Re: Racist Slang

[Gary Bracken <gbracken@dimensional.com>]

Well said, Arun.  The point here has nothing to do with political
correctness, but everything to do with normal courtesy and respect.  I know
of no citizen of the United States who objects to being called an
"American."   But to test out whether "Jap" is offensive and taken as a
pejorative term, ask a few folks of Japanese ancestry what they think of
being referred to as "Japs," or what they think of merchandise engineered
and/or manufactured in Japan being called "Jap _________."

Gary Bracken
Denver, CO

Arun Rao wrote:

> Benjamin Weste Pearre wrote:
> >
> > <vent>
> > > About a year and a half ago, the QList decided it would be
> > > better if contributors did not use racist slang terms such
> > > as "Jap."
> >
> > Oh jeez.  Calling Japanese "Japs" is much like calling citizens of the
> > United States of America "Americans".
>
>         A closer analogy would be "Yanks", or "bl**y Yanks", as the
>         Limeys might say.  Or "Chinks".
>
>         Point is, these are indeed derogatory (to greater or lesser
>         degrees) appellations dating back (at least) to WWII. I cannot
>         think of a statement in which "Jap" would be used with a
>         *positive* connotation, unless it's in self-deprecatory
>         humor. Indeed, in this thread, it has been used exclusively
>         in criticism of Japanese engineering.
>
>         Interpretation is everything: origin means little.
>
>         -Arun
>
>
> --
> Arun Rao
> Pixar Animation Studios
> Pt. Richmond, CA 94804
> (510) 620-3526