aware of Emmitt Till and how that story is profound to those in the AA communities as one of their poignant racist stories.

I will however state my opinion on this. He's your son. Name him. You aren't naming him anything highly offensive or racist. Give him the name, and let it mean to you what you want it to mean. My case in point...

My mother lives in Virginia and works in DC. She works with several AA women who she always knew, but who she has become close with since we adopted Ty. They flock to her desk for pictures and just think it's the coolest thing ever and my family rocks. (All true, but not the point of this story...lol) Anyway, one women is a single older lady and she went out and bought Ty a bunch of stuff and a few other ladies gave her money for them. When we got it and opened it one outfit had a large monkey on the front. It was freaking adorable and I wanted to put in on him then and there. But I stopped. It was a monkey, and that can have a negative connotation with the AA community. So I called my mom and asked. Did the AA lady see the outfits? My mom said, well, she BOUGHT them, everyone else gave her money. I told her my concern. I also decided right then and there that I will dress Ty in a monkey suit if I am so inclined. *I* do not use that term in a racist way, nor do I use it exclusively for him, or in relation to him because he is AA. My nieces have both been Monkey Pants's since the day they were born. One of them actually answers to the name Monkey Pants when I talk to her. I told my mom that...that I would be having him wear it, but that there is always that concern about the AA community "policing" us as CC parents on our choices in case with miss something some how. For me, it's never happened. I get WAY more comments from CC than AA. Every AA I have met while I'm with Ty flips and just wants to eat him up. Not one negative comment ever. Last night one of the nurses at the hospital told me his hair looked "awesome". When I said, "Yeah he has great hair", she made sure to clarify that *I* was helping him have great hair. (toot, toot!) ANYWAY...my mom asked the women that bought the outfits what she thought. Not specifically about the outfit, just about my concern about doing the wrong thing, and and AA community judging me etc. My mom said, "So "S", who is the quiet, sweet wonderful woman, says, "Well if they ever did that to her, she should really tell them to go take a flying leap." That's not what she said, but I've been edited before, so I'm trying SO hard to be good. There was definitely some editable stuff in her comment.

The long drawn out end. My Child, My rules. I continue to be sensitive to the fact that AA community might have different opinions than I do, but the fact remains that I am his mother, and as long as I know I am acting in his best interest and I'm not hindering him in the choices I make...*I* am OK. I don't think he will be mentally harmed because I allowed him to wear an outfit with a monkey on it.

Make any sense?

[nikkianni]

I did not think of Emmitt Till at all. And I really don't think it would be the first thing to pop into most people's minds.
If you like the name, use it.
When we chose Evangelina, my Mom almost choked and most of our family members thought we were nuts. Since her birth, there are now two newborn Evangelinas at our ped's office, and I know it's because of her.
Go with what you love, because you can't control what other people think anyway.

[makarios79]

Well I am partial to both Alexander and Emmanuel because they are my sons' middle names....


My oldest is Benjamin Alexander...Alexander is his birth middle name I kept it after I adopted him and changed his first name...

My youngest is Darius Emanuel (purposely spelled with one "m") Darious was his original first anme and I changed his middle name to Emanuel

I thought of emmitt Smith ..not emmitt Till.. Who is Emmitt Till?

[spine]

( The Untold Story of Emmett Louis Till Emmett Till - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia )