Especially when spelling someone's name.
There was a diary published the other day that misspelled the name of a victim of a horrendous police assault. Readers suggested the diarist correct the spelling of the name which appeared in the first sentence of the diary. And even after people had looked up the name and provided the correct spelling the diarist refused to change it, claiming that it was an unimportant detail.
But names are important. They always have been. Google "name meaning" and you will get over 97 million results. There is a philosophy centered on how your name shapes your life. (Really.) And there is a "Neimology™ Science" that is yes, trademarked. Expectant parents spend hours poring over name lists and meanings hoping to pick exactly the right name for their child.
Surnames tell us our history. For African Americans they can tell us more:
With the abolition of slavery, many black people had the opportunity to start their life anew and choose their own surname. While it is true that some adopted the name of their former owners, this was not always the case. For example, some chose surnames based on their occupation, while others used names of prominent local and national figures. Other surnames were based on family members’ given names, or even the name of a nearby town or place.
(Interestingly, that quote was co-written by Henry Louis Gates, Jr. Yes,
that Henry Louis Gates, Jr.)
In Haiti, the blacks did not have to wait so long to claim their names, or their freedom, as they revolted in 1791 and completely rid themselves of French control by 1803. They earned their names.
If you are going to use an assault on a black man to prove a political point, you owe it to the victim to spell his name correctly. Take the extra minute to google the name. Copy and paste it if it is too difficult to remember. You owe him at least that much respect. Because, as someone else pointed out, he "is a real person we're talking about, not some abstract concept." He is not a thing. He is not a slave. He is not property. He is a man. His name is Abner Louima.