# 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:** 12\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-go-sista-sheila-jackson-lee-says-hurricane-names-are-racist-i-wanna-help/192441/61 "2011-09-15T13:43:51Z")
> [@even\_sven](#): > > 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. > . Given that hurricanes aren’t a specifically American phenomenon, those names aren’t chosen by an US authority, but by some intertional body of meteorologists or something similar. So US culture and demographics are irrelevant. ---
**Author:** ![Namkcalb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c89c15/32.png) [@Namkcalb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Namkcalb)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-go-sista-sheila-jackson-lee-says-hurricane-names-are-racist-i-wanna-help/192441/62 "2011-09-15T13:49:45Z")
> [@fotosbyfrank](#): > > Hurricane Jesus > > Hurricane Julio > > Hurricane Juanita > > The problem with Hispanic hurricane names is that they all seem to start with “J” Don’t you mean an ‘H’ ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-go-sista-sheila-jackson-lee-says-hurricane-names-are-racist-i-wanna-help/192441/63 "2011-09-15T14:34:29Z")
> [@puc\_goalkeeper](#): > > I know it is a bit late for this conversation . . . Gee, do you think? We eagerly await your opinion on the Alien and Sedition Acts. ---
**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, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-go-sista-sheila-jackson-lee-says-hurricane-names-are-racist-i-wanna-help/192441/64 "2011-09-15T15:06:20Z")
> [@clairobscur](#): > > Given that hurricanes aren’t a specifically American phenomenon, those names aren’t chosen by an US authority, but by some intertional body of meteorologists or something similar. So US culture and demographics are irrelevant. Eh, the idea that “vaguely Anglo is the default” is not an exclusively US phenomena. Look at how many countries happily consume blond haired blue eyed babies dolls despite not being particularly blond haired and blue eyed. My point is that the previous hurricane names were “ethnic” names. Bob and Susan are equally as “ethnic” as Jamal and Xiao-Li. Given that the ethnicity and culture referenced by the names doesn’t really have much to do with hurricanes (it’s not like hurricanes come from Manchester or primarily strike Brighton) it is a little weird. Why not change it? It’s not like it costs more money to write “Julio” rather than “Jacob.” ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-go-sista-sheila-jackson-lee-says-hurricane-names-are-racist-i-wanna-help/192441/65 "2011-09-15T16:42:35Z")
> [@Ringo](#): > > This is not too much of a surprise. Sheila is my Congressional Representative. She motivates me to vote. She’s a clown, and has been for years. Lord only knows why her constituents continue to vote her in- she’s an idiot, and a loudmouth. Of course, at the risk of sounding racist, it seems that in predominantly black electoral districts, being black, a loudmouth and racist on behalf of black people will get you elected, regardless of actual competence. It worked for John Wiley Price in Dallas and Sheila Jackson Lee in Houston, and Ray Nagin in New Orleans. ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-go-sista-sheila-jackson-lee-says-hurricane-names-are-racist-i-wanna-help/192441/66 "2011-09-15T19:35:04Z")
> [@even\_sven](#): > > Eh, the idea that “vaguely Anglo is the default” is not an exclusively US phenomena. Look at how many countries happily consume blond haired blue eyed babies dolls despite not being particularly blond haired and blue eyed. > > My point is that the previous hurricane names were “ethnic” names. Bob and Susan are equally as “ethnic” as Jamal and Xiao-Li. > > Given that the ethnicity and culture referenced by the names doesn’t really have much to do with hurricanes (it’s not like hurricanes come from Manchester or primarily strike Brighton) it is a little weird. Why not change it? It’s not like it costs more money to write “Julio” rather than “Jacob.” We’ve already had Tropical Storm Jose this year, and the first one next year will be Alberto. The fifth is Ernesto. ---
**Author:** ![Toucanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3bc359/32.png) [@Toucanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toucanna)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-go-sista-sheila-jackson-lee-says-hurricane-names-are-racist-i-wanna-help/192441/67 "2011-09-15T20:11:08Z")
Late to the party–again!–but I nominate “Condoleezza”. ---
**Author:** ![Teufelblitz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@Teufelblitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teufelblitz)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-go-sista-sheila-jackson-lee-says-hurricane-names-are-racist-i-wanna-help/192441/68 "2011-09-15T20:45:08Z")
I think we should stop giving them human names entirely. Hurricane House Mangler or Hurricane Gator Flinger would be far more likely to get get people to evacuate. And imagine the irony if they petered out at the last second. ---
**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 16, 2011, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-go-sista-sheila-jackson-lee-says-hurricane-names-are-racist-i-wanna-help/192441/69 "2011-09-16T11:49:04Z")
" Tropical Storm Petered Out has petered out. In other news, Generalissimo Francisco Franco is still dead. Good night, and have a pleasant tomorrow. " 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2011, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-go-sista-sheila-jackson-lee-says-hurricane-names-are-racist-i-wanna-help/192441/70 "2011-09-16T12:19:37Z")
Hurricane Carter might cut it. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2011, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-go-sista-sheila-jackson-lee-says-hurricane-names-are-racist-i-wanna-help/192441/71 "2011-09-16T12:46:53Z")
I’m going to very heavily paraphrase Lewis Black here, but the gist of the joke remains: “Hurricane names should inspire fear, and dread! What the hell kind of name for a hurricane is Katrina? That doesn’t scare anybody! How about we name the next hurricane Hurricane _ **JESUS H CHRIST ON A STICK!** _! Or Hurricane _Ho~ly Fuck!_.” ---
**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 16, 2011, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-go-sista-sheila-jackson-lee-says-hurricane-names-are-racist-i-wanna-help/192441/72 "2011-09-16T13:48:27Z")
> [@Cicero](#): > > Hurricane Carter might cut it. \<------ belly laugh. Brilliant ! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-go-sista-sheila-jackson-lee-says-hurricane-names-are-racist-i-wanna-help/192441.md?page=3)