# You Go Sista! Sheila Jackson Lee says hurricane names are racist - I wanna help. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 1, 2003, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-go-sista-sheila-jackson-lee-says-hurricane-names-are-racist-i-wanna-help/192441 "2003-08-01T21:12:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2003, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-go-sista-sheila-jackson-lee-says-hurricane-names-are-racist-i-wanna-help/192441/41 "2003-08-02T21:21:39Z")
Let’s just hold a lottery every year. The winners get to pick one name each! ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2003, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-go-sista-sheila-jackson-lee-says-hurricane-names-are-racist-i-wanna-help/192441/42 "2003-08-02T22:10:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by DirkGntly \* > \*\*1. Loquetia > 2. Danae > 3. Lucreta > 4. Fatima > 5. Anthony > 7. Muhammed > 8. Cassius > 9. Xavier > 10. Juan > 11. Carlos > 12. Maria > 13. Luisa \*\* I’m not the only one who thinks that some people over in the Middle East wouldn’t be happy if we happened to use #7, am I? ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2003, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-go-sista-sheila-jackson-lee-says-hurricane-names-are-racist-i-wanna-help/192441/43 "2003-08-02T22:18:32Z")
Jeez. Nice to know the taxpayers are getting their money’s worth. Why worry about such heady matters as taxes and the war on terrorism when you can speechify about hurricane names, for crying out loud? And **Dirk** , what happend to number 6? ---
**Author:** ![beagledave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6de8d8/32.png) [@beagledave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beagledave)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2003, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-go-sista-sheila-jackson-lee-says-hurricane-names-are-racist-i-wanna-help/192441/44 "2003-08-02T22:49:04Z")
Just don’t name any Hurricane **Spike** …Shelton Lee will sue yer ass. ---
**Author:** ![DirkGntly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d9b06d/32.png) [@DirkGntly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DirkGntly)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2003, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-go-sista-sheila-jackson-lee-says-hurricane-names-are-racist-i-wanna-help/192441/45 "2003-08-02T22:54:18Z")
**Lord Ashtar** , At the risk of having a _fatwah_ (is the the correct term?) declared against me, I have to say that Muhammed was _just_ a “prophet” and shouldn’t be any worse than naming a storm Isaiah or Elijah. Of course, considering Elijah’s acts on Mt. Carmel, naming a hurricane Elijah might actually be appropo… **ivylass** , You are correct! So, in light of my previous paragraph: 6. Elijah - Dirk ---
**Author:** ![t-keela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a3d4f5/32.png) [@t-keela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/t-keela)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2003, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-go-sista-sheila-jackson-lee-says-hurricane-names-are-racist-i-wanna-help/192441/46 "2003-08-02T23:47:38Z")
I read the list of names and they don’t seem too “white” to me. IIRC Yolanda was on one of the lists. and besides I kinda doubt we’ll ever get to Wanda or Sam Sam’s a white name huh? Play it Sam… ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-go-sista-sheila-jackson-lee-says-hurricane-names-are-racist-i-wanna-help/192441/47 "2003-08-03T00:31:03Z")
All hurricanes should cast off their slave names and refer to themselves as “X”. ---
**Author:** ![as\_u\_wish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6f9a4e/32.png) [@as\_u\_wish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/as_u_wish)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-go-sista-sheila-jackson-lee-says-hurricane-names-are-racist-i-wanna-help/192441/48 "2003-08-03T00:43:45Z")
Ahem. We seem to have covered “black” and “white”. Are there no “red” or “yellow” names. How about Lonesome Dove or Red Tailed Hawk? What about Li or Wang? Come on, diversity is more than just… oh nevermind ---
**Author:** ![neofishboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/neofishboy/32/444_2.png) [@neofishboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neofishboy)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-go-sista-sheila-jackson-lee-says-hurricane-names-are-racist-i-wanna-help/192441/49 "2003-08-03T00:52:20Z")
What about if we… … …um… … Dammit **danceswithcats**! I can’t get _Hurricane Bukkake_ out of my head! ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-go-sista-sheila-jackson-lee-says-hurricane-names-are-racist-i-wanna-help/192441/50 "2003-08-03T01:35:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Guinastasia \* > \*\* > Why not something like, “Hurricane Adolf?” \*\* [slight hijack] My poor ex-stepgrandfather (yes, I really do have an ex-stepgrandfather, at least if he’s still alive) was a very nice man, and was also a German Jew with the very unfortunate name of Adolf. Nobody called him that, of course; for some odd reason, everyone called him Bunny. (Hurricane Bunny?) ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-go-sista-sheila-jackson-lee-says-hurricane-names-are-racist-i-wanna-help/192441/51 "2003-08-03T01:39:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by as\_u\_wish \* > What about Li or Wang? Hurricane _Wang_? Just think for a minute what that actually sounds like… ---
