RSS 2.0 FeedLibertarianism & Children’s Names
by Brad WarbianyQuite a while ago at The Unrepentant Individual, I wrote a post entitled Libertarianism: The Problem of Children. In that post, I posit that Libertarianism as a moral philosophy has a distinct issue to deal with in the way we deal with kids. We understand that we treat adults like rational actors who need to accept and handle the consequences of their actions on their own. But we can’t treat kids like rational actors, and that creates a quandary. The line at the margin between parents exercising control over their kids which we may disagree with, and parents engaging in what we might call abuse, is somewhat fuzzy.
So here’s a toss-up. What position should libertarians take on this?
Couple fights to name baby ‘Metallica’
Metallica may be a cool name for a heavy metal band, but a Swedish couple is struggling to convince officials it is also suitable for a baby girl.
Michael and Karolina Tomaro are locked in a court battle with Swedish authorities, which rejected their application to name their six-month-old child after the legendary rock band.
“It suits her,” Karolina Tomaro, 27, said Tuesday of the name. “She’s decisive and she knows what she wants.”
Although little Metallica has already been baptized, the Swedish National Tax Board refused to register the name, saying it was associated with both the rock group and the word “metal.”
Tomaro said the official handling the case also called the name “ugly.”
There’s two issues at work here. Do the parents who name their child Metallica have their child’s best interests at heart? Are they actually causing their child harm by doing so? On the flip side, should the state have the ability to step in and deny their right to name their child?
Both sides here seem wrong to me. What do you think?
I think the courts are flat wrong as they have zero right to interfere with this sort of decision. This is a clearly an instance of “give a bureaucrat an inch and they’ll take your life”.
I think the parents are merely stupid but luckily the kid can apply for a name change when she reaches adulthood if she chooses. In the meantime, if the name bothers her, she can make up a new name and introduce herself by that one.
Will it cause harm to the kid? Perhaps, but parents also name their kids “Gertrude” and “Percy” and other problematic names that people somehow survive.
Comment by keylime — April 3, 2007 @ 11:08 pmIts a no-brainer that it is none of the government’s business what they name the kid. And Brad, where do you get the idea that giving the kid the name Metallica is not in the kids best interest? Ever heard of a guy named Elvis? Come to think of it, Jesus Christ is a strange name for a kid, too.
Comment by John Newman — April 4, 2007 @ 8:21 amWell, Christ is a title, not a name. It would be pretty presumptive of Jesus’ parents to name him “Messiah” in a language they didn’t speak.
What was the first name that wasn’t stupid?
- Josh
Comment by Wild Pegasus — April 4, 2007 @ 1:39 pmSo the name you desire for your child must pass the arbitrary filter of some government official? Would the government of Sweden deny the parents if they wished to name the child ABBA?
Surely, they have something better to do, right?
Comment by trav.is — April 4, 2007 @ 2:28 pmIn the Jackson family there is a child named ‘Germajesty’, and then you have ‘Apple’ from Gwyneth Paltrow. They can get by with these absurd names because they are famous, no one questions why they would want to put their kids through life with a crappy name that is just asking to get them teased. The Swedish Gov. should have no say, but that is what they do there. They don’t even like American names, they want Swedish names. Would I name my kid Metallica? No, but these parents should have the right to. If nothing else, make it a middle name and call her that instead of going to court over it.
Comment by Aimee — April 4, 2007 @ 3:03 pmThe government is wrong. They have no business in picking out names. I wouldn’t name my kid Metallica but it does no harm to me if someone else names their kid Metallica.
Comment by tkc — April 4, 2007 @ 6:03 pmWhat was the first name that wasn’t stupid?
I would have guessed ‘Adam’ since it was the first name.
Comment by John Newman — April 4, 2007 @ 6:17 pmI think we can all agree that the government should have no say in this matter, as in any matter. A name is just a name……the child can change the name when he or she wants to.
Why is the government even in this business? It’s the same thing with marriage. Being for or against gay marriage is regardless to the point. The government shouldn’t even be in the business of marriage. Same with names, numbers, ect.
Comment by Joshua Zachariah — April 6, 2007 @ 12:43 pm