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selowitch · Feb 11, 2007, 06:20 PM

Is Obama's first name taken from the Semitic word for "thunder" (baraq in Hebrew, barq in Arabic), or does it have another, different derivation? Anybody know?

BRussell · Feb 11, 2007, 06:34 PM

He has said it means blessed.

Chuckit · Feb 11, 2007, 06:59 PM

It's related to Hebrew barak (bless) rather than baraq (lightning). Barak happened to stay the same in both languages, whereas baraq became barq in Arabic.

selowitch · Feb 11, 2007, 07:10 PM

Originally Posted by Chuckit

It's related to Hebrew barak (bless) rather than baraq (lightning). Barak happened to stay the same in both languages, whereas baraq became barq in Arabic.

Aha, that makes sense. Berakhah in Hebrew and barakah in Arabic mean blessing, which are cognate to the Swahili word of roughly the same meaning. Interesting!

ort888 · Feb 11, 2007, 08:03 PM

I thought he was named after the Mortal Kombat character?

Nebagakid · Feb 11, 2007, 09:52 PM

OH MAN it really matters because as well as know someone's name totally defines who they are as a person. That is why Shats McGee will always be a janitor... it's just a name.

selowitch · Feb 11, 2007, 10:07 PM

Originally Posted by Nebagakid

OH MAN it really matters because as well as know someone's name totally defines who they are as a person. That is why Shats McGee will always be a janitor... it's just a name.

Wow, aren't we a nasty troll. Spoken like someone whose first name is Ichabod or Quimby! Nobody's arguing its importance, friend. For my part, I started the thread because I was curious. You got a problem with that?

::maroma:: · Feb 12, 2007, 10:40 AM

Originally Posted by Nebagakid

OH MAN it really matters because as well as know someone's name totally defines who they are as a person. That is why Shats McGee will always be a janitor... it's just a name.

Damn dude, I don't think anyone in this thread implied that his name makes who he is. What's your problem?

Chuckit · Feb 12, 2007, 10:48 AM

Originally Posted by Nebagakid

OH MAN it really matters because as well as know someone's name totally defines who they are as a person. That is why Shats McGee will always be a janitor... it's just a name.

Hi, Mortimer!

MindFad · Feb 12, 2007, 10:50 AM

Originally Posted by Nebagakid

OH MAN it really matters because as well as know someone's name totally defines who they are as a person. That is why Shats McGee will always be a janitor... it's just a name.

Oisín · Feb 12, 2007, 10:51 AM

Um... who is Obama?

selowitch · Feb 12, 2007, 10:55 AM

On another note, I find it very interesting that the right wing seems bent on exploiting Obama's middle name, Hussein, as a way of trying to paint him as disloyal, linked somehow to Saddam Hussein, or to give weight to the totally false rumor that he attended a radical madrasah (an Islamic religious school) while living in Indonesia. If Nebagakid is right about one thing, it's that the fact of Obama's middle name being Hussein is virtually meaningless in a political context.

Hussein is an extremely common Arabic name that is held by literally hundreds of thousands of Muslims worldwide. Interestingly, Obama's mostly absent father who gave him that name was a virtual athiest, not at all a believing Muslim.

Originally Posted by Oisín

Um... who is Obama?

Here's one source. He's a U.S. Senator from Illinois who recently announced that he is running for President.

::maroma:: · Feb 12, 2007, 11:26 AM

Its going to be pretty disturbing to watch the 2008 Presidential race. We're going to see what will probably be the nastiest campaign ever. Obama will be raked through the coals, with every sickeningly ridiculous attack conceivable thrown at him. It will be ugly. Prepare yourselves.

bstone · Feb 12, 2007, 11:45 AM

Barak is a Biblical name, from Judges. He was an assistant of Devorah (Deborah).

selowitch · 01:22 PM

Originally Posted by ::maroma::

Its going to be pretty disturbing to watch the 2008 Presidential race. We're going to see what will probably be the nastiest campaign ever. Obama will be raked through the coals, with every sickeningly ridiculous attack conceivable thrown at him. It will be ugly. Prepare yourselves.

You may be right. The key thing in that case is to punish those who engage in ridiculously negative campaigning ... by not voting for them! Everybody keeps complaining about how badly our politicians behave, but that begs the obvious question: Who put them there in the first place? We have only ourselves to blame for the poor quality of our elected officials.

Originally Posted by bstone

Barak is a Biblical name, from Judges. He was an assistant of Devorah (Deborah).

