Enough of the sensitivity nonsense, call me a wop, a polak, a jap, or a jew. It's really just slang and has no influence on the perception of myself or the people around me. Just ignore it if it bothers you.

Common sense but today we are hypersensitive about most anything. Seems like everyone is offended about this, that or the other. Maybe we are too free and should be working more.

Ok Suzuki Goldstien, where is that butte (or mesa?) located in your avatar?

Moishe is going on holiday to Cyprus. He arrives at Heathrow, gets into the scheduled Boeing 747 and takes his seat.
As he looks back down the aisle, he notices the most beautiful woman he has ever seen boarding the plane. Moishe is nervous as he sees her walking down the aisle toward him. But to his delight, she takes the seat right next to him. He is soon anxious to begin a conversation.
Moishe asks her, "Where are you going?"
She responds, "To the Annual Nymphomaniac Convention in Cyprus."
Moishe is crazy with excitement. Here is a gorgeous woman sitting next to him, and she's going to a meeting of nymphomaniacs!
"And what will you do at this meeting?" he asks.
"Well," she says, "we try to solve some of the popular myths about sexuality."
"And what myths are those?" Moishe continues desperately.
She explains, "Well, one popular myth is that African men are the most endowed, when in fact, the Native American man is. Also, it is widely believed that the Frenchman is the best lover, but actually men of Jewish descent make the best lovers".
"Very interesting..." Moishe responds.
Suddenly, the woman becomes very embarrassed and blushes. "I'm sorry," she says. "I just feel so awkward discussing this with you when I don't even know you! What is your name?"
Moishe extends his hand and replies, "Tonto. Tonto Goldstein."

In the words of Hanz and Franz on Saturday Night Live when making fun of Arnold Scharzenagger, "Listen to me now and believe me later":

Hatterasguy - I don't think you're a racist. I think you're digging your heals in too hard defending a postion that isn't worth defending.

I know that Americans referred to Japanese as "Japs" before and during WWII. They were the enemy. It is a way we dehumanize the enemy during wartime. Like calling the Vietnamese "Gooks".

But, at that time, Americans didn't view Japanese (or any other Asian for that matter) as equals. First generation Japanese who immigrated here couldn't become citizens, even when they had kids who were born here. They were rounded up during the war and put in interment camps.

American GI's stationed in Japan weren't allowed to marry Japanese women. They were court-matialed if they did.

See how things have changed?

I think it is obvious to you and everyone responding to this thread that "Jap" is clearly not a term you would freely use to a Japanese American.

How do you think a second or third or fourth Japanese American would respond if you called them a Jap to their face?

Do you think they'd respond favorably?

It's just a term that refuses to die in this country and I don't know why.

How often do you hear people refer to Japanese cars as Jap cars?

The term just needs to fall out of use.

I'd be pretty interesting to have us all sit around a large table, cocktails in hand and shoot the ***** in person one of these days.

The turns that these topics take mimic actual physical conversations to me it's amusing.

Keep up the bad work! lol

I've never felt comfortable calling a jewish person a jew until recently.

Where I grew up, the word jew was always connected to some sort of insult, so I assumed that it would be insulting.

Any jewish people out there mind being called a jew?

Would this be the time to lighten the moment by suggesting that the fellow might respond with a Karate chop?:D

Yeah, that's pretty funny. :P

Only if you're married to a J.A.P.

Because it is an abbreviation!! Its easy to say and write--this is America--we are lazy(this is why I think it won't die out). I don't see the comparison to "Gook" and don't know its derivation, but it doesn't seem to be short for Vietnamese.



I hear this all the time--however, it seems more often used in recent years is "rice burner" or "rice rocket" which strikes me as more offensive. However, I don't believe I have ever heard anyone refer to a Japanese restaurant as a "Jap" restaurant which is curious to me for some reason (as I stated earlier, I have no use for the term, because I have been asked not to use it.).

Suzuki Goldstein here, I don't mind at all. But shouldn't that be "Jew" with a capital J? Now that offends me.:rolleyes:

Karate, Daniel-san, is an Okinawan martial art . . . perhaps judo/jujitsu, would be more appropriate. ;)

At the start of the old movie "Teahouse of the August Moon" Marlon Brando delivers, as the character "Sakini" the brief history of Okinawa.

Yeah that would be a fun discussion thats for sure!:D

The only person I know who uses the term Jew all the time, is one of my friends who is Jewish.

Like anything I guess certain people are offended by things and others are not.

Whatever, they are all the same to me:eek: ;) :D

One of my favorite Brando soliloquies, if you can get past the makup.

