Todd Stadler's blog

This is not about you

I'm not usually given to laughing at people's names, but a recent article on a Multnomah County Circuit judge (a subject already ripe for humor) contained a surname that made for surreal reading.

The backstory was weird enough as it was: two next-door neighbors running against each other in a judicial race, one of whom had the other taken off the ballot because she failed to meet the residency requirements, even though the removed candidate had already been serving in that position to fill a vacancy.

But what makes the story compelling reading is the name of this former vacancy judge: Youlee Yim You. And no, it's not the repetitive or alliterative nature of her name that's interesting, or even the fact that her initials refer to a Quebec airport.

No, it's the striking resemblance that Youlee's surname bears to a certain second-person pronoun that makes this article so fun to read. Behold:

You will serve in the same courthouse as Multnomah County Circuit Judge Leslie Roberts, who filed to run against You last year and then successfully challenged [her] place on the ballot.

You and Roberts were neighbors. Many within the judiciary and the Oregon State Bar criticized Roberts, although her supporters said You should have realized that she did not meet the three-year residency requirement at the time she filed.

[...]

Both she and Roberts applied for a vacancy last year. Kulongoski appointed You, who then filed to run for the seat in the November election.

Roberts, who lived next door to You, said she realized that her neighbor did not meet the three-year residency requirement, but figured the Secretary of State's office would catch the problem.

But You cleared the Secretary of State's review.

Roberts filed to run against You on the deadline, and then told her neighbor that she did not think she qualified.

[...]

Neither You nor Roberts returned phone calls seeking comment.

Of course, the best quote on this matter came not from the article itself, but in the comments section of a local blog: "You be the judge."