That Guy In Libya

Muammar Qaddafi (CBS News)
Moammar Gaddafi (Washington Post)
Muammar el-Qaddafi (New York Times)
Moammar Gadhafi (Associated Press)
Muammar Gaddafi (Reuters, BBC, Al Jazeera)
Muammar al-Gaddafi (Wikipedia)
Mu’ammar Al-Qadhafi (US State Department)
Muammar Khaddafi (Xinhua)

Is the integrity / objectivity of journalism embodied in the ferociously fought war to not agree on an English spelling of that guy's name? Is it a game? Is it industry hubris, a lack of humility, or whaaa....?

This guy won American Media's Best Evil Arab Guy Award back in the late 1980's, & they couldn't figure it out then. Didn't anyone plan for the possibility that he would make it back into the headlines, & nail that one down?

I mean, the "q" key on the keyboard could use some more action, why not start there? Just throw "q" a bone, already.

Tags: antistar, east, middle

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Comment by Rotwang on March 19, 2011 at 9:33am: It's a metaphor. It shows how distant the muslim world is from ours. We can't even spell their names with our letters.

Comment by LeatherShorts on March 14, 2011 at 2:54pm: Robert Davi???

Comment by Buttermilk on March 4, 2011 at 8:17am: Your Mu-mar's so mean, he….(fill in the blank)

Comment by Ian Renga on February 25, 2011 at 10:02pm: The L.A. TImes is spelling it: Kadafi, which seems an entirely sensible way to spell it.

Comment by MacSpruce on February 23, 2011 at 8:19pm: Or with Gadaffi Duck

Comment by MacSpruce on February 23, 2011 at 8:18pm: Not to be confused with Qadaffi Duck

Comment by Gerhardguffaw on February 23, 2011 at 8:14pm: Actually, his last name is Smith, but Smith didn't sound evil enough. His news name was picked out of a hat by 4th grade student Sammy Stoltzfus, or Stoltsfuss, or Stoltzfoos, or Stolzfist, or Stolfisk, or...

Comment by MacSpruce on February 23, 2011 at 8:11pm: Bubba said: "I agree with the Q needing more action. Especially if it doesn't have to be chained to a U."

As a Scrabble addict, I rely heavily on qat, an amphetamine-like stimulant that's very popular in what's-his-name's part of the world. (Also handy as a Scrabble word.)

Also qi, the circulating life force whose existence and properties are the basis of much Chinese philosophy and medicine.

Comment by MacSpruce on February 23, 2011 at 8:02pm: Chuck said: "Must be tough for him to order a pizza."

Especially when he wants extra ketsup, or catchup, or ketchup, or catsup.

Comment by chuckkling on February 23, 2011 at 6:47pm: Must be tough for him to order a pizza.