No lie.....this movie is what my Dad asked for for Christmas! lol :P

Man, that's funny. I've actually seen the movie, and Marlon Brando actually has Japanese lines in the movie, and his pronunciation is terrible.

I actually didn't recognize that he was speaking Japanese until someone pointed it out to me. I had to rewind and replay again and again and again to figure out what the hell was saying.

Curious as to the official Jappanese view of Nip. Someone mentioned that earlier but I dont recall seing a response. As I understand it Nippon is the actual Jappanese name for Japan. Is nip regarded as racest as well? By the Japanese that is? Or by Jappanese Americans only? Or by neither?

- Peter.

"you said it, boss"

http://members.cox.net/onigiriman/br...eahouse-02.jpg

I think "nip" is considered a racist term by everyone.

Once again, a good test is to call a person of Japanese ancestry "nip" and see how they respond.

Regarding "Nippon", it is one of two ways to pronounce that characters that make up the word for Japan.

Those in the north, like Tokyo, prefer Nihon.

Those in the South, like Osaka, Kobe, and Kyoto prefer Nippon.

Both are correct.

I just got to thinking.

I wonder what the origin of the word "Nip" is.

I don't think it's related to or is a shortened version of the word Nippon, but I'm not sure.

Just checked Wikipedia.

You're right. It is derived from Nippon, and is considered derogatory.

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

Why would you think it isn't? Nippon=Nip Japan=Jap Get it? Sounds like a prime example of common sense to me.

That explanation from Wikipedia is silly--why would it be a shortened version of the word "Japan" when it is used to refer to the "Japanese" people? That isn't very economical either from a headline standpoint to only shave off two letters. I don't think it has been used much on this forum, because its use is quickly pounced upon the four or so times it has happened, but I honestly hear it quite a bit in real life.

This subject reminds of the name Robert, Is being called Bob offensive? Maybe some people think so, but who cares. It's not menat to be so why perceive it that way.

Maybe it's because of where you live.

We are a bit more sensitive to racial slurs in Southern California because of the huge numbers of not only Asians, but also of minorities in general.

In fact, in Southern California minorities aren't minorities anymore. As a group they represent well over 50% of the population.

Believe me, you will never hear it spoken in So Cal., either in public or private.

If you do, it might be used by old-timers when referring to Japanese cars as Jap cars.

If you use the racial epithet, you will not make friends and influence people in a positive way.

Once again, I can't believe you are insistent on defending that it is not derogatory.

It doesn't pass the smell test.

I encourage you to use the term Jap or Nip to a person of Japanese descent and see how they like it. They won't.

Bookmarked for reference.

"Cheese-Eater" - Dutch
Represents their fondness of eating cheese; used mostly by Germans.

Damn, that Cheese-Eater Vronsky. :wallbash:

Not listed: the Canadian slurs for US citizens:

"Gretzky Stealers"

Whoa, what a list. I think that covers a slur for everyone everywhere. Pretty funny too. Warning -- Sensitive people should cover their eyes, you might be insulted by all these racial slurs.

I feel racially slurred, you owe me an apology. :eek:

What if you've been drinking, and are therefor slurring your words, and you make a racial slur, does that mean the two nega......... OH wait, sMel Gibson tried that, and it didn't work.

"Ami" was in there....used by Germans (Krauts) exclusively. 30+ years ago, it held a negative connotation, but not anymore*. (the resentment 30+ years ago, probably had something to do with losing some sort of war)


*my opinion (and you know what opinions are like...)

I'll give you that point. There are a large number of very right-wing conservative pockets in So. Cal., and if you scratch hard enough, it's not too hard to find racists.

I come from a very long line of distinguished racists on my father's side of the family. My father's parents, his four sisters, and their kids (my cousins) were and are openly racist and prejudiced towards blacks. They use the "n" word openly in their houses, and tell really bad jokes to the expense of blacks. They are frankly quite hard to be around when they get nasty.

My grandmother, upon hearing that I was going to marry a Japanese girl, told me that she wasn't sure that the family would accept her.

I told her immediately that if she or anyone else in the family didn't accept her warmly or if they ever even once made her feel uncomfortable, then that would be the last time any of them would ever see me, my wife, or our kids.

It worked.

Aren't we all also prejudiced in one form or another? Why do we bother with one form but not prejudice as a whole? Could it be so we sleep better at night? While I may not be racist, is it OK for me to be prejudiced against say people that drive luxury cars, german cars, Jap cars, etc, etc? How about people that are richer or poorer than I am? That OK?

And speaking of it....the worst elements of humanity...going a little too far...your line of ancestry maybe very honorable, yet, your interpretation of it, emotionally very loaded...I find your claim rather inappropriate ...

