A couple from New York City has come up with what they regard as a clever scam for collecting a half million dollars -- at their baby's expense. They are offering to sell the naming rights to their baby! This practice ought to be outlawed.
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Jason Black and Frances Schroeder are offering to sell the naming rights to their son, who was born in the past few days. They want a half million dollars to name their son after a consumer product or corporate name. For more background on this controversy, click here to read a CNN story about this matter.
This kind of practice should be outlawed. If either of the parents want to sell the naming rights to themselves, that's one thing, but they shouldn't be allowed to sell the naming rights of someone who does not have the ability to object.
Besides, what happens if the kid becomes a teenager and decides to get even for the naming fiasco but badmouthing the product? "I hate Product X. It's the worst product that has ever been created by any company. It doesn't work. It tastes awful. Don't ever buy or use Product X. Furthermore, don't ever call me by that name. From now on, call me by this other name."
Unlike my friends, the atheists in New Jersey, I'm not going to issue a news release complaining about the practice or picket the hospital where the baby was born. Rather, I will lead the way for the rights of children in this matter by contacting, today, the offices of my state representative, my state senator, my representative in Congress and my two United States Senators to request that each sponsor legislation that would ban such a thing from ever happening again. I will also contact the governor of my state and the guy who lives in the White House to ask that they support such legislation. Congress is likely to say that this is a matter for the states, but they could still pass a "Sense of the Congress" resolution condemning the practice. Such a resolution would encourage states to adopt laws banning the practice, while having a chilling effect on any company that might consider entering into such a relationship with a family.
I'll let you know what they say.
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