Re: Bill to keep Sioux nickname
Originally Posted by
AlumniGreen
Never knew that "wop" was an acronym for "without papers." Can understand why Italians are so upset. I have several Italian friends and one almost 100% Sicilian male friend. Beautiful people. Always admired Italian surnames with their lilting pronunciation. Love to watch Giada de Laurentis.
My dad was in Pacific theater in WWII and referred to Japanese as "Japs." I assume that is seen as derogatory but that is what he called them. My uncle served in European Theater and called Germans "Krauts."
The acronym thing may be true. But it’s very unlikely that loads of people got through Ellis island without papers. You couldn’t get on a boat without your documents in order. The companies transporting people were responsible for their passenger manifests and those manifest were delivered to immigration officials before anyone departed the ship.
this also gives the lie to the idea that people’s family names were Americanized by immigration officials.
I have the honor to be Your Obedient Servant - B.Aud
We all live in stories... It seems to me that a definition of any living vibrant society is that you constantly question those stories... The argument itself is freedom. It's not that you come to a conclusion about it. Through that argument you change your mind sometimes... That's how societies grow. When you can't retell for yourself the stories of your life then you live in a prison... Somebody else controls the story. - S. Rushdie