Yes. But apparently that's not the derivation of Obama's first name. ברק is the Hebrew name of the biblical character to whom you refer (and in Arabic, it would be برق), while Mr. Obama's first name is related to ברך (or برك in Arabic). A difference of one letter, but an important one! Unfortunately, I know next to nothing about the Swahili language itself.

Jawbone54 · Feb 12, 2007, 01:54 PM

Barak is Aramaic for "Yeah right, he's actually running for Hillary's VP."

selowitch · Feb 12, 2007, 01:58 PM

Originally Posted by Jawbone54

Barak is Aramaic for "Yeah right, he's actually running for Hillary's VP."

ROTFL

spacefreak · Feb 13, 2007, 12:00 PM

Originally Posted by selowitch

On another note, I find it very interesting that the right wing seems bent on exploiting Obama's middle name, Hussein, as a way of trying to paint him as disloyal, linked somehow to Saddam Hussein, or to give weight to the totally false rumor that he attended a radical madrasah (an Islamic religious school) while living in Indonesia.

Barack Hussein Obama hasn't even won the Democratic nomination yet. The only ones to gain from any "exploiting" are his Democratic opponents.

It funny to see whiny Democrats accusing Republicans of revelaling a Presidential candidate's last name, as if that were not the norm with the race for top office. We know Hillary's middle name (Rodham), as well as her husband (Jefferson). There's George Walker Bush, (and his dad, George Herbert Walker Bush), Ronald Wilson Reagan, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Jimmy Earl Carter, Richard Milhous Nixon, etc.

But say Obama's middle name, and liberals go into a frenzy. Funny stuff.

::maroma:: · Feb 13, 2007, 12:08 PM

Originally Posted by spacefreak

Barack Hussein Obama hasn't even won the Democratic nomination yet. The only ones to gain from any "exploiting" are his Democratic opponents.

It funny to see whiny Democrats accusing Republicans of revelaling a Presidential candidate's last name, as if that were not the norm with the race for top office. We know Hillary's middle name (Rodham), as well as her husband (Jefferson). There's George Walker Bush, (and his dad, George Herbert Walker Bush), Ronald Wilson Reagan, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Jimmy Earl Carter, Richard Milhous Nixon, etc.

But say Obama's middle name, and liberals go into a frenzy. Funny stuff.

Its not about simply knowing the middle name, its about making that middle name a topic of discussion and implying a sort of criticism based solely on a middle name that evokes someone else's name. Its a sickening display, and I don't care what side its coming from, its immature and wrong. Don't try to put it all on the liberals, its the conservatives who make this stuff "news".

And believe me, the Republicans are just as frightened of Obama, even though he hasn't even won any sort of nomination, as his Democratic opponents. There's no other reason FOX News would be running stories criticizing him and his friggin name.

tiffer17 · Feb 13, 2007, 12:34 PM

Originally Posted by spacefreak

Barack Hussein Obama hasn't even won the Democratic nomination yet. The only ones to gain from any "exploiting" are his Democratic opponents.

It funny to see whiny Democrats accusing Republicans of revelaling a Presidential candidate's last name, as if that were not the norm with the race for top office. We know Hillary's middle name (Rodham), as well as her husband (Jefferson). There's George Walker Bush, (and his dad, George Herbert Walker Bush), Ronald Wilson Reagan, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Jimmy Earl Carter, Richard Milhous Nixon, etc.

But say Obama's middle name, and liberals go into a frenzy. Funny stuff.

Not to nitpick, but isn't Rodham Hillary's maiden name, rather than her middle name?

::maroma:: · Feb 13, 2007, 12:36 PM

Originally Posted by tiffer17

Not to nitpick, but isn't Rodham Hillary's maiden name, rather than her middle name?

Yes, but its technically her middle name now. Her full legal name is Hillary Rodham Clinton. (unless she has other names in there somewhere)

tiffer17 · Feb 13, 2007, 12:44 PM

Originally Posted by ::maroma::

Yes, but its technically her middle name now. Her full legal name is Hillary Rodham Clinton. (unless she has other names in there somewhere)

Huh, I didn't know that.

Back on topic:
I get extremely irritated with my crazy uncle who insists on calling Obama "Barak Obama bin Laden." It's entirely juvenile.

Kevin · Feb 13, 2007, 12:59 PM

Originally Posted by ::maroma::

And believe me, the Republicans are just as frightened of Obama

We are?

::maroma:: · Feb 13, 2007, 01:09 PM

Originally Posted by Kevin

We are?

Yeah, just as frightened as us liberals (which means only a select few of both conservatives and liberals). Gotta know where I'm comin from buddy.