**Author:** ![fotosbyfrank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/54ee81/32.png) [@fotosbyfrank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fotosbyfrank)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-go-sista-sheila-jackson-lee-says-hurricane-names-are-racist-i-wanna-help/192441/52 "2003-08-03T03:40:05Z")
Hurricane Jesus Hurricane Julio Hurricane Juanita The problem with Hispanic hurricane names is that they all seem to start with “J” ---
**Author:** ![Satisfying\_Andy\_Licious](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/50afbb/32.png) [@Satisfying\_Andy\_Licious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satisfying_Andy_Licious)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-go-sista-sheila-jackson-lee-says-hurricane-names-are-racist-i-wanna-help/192441/53 "2003-08-03T04:59:45Z")
I know. Let’s name them after sports teams. Then we can have a headline that says “Yankees destroys Tampa Bay.” “Hurricane Redskins” would have the double advantage of fulfilling the racial quota and giving Sheila Jackson Lee a coronary. But “Hurricane Hurricanes” might cause some confusion. ---
**Author:** ![puc\_goalkeeper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7cd45c/32.png) [@puc\_goalkeeper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puc_goalkeeper)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-go-sista-sheila-jackson-lee-says-hurricane-names-are-racist-i-wanna-help/192441/54 "2011-09-15T08:28:16Z")
I know it is a bit late for this conversation, but I had to comment on how stupid this Congresswoman is. She needs to focus on important matters in her area rather than stupid sh_t like this. Really get a life and try to improve the lives of the people in Houston you stupid c_nt! ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 8:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-go-sista-sheila-jackson-lee-says-hurricane-names-are-racist-i-wanna-help/192441/55 "2011-09-15T08:34:43Z")
n/m zombie ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-go-sista-sheila-jackson-lee-says-hurricane-names-are-racist-i-wanna-help/192441/56 "2011-09-15T11:13:10Z")
We could have the A hurricane be a different spelling of Antoine every year! ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-go-sista-sheila-jackson-lee-says-hurricane-names-are-racist-i-wanna-help/192441/57 "2011-09-15T11:34:41Z")
FWIW, Sheila Jackson Lee’s still in office. One wonders how she would have reacted if Hurricane “Nnenna” (to pick a random African name) had devastated New Orleans in 2005 instead of “Katrina”. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-go-sista-sheila-jackson-lee-says-hurricane-names-are-racist-i-wanna-help/192441/58 "2011-09-15T12:15:01Z")
_Just_ [Nigerian baby names](http://www.motherlandnigeria.com/names.html) would make her brains explode, and there are some lovely and ironic names. Hurricane Salimah sounds good. “Safe, Sound and Healthy”. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-go-sista-sheila-jackson-lee-says-hurricane-names-are-racist-i-wanna-help/192441/59 "2011-09-15T12:32:17Z")
So I’m the only one here who doesn’t think it’s a bad idea to mix it up now and then? The subtle implication is that WASPy culture is the “default,” which is becoming demographically untrue, among other things. It does seem like they’ve pulled from a wider pool in upcoming years. Good on them. ---
**Author:** ![BwanaBob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bwanabob/32/2985_2.png) [@BwanaBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BwanaBob)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-go-sista-sheila-jackson-lee-says-hurricane-names-are-racist-i-wanna-help/192441/60 "2011-09-15T12:50:18Z")
Inclusiveness is fine. But the pattern is alternating male/female names which many of the posters who’ve proposed names seemed to have forgotten. BTW, typhoon names are Asian/Oceanian. Are we supposed to throw some Anglo names in their lists too? 😉 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-go-sista-sheila-jackson-lee-says-hurricane-names-are-racist-i-wanna-help/192441.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-go-sista-sheila-jackson-lee-says-hurricane-names-are-racist-i-wanna-help/192441.md?page=4)