On the other hand I got the 'joke' behind 'MS Gestapo' and I just hope he'll put it back in place ...

All of my family's fathers fought on the side of their country, which was Germany and I never heard one of them whining ...

Never liked the term "Ami" ... whenever it is used nowadays, it is intended to insult ....

Good on you--my wife had to do the same thing for me not being a Catholic and I for her for being one! That racist thing isn't as important as the grandkids, is it??:D

suginami,

Dont take this the wrong way,

Dec 7 = Slap A Jap Day :P

A "Jap" is a Japanese person that hates the USA.. Very few Japanese people are "Japs"..

around here they are called 'cheese cutters!'

just kidding.

tom w

sorry.

but who is being referred to as an "ami"?

and much earlier, i was at one time reluctant to use the term jew. but i am pretty sure it is not an insult......

unless used as a verb!

in the tiny town in indiana where i grew up (and some rural areas as well) there were no jews. it was a common term to use for negotiating. i cannot remember if my folks used it or not. and one day i was talking to a fellow in the airport in i think brussells, back in '70 and i mentioned a negotiation that i had conducted and used the term jew as negotiate. he looked at me kindof funny....i said "what is the matter are you jewish?" he said "yes". i said "sorry it is just a term, i meant nothing by it". he said "that's ok i can see you didnt". and we carried on our conversaiton. but i have never used that term since.

tom w

First we've heard of this theory folks. :rolleyes:

I don't think I agree with your description, but I will say this.

If you spend any time talking to the average Japanese person on the street in Japan, they will tell you that they love the U.S. They love our culture, food, music, clothes, etc. The stereotype they hold of the average American is that we are a very friendly, fun-loving, and independent-minded people. They look up to the quality of freedom and personal expression that we enjoy.

It also goes without saying that all of the Americans of Japanese ancestry that I've ever met love this country and are just as "American" as you and me.

And look at how 2nd generation Japanese Americans responded when asked to serve in WWII?

120,000 Japanese and Japanese Americans were rounded up and put in internment camps behind barbed wired.

Can you imagine how you'd respond if your mother, father, aunts, uncles, brothers and sisters were held in such a situation? Well, they volunteered to go and fight.

They made up the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and the 100th Infantry Battalion, which were segregated. The 442nd/100th unit fought in the European and North African theaters of war where they proved their loyalty. They fought in seven major campaigns in Europe and also made two beachhead assaults. In France they rescued the 275 infantrymen of the Lost Battalion who were surrounded by Germans in enemy territory, but doing this was a high cost in casualties.

The 442nd/100th earned more than 18,000 individual citations and eight Presidential Unit Citations. After the war the unit became the most highly decorated in all of U.S military history. The unit was nick-named the Purple Heart Battalion. The reason being they had the highest casualty rate in the U.S. Army's history. More than 700 men were killed and 9,500 wounded in combat.

I can't imagine a more patriotic and loyal group of people than Japanese Americans.

... as mentioned in post #87 "Ami" is the german slur for an 'American', widely used in post WW2 Germany (maybe already during the war) for example "Ami Go Home" was a popular theme of the graffiti fashion back then ...

It's spectrum of intent goes from disapproval of Americans to insult ...

Yep, and this is specifically recognized in the WWII museum in New Orleans. Also, from what I understand, teen culture in Japan is very Western inspired, so we should take that as a compliment, since they kicked our technological ass for at least 20 of the last 30 years. I have NEVER heard the phrase "Slap a Jap Day" until mentioned above, and equate the post with the anaology "There are N****s and there are black people." SD must stand for socially distorted.

... maybe I am out of context here .... as it started on Dec 7 1941 at Pearl Harbor, it ended in August 6/9 1945, Hiroshima/ Nagasaki ...

...and with it the term "Japs"

SD===Socially distorted???...Matt SD300 is my title on this forum...coming from a guy/gal with A name tag on your big toe..John Doe!! LMASO :laugh2:

That saying came from survivors of the Pearl Harbor attack.. Some were a little bitter...figure it out.....Are you a ACLU LIB Or just a garden variety LIB?

Out of curiosity, when did it end for those who were in the POW camps or Bataan Death March, etc, etc?

According to historical documentation the "Bataan Death March" took place in April 1942, Gen. Homma was tried and executed in 1946.

...but I think you are refering to 'etc, etc,'? ...thus seeking justification for dropping a couple of A-Bombs...

Daniel Inouye is an American: http://www.homeofheroes.com/moh/citations_1942_nisei/inouye.html

B