In academic discourse, use of the correct name is an important means of establishing professional credibility. For example, if within the fields of computer science and information science, a specific term of art, such as artificial intelligence, has gained widespread acceptance, the use of an alternative term—a term, like superintelligence, not widely accepted within the discipline—would seriously undermine the credibility of academic work (and the author’s more general standing within the field).
Donald Trump has notoriously attempted to rechristen the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America.” So too has he attempted to rename Lake Ontario to “Lake America,” and he is threatening to fashion new MAGA names for an ocean, a major river, and the state of New Mexico. Trump also recently signed an executive order requiring all federal government programs and communications to use the terms superintelligence and S.I. rather than the broadly accepted nomenclature artificial intelligence and A.I. One might shrug all of this off and say, “Well, so what? It’s a free country, and all of us can still use the generally accepted names of places (Gulf of Mexico) and things (A.I.).”
Unfortunately, after Oct. 1, 2026, this is no longer the case for academics at state-sponsored colleges and universities in Alabama. H.B. 2 officially bans the use of the phrase Gulf of Mexico by any and all state employees. As a professor at the University of Alabama School of Law, I find this appalling.
Maybe you should move to another state, like New America, or something.
Can’t wait for the academics of the USA to be forced to only interact with each others because they live in an alternative reality.
Let’s all bow down to our idiotic president. It’s depressing how little pushback there is to this kind of shit.
Fun fact: The President is not in charge of naming gulfs, lakes, oceans, continents, islands, or even people.
They can name their own children and pets. That’s it. Thank you.
Defy orders and call it by the correct name anyway - Gulf of Mexico. Either stand up to tyranny and the things you believe in or choose your battles; it’s really each individual’s prerogative.
officially bans the use of the phrase Gulf of Mexico by any and all state employees.
These aren’t banned.
Gulf of Epstein
Gulf of Iran
Western Persian Gulf
Gulf of Latin America
Gulf of New MexicoDo it anyway, get unlawfully fired, sue, get rich.
I say the University of Al Banana and I can do whatever we want.
And if you refuse? What are they going to do if you keep calling it by its proper name? This is clearly censorship by a government entity. Any retaliation would immediately lead to a First Amendment lawsuit.
censorship of a government entity by a government entity. first, no right is unlimited. second, when you’re employed by the state, you contractually agree to waive certain rights.
You don’t wave all the rights of free speech because you are employed by the state. The state can’t force employees to put the state’s words in their mouths particularly if their job is to speak the truth and think independently. It’s not so cut and dry as you might think.
https://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution-conan/amendment-1/compelled-speech-overview
You don’t waive it no, but it is restricted.
Specifically a state can adopt its own terminology and direct employees to use it instead.
There’s more nuance than that.
It’s south america now guy, nobody gives a shit.
do it anyway. fuck google
How is this not a first amendment thing? Since this is a state run public institution, so essentially the government, controlling what private citizens say. Just because it’s a law doesn’t mean it’s constitutional.
Wait 'till you hear about laws banning criticism of Israel
Like which ones
Lol, I can’t wait until they start arresting Jewish people for being antisemitic then
Yeah, that’s not happening, not in America anyway.
It probably is. It’s been just over a month since the law was inacted. It usually takes months for the court cases to even start. First someone needs to be “harmed” to have standing. So now this guy could sue and say it’s deteriorating his academic credibility. But it would be months, maybe a half year or more before it finally hits the state supreme court to be overturned.
Somebody needs to use the phrase in a document, get punished for it by the state. THEN they’ve been harmed, and they’ll have standing to sue.
When are they going to ban books and studying, or say stupidity is intelligence?
Your students can say it. Have them say it in chorus whenever it comes up. “Gulf of…” “Mexico!”
Between colleagues? Fuck that law.
In writing, I suppose you’re stuck with it.
So how do history teachers do their jobs? That some very Alabama legislation.
