The children have named the kitten

[CornField]

She is totally black -- not a spot of white anywhere on her. She's also mostly a lap cat and is perfectly content to be wrapped in a blanket or placed in a doll baby stroller. Like all kittens, she loves string, ribbons, catnip, milk rings and foil balls. Unlike other cats, she's a scary thing. That is, if there is a loud or unusual noise, her hair will stand on end and she'll seek shelter in the nearest lap.

About 10 minutes ago, I was called to the table and told the children have elected to name her "Spook" -- I swear I didn't raise my children to be racist. :cry: How did this happen?

[RPM]

1. maybe they don't know the negative connotation...

if thats how you raised them

:-)

or do they know

:-(

On edit - I hope its the former

[WindRavenX]

2. probably picked it up from other kids

I have no doubt that you're an awesome mom who's made damn sure not to let racism creep into your home :hug:
Use this as a lesson...tell them why "Spook" is NOT acceptable.

[Maat]

3. Maybe they meant something different than what you assumed.

Couldn't a black spook be a ghost that one couldn't see in the dark? Or am I just being naive. No offense. I certainly have never been a racist, and just have never used the term. Maybe your kids just meant something else.

I know you're a good mom! Eh...this is one where I'd say, 'Next suggestion!'

[roguevalley]

4. A few years ago, spook where I came from meant ghost.

I've heard this used as a racist word but it could be that they meant it as a ghost name. Ask them, honey.

[sadinred]

5. We have an all black cat and my husband wanted to

name him Blackie. I refused, not sure that that name would even have been considered racist but I didn't want to take the chance. His name is Sweet Pea now, and everyone thinks he's a girl. (But that's a whole different issue!)

I wonder though: Names are only racist because of their history. Maybe if we stop fearing them they will cease to hold racist connotation. Maybe, in this line of thought, Spook would only mean a spooky Halloween cat.

:shrug:

[mairceridwen]

7. sweet pea is a nice name

my cat's name is cleo

[CornField]

9. The kitten's mom is Cleo (short for Cleopestra) LOL!

[mairceridwen]

6. Spook

seems like such an old-school word that I think many kids wouldn't even know about it...kind of like kike for jews.

Blackie isn't so bad either because it's literal.


Did you ever read *Everything is Illuminated* There was a dog in there called Sammy Davis Junior Jr. and when the dog's owner found out that he was a jew, he freaked out and changed the name. Excellent book. I highly recommend it.

[CornField]

8. Okay -- clarification from the oldest

They wanted to name her "scary" because of how she acts, but thought that wasn't a good name. The girls thought "spaz" would be cute, but the 2-year-old couldn't say it well. So, the next word they came up with was "spook" (as in, she got 'spooked' by the noise).

I'm happy to know it wasn't racially motivated, but it still sounds like it. What do you think of "Spooky" as an alternative? Any other suggestions?

[Radical Activist]

22. That's what I thought of...

I'm 27 and I've never heard that term used as a racial slur. It must be a generational thing that grew outdated. Why not Fraidy? As in fraidy cat?

[Pithlet]

10. My sister has a black cat named Spooks

Because of Halloween. There may not have been any racist intent behind it. You could explain to them why it isn't a good name because others may not know their intent on choosing the name.

[ZoCrowes]

11. Wow

I'm a southern cracker and I've never heard the word "spook" to be used in a racist way. Just makes me think of Halloween. Like the word spooky.

Now if they wanted to call the cat Darkie or something along those lines I would make some objections.

[peekaloo]

12. don't fret, the kitty may be CIA.

:dunce:

[NV Whino]

13. Spook or spooky for a black cat

is sort of common. It has to do with Halloween and scary and all that, just what your children told you.

I have a black cat whom I named Boston. Are there any on this thread to catch the connection?

[TheMightyFavog]

15. Boston Blackie?

End of Line.

[NV Whino]

24. Yep

[TheMightyFavog]

14. My black kitty back home is named Spook.

We named him that because as a young kitten he spooked easily.

Here's a picture of Spook I took about a month ago. He was born in April.

[joeybee12]

23. Awwwwwwww! We had two black cats when I was growing up, my next

one will be black. My two now are named Scarlet and Melanie, and I'll name the black one Mammy! Talk about racist!

Actually, I decided I should name her Prissy instead, and most people won't get the connection.

[CatBoreal]

16. Didn't know...

...Spook had racist conotations.

Crud!

BTW, call me woman! I miss you!

[CornField]

18. Hey you!!

I need to phone you -- tomorrow?

[CatBoreal]

20. I'll be home!

MWAH!! Yay! Something to look forward to!

[joeybee12]

17. Name her "Yudi" That's Lithuanian for black

We had such a cat when I was growing up.

[CornField]

19. I like that

Do you pronounce it 'You-Dee'?

[joeybee12]

25. U-dee is closer. That way, people will ask what the name is, you can

tell them, and they'll think you're so clever!

BTW, you've gotta post some pix of the kitty soon!

[StrongbadTehAwesome]

21. I didn't know that was a racist term, either.

After reading the thread, I think "Spooky" might be a good compromise.

[Solon]

26. I'm 26 and the only reason I know Spook was used as a racist slur...

was from the movie Back to the Future Part 1, the scene where Michael J. Fox is stuck in the trunk of the '50s swing band's car.

[Sporadicus]

27. I Had a Black Cat as a Child that I Named Midnight

My sister preferred to call him 'Inky Poo.' Racial connotations didn't occur to either one of us. Some time years later I read an article condemning the name of an African American vocal group, The Ink Spots, as a throwback to minstrel shows and obsequious Uncle Tomism. Even later I watched the movie 'Sneakers,' starring Robert Redford. When the sneakers get captured by fascistic government agents, one of them refers to Sidney Poitier as 'Midnight.' I had never heard either term used as a slur until those particular times, and I still don't know whether they were in common usage in that manner. My sister and I later discussed the names we gave our cat and negative associations with it. We both came to the conclusion that racists will never run out of words with which to label and condemn. If we were to scrupulously avoid using every word ever demonized by racists, doesn't that empower them to censor our speech? They would then use different words to express their hatred and start the cycle over again. I believe that you and your children are justified in calling your kitty 'Spook.' If you can't abide by that name, you may be hard pressed to find another name for a black cat that hasn't already been hijacked by racists at one time or another x(

[yellowdogintexas]

28. My totally black cat is named Clark ..because we already had

Lewis and somebody had to be Clark. Seriously
I wanted to name him "Slick" after the nickname Tommy Lee Jones gave Will Smith in "Men in Black" ..and because he is shiny like an oil slick, and my husband is an oil geologist..and so on and so on.

My daughter and husband did not want to name him Slick, or Coalie, or Ace, or Jet or anything that actually was obvious for a black cat. So we got Clark.


I actually have heard the term "spook" used in a racial sense, but not nearly as often as other things and definitely not as often as I have heard the word used in the espionage sense.

Your cat is definitely CIA ...

[Kire]

30. my Hermit crabs were named Hefty and Wimpy

after the Glad bag commercials in the '80s

hefty died first, though

[KC]

29. I like

the name Sparky for a black kitty.

KC