Here’s one of those wacky news stories (although I find it more disturbing than funny).
Some couple in New Jersey named their son Adolf Hitler Campbell. He is joined by his sisters Arian Nation Campbell and, little Honszlynn Hinler Jeannie Campbell. Last year this family got national attention when they attempted to get little Adolf Hitler a birthday cake. Their local bakery refused to print “Happy Birthday Adolf Hitler” on the cake (they ended up taking their business to Walmart). Apparently, they originally had asked for the cake to also be adorned with a swastika. It was reported that the family’s house is decorated throughout with Nazi Germany memorabilia and swastikas. This in combination with the names of the children is fairly disturbing. I don’t necessarily know where I stand on whether the name itself is child abuse but I would say that there is a fairly good chance that someone who would name their children this has white supremacist tendencies (to put it lightly) and that sadly translates into teaching your children intolerance. However, the poor kid deserves a birthday cake with his name on it. Think about it. The kid doesn’t know the history of his name…yet. He just wants a birthday cake! It’s just so sad that his parents named him after a much hated genocidal dictator.
The parents claim they named their children these names because they liked the names and “because no one else in the world would have that name.” Ummmmm, yeeeahhhh there’s good reason for this! I also find it hard to believe that is the reason. You could always name your kid Nhoj Mahsirg and I’d be willing to bet no one else in the world would have that name either. I feel this was more of a social statement, or at the very least a situation of naming your child after someone you idol (there are actually babies named Britney Spears out there). I find this disturbing. I’m all for free speech but I don’t think it’s fair to your child to name them after a genocidal dictator, just because you want to be different. If Adolf Hitler is such a great name, go down to City Hall and change your own damn name to Adolf Hitler, but leave your kid out of it.
A few weeks after the story broke, the children were taken away from their parents by the state and put into child protective custody. An interesting part of this news story was the comments, where a wild debate about free speech raged. Many people seem to believe that the children were removed from their parents because of their names. Now, the state doesn’t have the right to remove children because of their names. Buuuuuut, I’m willing to bet that if you’re naming your kids Adolf Hitler and Aryan Nation, the state might have their eye on you for other reasons. Just a guess.There is obviously more to this story, but I can’t seem to find out what has happened to these children since the original story broke a year ago. Are they back with their parents? Why were they taken away in the first place? Well, wherever they are, I hope they are safe and happy and well-cared for.
Update: I wonder what the German Standesamt would think of this since they have to approve all baby names in Germany. Also…why the hell did the parents want the name “Adolf Hitler” on the cake? Why not just “Adolf”? Further proof they were using their son to get a reaction and make a statement perhaps? I hope not.
