I think eventually every word is going to be offensive and we will no longer be able to talk to each other.
The term 'oriental'
- Thread starter L_Sludger
- Start date
- Status
Originally Posted By: D189379
I think eventually every word is going to be offensive and we will no longer be able to talk to each other.
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: Trav
Exactly. What do you call a white guy from South Africa living in the US, an African American? Thats exactly what he is though.
a lot of people on the "why so serious" side probably are not aware of the historical backgrounds of the words they feel are fine to use.
At least look it up on wikipedia to understand why the words carry baggage with them. they do it in pretty neutral terms.
The scene from Louie explains the background of [censored]. There is similar history for other words that are not considered P.C. anymore.
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=c98_1335173442
If you would rather choose to live in ignorance, rather then understanding the historical baggage, realize you are taking one step closer to being Miss South Carolina. If you're ok with that so be it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtkX3OyPF4Q
Last edited:
That was truly hard to watch. What a dummy.
Originally Posted By: gman2304
My ancestors immigrated to the U.S. from Germany in the 19th century. Does that make me a European American or an American of Western European descent?
A few weeks ago, my Program Manager and I had to wait for one of our HR folks to vacate a conference room where she was conducting a new hire orientation for an Asian gentleman. As soon as they were gone and we were situated, I asked my PM "don't you think he'd find the term 'orientation' offensive?".
I only wish I weren't such a wuss that I had to wait until they were gone to ask the question.
Originally Posted By: leeharvey418
A few weeks ago, my Program Manager and I had to wait for one of our HR folks to vacate a conference room where she was conducting a new hire orientation for an Asian gentleman. As soon as they were gone and we were situated, I asked my PM "don't you think he'd find the term 'orientation' offensive?".
I only wish I weren't such a wuss that I had to wait until they were gone to ask the question.
Originally Posted By: leeharvey
Asian gentleman. As soon as they were gone and we were situated, I asked my PM "don't you think he'd find the term 'orientation' offensive?".
Originally Posted By: L_Sludger
Well, isn't the company the one getting Oriented when it brings on an Oriental new hire?
Originally Posted By: Trav
Originally Posted By: jimbrewer
Had a relative mention going to eat lunch at an oriental restaurant at his job and they made him go to sensitivity training.
The running joke in our family is that my brother is always mistaken for being Mexican, Puerto Rican or Cuban. Our family is of Japanese ancestry but my brother is very dark skinned and with him living in Florida people just assume. Random people just come up to him in public and start a conversation in Spanish. Happens to him at work, on the street and in restaurants.
It's such a funny joke that once he even called me from Japan just to tell me, "It happened again". 
Originally Posted By: paulo57509
in Florida people just assume. Random people just come up to him in public and start a conversation in Spanish.
dunno if it is offensive,
but I would pick "oriental" after the George Zimmerman question on Form 4473, that is if they had it on there :-)
I think far east = oriental
http://www.census.gov/topics/population/race/about.html
White – A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa.
Black or African American – A person having origins in any of the Black racial groups of Africa.
American Indian or Alaska Native – A person having origins in any of the original peoples of North and South America (including Central America) and who maintains tribal affiliation or community attachment.
Asian – A person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippine Islands, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander – A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands.
re: stockrex...
Such designations explain why some nationalities are offended...they don't address their self-identities, which is the focus of the OP.
Offensive labeling is in the eye of the beheld.
Oriental - physical features and cultural characteristics from
the far east. If one is from this region say a Japanese or Korean
may take an offence. A Japanese is not a Korean or Chinese.
A Korean is not a Japanese or Chinese.
Some westerners(stereotyping) may see it as they are all the same
Orientals.
JHZR2
Staff member
Im not Asian/Oriental (pick the term since they are in discussion), but I do have a number of "Asian" friends (used at random). I dont use either term, frankly, because if they are legal American citizens, then they are just Americans. No different than anyone else. Just like I dont recognize Mexican Americans or German Americans or African Americans. Are you an American or not? You may have come from someplace else, but that's irrelevant.
Regarding Asia or the Orient, if Im traveling there, I personally would say I am traveling to Asia (vs "the Orient") if I was going to more than one country, or else I'd say I am going to _______ as a specific country. A person who is a citizen of that country is _____ese, just like someone who is a resident of this country is American. Americans who hail from those countries are still Americans, they are just ancestrally from _______.
Originally Posted By: jrustles
Originally Posted By: paulo57509
in Florida people just assume. Random people just come up to him in public and start a conversation in Spanish.
- Status
