Metta World Peace

It is all too easy to dismiss Ron Artest’s decision to change his name to Metta World Peace.  It’s just a publicity stunt, right?  It’s just Ron Artest trying to be controversial and interesting…right?

It seems like every article written about Artest harkens back to World B. Free.  But that is inaccurate.  And the parallel to Chad Johnson is downright irresponsible.

World B. Free, born Lloyd Bernard Free, changed his name because he wanted to.  His friends and teammates already called him World, so why not make it legal.   So he did.  End of story

Chad Johnson changed his name to Ochocinco out of selfishness.  He wears number 85 and he nicknamed himself Ochocinco years back.  The name change was simply stepping up his own level of arrogance.

Now the lazy sports media looks at Artest and says, “His new name has World in it, and World be free does too.  Bam! There’s my story!”   or “Ron Artest and Chad Johnson are both currently active. It’s like the same thing!”   In-Co-Wrecked

Look at Ron Artest in the last few years.  I’m not talking about the fighting in the stands Rodman-esque behavior of years back.  I’m looking at the dedicated athlete who helped the Lakers beat Boston for a Championship.  I’m looking at the Ron Artest who sold his NBA championship ring to support Mental Health Awareness.  I’m looking at the Ron Artest who was just awarded the 2011 J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award for his off the court actions.

Does this sound like a man who wants to drive self promotion through a name change?

Maybe there are two other comparisons that make more sense.

Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor, Jr and Cassius Clay. Better known as Kareem Abdul-Jabar and Muhammad Ali

Clay changed his name to transcend what he felt was his slave name.  He believed he was given the last name Clay by his ancestor’s masters.  He wanted to step out of that shadow and be his own man.  A man not owned by any masters. 

Alcindor changed his name after converting religions.  Alcindor again was the name given to his family by a slave owner and for personal reasons the change was made to Kareem Abdul-Jabar, meaning “noble, powerful servant”

Ron Artest has chosen the name Metta World Peace.  Metta is Buddhist with definitions ranging from “kindness” to “friendliness” to “benevolence”.   The World Peace part is pretty straight forward. 

It is clear that this proposed name change is one grounded in the same “transcending” attitude of Ali and Abdul-Jabar.  It is a common man with a checkered past changing him name to stand for what he now believes in.  Peace, caring, friendship and world peace.   

Plus, it’s a far more meaningful name change than others in the entertainment and sports culture.

You don’t hear much about Robert Zimmerman, Carlos Ray, Marion Michael Morrison, or Maria Nuñez but when they become Bob Dylan, Chuck Norris, John Wayne, and Mariah Carey the world pays attention.

To lump Artest in with World B. Free and Ochocinco spits in the face of all the good Artest has done in the last few years and puts an unneeded hurdle in his path to being a better person and a better citizen of this planet.