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TalkBack / Re: Accidental Racism
« on: March 01, 2009, 07:55:34 PM »
In my first year of JPN study, I accidently used the word Jap as an abbreviation for Japanese to my teacher, Hirofumi Nagaoka. He immediately let me know that he didn't want me saying that and told me to use JPN in writing if I ever needed to abbreviate it. Just like all ethnic slurs, there're some people who just don't give a damn and some people who do. The point of watching what you say is that everyone reacts differently and you don't want to hurt or offend someone. I wouldn't walk up to a JPN tourist and call him Jap, but I have a friend who's quarter JPN that I refer to as Jap, Jappy Jap, etc. constantly and it doesn't bother him, and people call me honkey, white bread, cracker, etc. and it doesn't ruffle my feathers, either.
That being said, I think all ethnic terms are just words and it's actually the intent behind the words that offends or doesn't. Online it's very hard to guess intent sometimes, and even in person it can be difficult. If you wonder if you can refer to someone's ethnicity as something, ask them. Everyone's different. Some people prefer White, some people prefer Caucasion, some people prefer North American White, some people prefer (insert state name, ie Alaskan) White. You could argue that's just splitting hairs, but the point is to avoid offending or hurting people.
That being said, I think all ethnic terms are just words and it's actually the intent behind the words that offends or doesn't. Online it's very hard to guess intent sometimes, and even in person it can be difficult. If you wonder if you can refer to someone's ethnicity as something, ask them. Everyone's different. Some people prefer White, some people prefer Caucasion, some people prefer North American White, some people prefer (insert state name, ie Alaskan) White. You could argue that's just splitting hairs, but the point is to avoid offending or hurting people.
