Opinion: Barack Obama’s supporters take on ‘Hussein’ as a show of solidarity

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Whether they’re mixing music videos or picking up cans of spray paint, Barack Obama’s supporters are known for expressing their devotion to the nominee with unusual gestures.

Now comes news of a new one: Hundreds of Obamaphiles on Facebook have added ‘Hussein’ as their middle name on the site to show solidarity with the Democratic presidential nominee (whose middle name is actually Hussein).

Gina Levy, a filmmaker in Los Angeles, is one of them. The name on her Facebook profile now reads ‘Gina Hussein Levy.’

Levy made the switch to take a stand against people who associate the Illinois senator with terrorists because of his name. ‘I thought it was a fun, unique way to stand against bigotry,’ she told The Times.

A number of groups have sprouted up in support of the trend (‘I’m changing my Facebook middle name to Hussein,’ ‘Support Obama – Add Hussein as your middle name to protest misconceptions’) as well as groups against it (‘Saying Barack’s middle name is ‘Hussein’ doesn’t make you a racist’).

L.A. Times reporter Alana Semuels has more on the movement -- as well as the responses to it -- over at our technology blog.

-- Kate Linthicum