Oriental

[OCGuy]

Ornamentals... heh... I propose we use this as the new word for describing Asians.

By the way, why do you have an Ornamental with 4 eyes as your avatar?

That is a picture of Boomer's first love in 'nam. He is still hurt by the fact that she mounted the rest of his Platoon right after him. He thought she loved him.

 

[MJinZ]

That is a picture of Boomer's first love in 'nam. He is still hurt by the fact that she mounted the rest of his Platoon right after him. He thought she loved him.

Some bad radiation poisoning in "nam it seems...

 

[SunSamurai]

I use the term Asian. I'm sure they dont use the term Caucasian. Just American or euro, or for NZ dbags.

 

[GodlessAstronomer]

Exactly, if it doesn't apply to you, you probably don't think twice about it. If you didn't learn that it was offensive while you were in History class in School, then you wouldn't know it either.

Quick, someone better inform these predominantly Oriental business owners that they're meant to be offended by the names of their own businesses!

 

[MJinZ]

Quick, someone better inform these predominantly Oriental business owners that they're meant to be offended by the names of their own businesses!

They barely have a 5th grade education and 3rd grade understanding of English. What you tell them doesn't mean jackshit.

How YOU use it to an educated audience however does tell us about YOU.

 

[GodlessAstronomer]

How YOU use it to an educated audience however does tell us about YOU.

So the only people offended by the word 'Oriental' are rich, white, liberal fucks? Got it.

 

[MJinZ]

So the only people offended by the word 'Oriental' are rich, white, liberal fucks? Got it.

If you read this thread, you'd realize any Ornamental may take offense, depending on their mastery of English, context, and the person who actually used the word is.

 

[GodlessAstronomer]

If you read this thread, you'd realize any Ornamental may take offense, depending on their mastery of English, context, and the person who actually used the word is.

I did read the thread, seems to me everyone who has identified themselves as an Asian so far doesn't find it offensive.

I never really found Oriental to be insulting. To be honest, I never even knew it was an issue for the longest time.

not really, i've heard of why some find it offensive, but doesn't really bother me as long as not used in a derogatory fashion. hell if cantonese people can call foreigners gwai lo, i'm fine with oriental.

As an Asian, I do not take offense. It's more of an obsolete term to me much along the lines of calling someone a Negro than Hispanic.

i never took offense in the word oriental

I don't see an issue... hell I use the same word in Mandarin/Taiwanese.

 

[MJinZ]

I did read the thread, seems to me everyone who has identified themselves as an Asian so far doesn't find it offensive.

Well, obviously some Asians from somewhere must take offense or this thread wouldn't be here right?

Like I said it depends! I'm Ornamental, and if you called me Oriental, I would not take offense you as you yourself are self-admitted to be ignorant of the history of the word, but if someone used it in a clearly derogatory context, then yes, I would take offense.

And please, call us Ornamentals. :awe:

 

[dighn]

Asian here, don't find it offensive. Though I do think it sounds a bit old fashioned.

 

[GodlessAstronomer]

Well, obviously some Asians from somewhere must take offense or this thread wouldn't be here right?

Like I said it depends! I'm Ornamental, and if you called me Oriental, I would not take offense you as you yourself are self-admitted to be ignorant of the history of the word, but if someone used it in a clearly derogatory context, then yes, I would take offense.

And please, call us Ornamentals. :awe:

Yeah I can understand this point of view, but it could be applied to almost any label. If I was at a party and said, "Hey have you met my Maori friend, Rangi?" then there's absolutely nothing offensive about it. But if my car got broken into and I said, "Fucking Maoris!" then that's offensive. There is absolutely nothing offensive about the word Maori though. I think Oriental is the same - it's not the word that's offensive, it's the cockturtle using it in an offensive way.

 

[Cdubneeddeal]

I'm Asian and I find it offensive. The only reason why I find it offensive because at least the person saying it would have the decency to know what race I am or ask. Now I know how Mexicans feel when they're called Hispanic.

 

[dighn]

I'm Asian and I find it offensive. The only reason why I find it offensive because at least the person saying it would have the decency to know what race I am or ask. Now I know how Mexicans feel when they're called Hispanic.

"Asian" is also a blanket term for many ethnicities. Do you have a problem with it also?

 

[MJinZ]

Yeah I can understand this point of view, but it could be applied to almost any label. If I was at a party and said, "Hey have you met my Maori friend, Rangi?" then there's absolutely nothing offensive about it. But if my car got broken into and I said, "Fucking Maoris!" then that's offensive. There is absolutely nothing offensive about the word Maori though. I think Oriental is the same - it's not the word that's offensive, it's the cockturtle using it in an offensive way.

Yes, that would be true for the most part. However, the history of the word is also important, as is the meaning/connotation of the word.

Look at it this way, China has always called itself the center of the world. The rest of the world is either North, South, East, or Westerners.

When you center the world around China on a map, North Americans become Easterners. So are Canadians and South Americans. So if you lived in China, I think you may be offended to be referred to as an Easterner or the Chinese equivalent of "Oriental" with no regard for your American identity - you'd be no different than a Mexican or Canadian in their eyes. But of course, this would depend hypothethically on the situation and how someone uses the word.

That's the other reason that historical usage aside, knowing the meaning of the word can create offense in the eyes of some, because of overbearing generalizations and ethnocentric world views. It gets complicated when you educate yourself ya know.

Ornamentals would know. ^_^

 

[Cdubneeddeal]

"Asian" is also a blanket term for many ethnicities. Do you have a problem with it also?

No, that's different. I guess I must have said my earlier statement incorrectly. To me, Oriental means Chinese and only Chinese. I'm not fucking Chinese damnit. Shit, am I racist?

 

[MJinZ]

No, that's different. I guess I must have said my earlier statement incorrectly. To me, Oriental means Chinese and only Chinese. I'm not fucking Chinese damnit. Shit, am I racist?

LOL... if Oriental meant only Chinese, then the word be would be... you guessed it, "Chinese".

 

[PieIsAwesome]

In Spanish we say oriental as well, and I believe this is also widely used in the UK. All the classic novels I have read also use this term, never "Asian." Never realized some people in the U.S. found it offensive.

 

[MJinZ]

In Spanish we say oriental as well, and I believe this is also widely used in the UK. All the classic novels I have read also use this term, never "Asian." Never realized some people in the U.S. found it offensive.

Correct, it was the de facto term for Asian a while back.

That was when, you know, people named the Native Americans Indians because they were assumed to be in India/East indies.

 

[Turin39789]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Asian_countries_and_territories

 

[Powermoloch]

I didn't find the word oriental offensive.

- Asian guy

 

[BoomerD]

That is a picture of Boomer's first love in 'nam. He is still hurt by the fact that she mounted the rest of his Platoon right after him. He thought she loved him.

She did love me...she love me long time...then she got passed around like a joint and tossed into the garbage heap.()