is 'rice' offensive to Orientals?

[sixto]

We've flogged the J-word horse quite a bit. How about the terms 'rice,' 'riceboy' and 'ricer' as they apply to (IMO) non-functional modifications to one's car? Do folks of Oriental ethnicity and/or heritage feel it's a personal thing? The term 'bling-bling' makes fun of the same sort of thing but there isn't a racial implication to bling-bling. Or is there?

Sixto
95 S420
87 300SDL

[G-Benz]

I believe "Orientals" is offensive to "Asians"...

[sixto]

Is it? I meant to distinguish Asians from countries that touch the Pacific Ocean and China Sea from Asians further west. So maybe it's Far East Asians vs Middle East Asians. Hmm... Orient is such a pretty word.

Sixto
95 S420
87 300SDL

[MTI]

The so-called "J" word is the same as the "N" word for African-Americans, the "K" word for those of Jewish decent, the "S" word for Puerto Rican-Americanss, the "W" word for Italian-Americans, the "S" word for Native American women, the "M" word for Irish-Americans . . . but still seems to find it's way onto this forum. As for "ricer" it's seems to be applied to the owners of the cars regardless of their ethnicity, so perhaps it's under the radar.

[suginami]

The term "orientals" has become offensive, just like blacks are no longer called "colored".

If you call an Asian an "oriental", he will answer that he is not a rug, at least in Southern California.

You might also notice that the signs in the aisles in supermarkets have all been changed to read "Asian foods", when they used to read "Oriental Foods".

[Cazzzidy]

I am irish .. what is this "M" word?

[Glen]

Haven't we been down this road before?

[Glen]

Originally posted by TheVirginiaDude
People are too freakin touchy these days.

So true...

[Holeshot]

Originally posted by TheVirginiaDude
People are too freakin touchy these days.

Exactly. I hardly ever have to kick someone's arse for using the 'W' word. I wish more people were as tollerant as I am

BTW. When I've used the term 'Ricer' it had not reference to any ethnicity (as far as my brain is concerned) and all about putting crap all over one's car that not only does not benefit but often makes them worse! :p

But if it's offensive on an ethnic level, I'll be sure to take that into consideration next time I'm being an azz somewhere..

[rickg]

What do I know. I'm just a big dumb swede:p

[fahrgewehr2]

the "S" word for Native American women, the "M" word for Irish-Americans

"M" word would be 'mic'(sp?)? Its strange how the most trivial words can become so loaded.

As for 'rice' when referring to CARS, I've go to draw the line. The name stays.

[chazola]

I wanna know what the 'M' word is too... where I come from 'Paddys' is the worst you'd hear.

I still find myself using the term 'oriental' when i mean to use Asian, not to be offensive but ignorance on my part I guess.

I'm amused by all this '----- american' malarky (insert country your great grandfather came from). If you were born here then you're American, not Irish-American, or African-American etc etc. Do people insist on labelling themselves like that to try and keep some heritage alive? You don't really see people doing it in other countries.

P.C. has gone too far though- you can't make fun of anyone if they're considered a 'minory', which is just about everyone these days!

[Flash Gordon]

I am not a sensitive Asian-American but I don't like to be called an Oriental because I am not an ornament or a rug. But if someone says he is from the Orient, I am OK with that

[ned2683]

Just depends on the person i suppose. I am Asian and i never care if my friends and i do racial jokes as long as any of them seriously mean them. and i probably make fun of asians a lot more than other people.

anyways the term ricers. I don't think its bad to do such modifications, because its their money i don't care. but i think what i hate most is the cocky attitude that usually comes with that group of teenager car owners. its not just imports, people with domestics can get cocky too.

[koop]

My understanding of how this term fell out of vouge is that oriental, means "east" or "eastern" as opposed to occidental, meaning "west" or "western". Well, as opposed to north and south, which have absolute points on the globe, nothing is really east or west unless you have a point of reference.

The point of reference of course is europe or the americas. By refering to Asia as the orient the speaker is using a eurocentric point of view. To someone standing in Tokyo, London could be oriental, to the east.

It's not the word so much as it is the acknowledgement that the world is eurocentric and the implication that asia is subordinate to "the west"