You say Fajita...

We live in an age where the kind of cheese you buy can be viewed as a political act so it comes as no surprise that even the pronunciation of Sonia Sotomayor's name is contentious. Is there any aspect of life that can escape left/right argumentation?

A douchebag at The National Review says Sotomayor doesn't know how to pronounce her own name. He says stressing the last syllable of Sotomayor is "unnatural in English." Apparently, the best approach would be to mangle the hell out of it with some hillbilly twang: SO-TOE-MAY-ER! Slap in some Billy Bob Teeth and lay it on thick to show them minorities how to speak proper 'Merican.

You have no doubt heard the correct pronunciation from the President and any number of talking heads in the last two days. Chances are, you are capable of accomplishing this linguistic feat yourself.

But there is a left flank to the pronunciation wars as well. It mostly consists of educated white liberals suddenly adopting a thick accent when speaking a Spanish word: "I'm glad Obama chose a Latina for the Supreme Court. One with roots in Puerrrrto Rico, no less. Hey, I'm hungry. Let's go to Chipotle and get a burrrrito!"

They speak most of the sentence in a Midwestern accent. Then, on the Spanish words, try to sound as if they were raised in the heart of Mexico City. This is generally done to make their friends feel less sophisticated and worldly while showing solidarity with all the Hispanic people they don't know.

So get off the fence and choose a side! Learn to roll the fuck out of your R's or start hickifying Spanish. Get all riled up and flustered when people pronounce things differently. Call them names. The future of Roe Vs. Wade could depend on it!