Imerica: "...if everytime someone name a child Chaim (of which I'm sure there are hundreds of thousands in the Jewish community)...but everytime said child went to school, people likened him to Chaim Ben Pechach (sp?) , a man who spent time in jail for something horrible..."
Chaim Ben Pesach indeed spent time in jail because he broke the law and was apprehended by the police.
However, he did absolutely nothing wrong; quite the contrary.
As far as the little kid named Obama, he's definitely between a rock and a hard place.
But...let's face it...did you ever hear of any schoolkids in either America, Canada, or the UK during World War II named Adolph Hitler?
I rest my case...the stupid idiot parents should either force him to be known only by an American sounding nickname, or change his name to Sam and be done with it.
This is America, not Sudan.
We don't name our children after megalomanical mass-murderers here, nor do we make up names for our children so ridiculous as to ensure that their lives are ruined before they ever get a chance to live them.
Jews in particular are renowned throughout the Western world for changing their names to a more "gentile" sounding appellation, in an attempt to be accepted by their host populations. Because of this tendency, some gentiles hold Jews in derision for "trying to hide their Jewishness", etc. . However, in the context of a grateful people who truly desire to "fit in" and "be accepted" by a majority culture different from their own (and, more often that not, a culture quite advanced and offering wonderful opportunities for education and work), this desire for a degree of assimmilation should be honored rather than held in ridicule.
The parents of the young Obama should either "get with the program", or get on the next banana boat out headed back from whence they came.
As for the mulatto currently running for President, he should immediately go down to the courthouse and change his name to something civilized like "Obediah" or simply "O.B.".
and now...some humor
The Judge, staring down over his spectacles at the nervous man in the courtroom below him, intoned...
"...Well, Sir...your attorney has all of your paperwork and forms in good order, so I see no reason why the Court will not grant your request for a change of name"...
"...Let's see now...you desire to change your name from Joe Schitz...to SAM Schitz!?"...
"Is that correct?"
"Yes, Your Honor."
"...Just one question, if I may, Sir..."
"Why in the world, would you want to change your name from JOE Schitz...to SAM Schitz?!?"...."That just seems to make no sense to me!"...
"Well, Your Honor,"..."it's like this"...
"I'M SICK AND TIRED OF EVERYBODY I KNOW SAYING ""HEY JOE!...WHAT DO YA' KNOW?"