Kevin · Feb 13, 2007, 03:42 PM

Who are the liberals frightened of? It seems they are pretty darn confident in their candidate. That is until after the elections.

::maroma:: · Feb 13, 2007, 04:33 PM

Originally Posted by Kevin

Who are the liberals frightened of? It seems they are pretty darn confident in their candidate. That is until after the elections.

I'm referring to those Democrats who are running against him for the nomination. They are scared, there's no doubt. I mean Hillary was the top dog until Obama decided to enter the race. Now she's got a big fight ahead of her. But most libs are excited for him.

Kevin · Feb 13, 2007, 04:48 PM

Originally Posted by ::maroma::

I'm referring to those Democrats who are running against him for the nomination. They are scared, there's no doubt. I mean Hillary was the top dog until Obama decided to enter the race. Now she's got a big fight ahead of her. But most libs are excited for him.

Oh yeah.. I saw that on today's news.

"Hollywood" is even ditching Hillary.

Maybe they learned their mistakes of last year. Not that Obama is all that electable.

selowitch · Feb 13, 2007, 05:03 PM

Originally Posted by spacefreak

Barack Hussein Obama hasn't even won the Democratic nomination yet. The only ones to gain from any "exploiting" are his Democratic opponents.

It funny to see whiny Democrats accusing Republicans of revelaling a Presidential candidate's last name, as if that were not the norm with the race for top office. We know Hillary's middle name (Rodham), as well as her husband (Jefferson). There's George Walker Bush, (and his dad, George Herbert Walker Bush), Ronald Wilson Reagan, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Jimmy Earl Carter, Richard Milhous Nixon, etc.

But say Obama's middle name, and liberals go into a frenzy. Funny stuff.

In typical Republican fashion, you've portrayed the facts exactly backwards, in the hope that some fool will buy it.

We're not "accusing Republicans of revealing [someone's] last name" as you claim; we're accusing them of mockingly and derisively using that person's middle name. And that accusation sticks because it is 100% accurate. Just ask Sean Hannity, he'll tell you.

Kevin · Feb 13, 2007, 05:05 PM

No selowitch those that are in comp with him on the left ARE going after him. That isn't backwards.

Originally Posted by ::maroma::

I'm referring to those Democrats who are running against him for the nomination. They are scared, there's no doubt. I mean Hillary was the top dog until Obama decided to enter the race. Now she's got a big fight ahead of her. But most libs are excited for him.

I guess maroma is a right wing shill too?

::maroma:: · Feb 13, 2007, 05:15 PM

Originally Posted by Kevin

No selowitch those that are in comp with him on the left ARE going after him. That isn't backwards.

I guess maroma is a right wing shill too?

Hey I resemble that remark!

er, respect it.

er, wait, what side of the scale am I on again?

SVass · Feb 14, 2007, 02:22 PM

A minor nit:
Western European Christians assign a woman's father's cognomen as her middle name. European Jews used to use "son of" or "daughter of" and I believe that Arabs did something similar. The rest of the world has its own idiosyncracies. If you must watch Faux News, view it through a Jon Stewart filter. sam

besson3c · Feb 14, 2007, 04:40 PM

My name is besson3c.

Eriamjh · Feb 14, 2007, 08:30 PM

Obama means "I'm gonna lose my ass to Hilary."

driven · Feb 14, 2007, 09:22 PM

Originally Posted by ::maroma::

Its not about simply knowing the middle name, its about making that middle name a topic of discussion and implying a sort of criticism based solely on a middle name that evokes someone else's name. Its a sickening display, and I don't care what side its coming from, its immature and wrong. Don't try to put it all on the liberals, its the conservatives who make this stuff "news".

And believe me, the Republicans are just as frightened of Obama, even though he hasn't even won any sort of nomination, as his Democratic opponents. There's no other reason FOX News would be running stories criticizing him and his friggin name.

I wouldn't be worried. A 1 term senator .... he's pretty green and shows it at times. He might be "the guy" .... but he's not "the guy for this election". If the dems don't eat his pants in the primary, the GOP will in a general election.

Kevin · Feb 16, 2007, 08:42 AM

Originally Posted by Eriamjh

Obama means "I'm gonna lose my ass to Hilary."

Not with BIG NAME Hollywood backing Obama! Either way if Rudy gets in, neither will have a chance.

KeyLimePi · Feb 16, 2007, 12:54 PM

What he needs is for Hillary to be caught up in a sex scandal.

Obama won both the primary and the general election after both his opponents were implicated in domestic abuse/sex scandals (mmm....Jeri Ryan....)