Is Oriental a racist term?

[Dirtbag]

as the title states. I used the term oriental to describe people from china,japan and the like. I was told on facebook that is extremely offensive. I honestly had no idea that this word was derragatory. I did a little research and apparently in 2015 it was deemed Politically Incorrect.

Why in the hell is this? I still cant find a good reason. I think Oriental is a beautiful word. The Mandarin Oriental in Vegas. The orient express. what the fuck gives. Im sure we have some asian people on here is it really offensive to you? can you explain why?

I guess i apologize in advance of my ignorance but holy crap.

 

[RiverDave]

There was just a thread on this, the other day.. BajaMike went to the Phillipines and was kinda shocked that the president on TV was using the word oriental. It's kind of amazing that the word is common place in the actual Orient, but somehow offensive over here? LOL

Fuck the political correctness.. Trump Won - Oriental it is..

RD

 

[Deja_Vu]

I believe people with Asian persuasion might not like being associated with the term Oriental.

 

[HBCraig]

Its not if you are referring to a rug.

 

[YOLO]

I have spent a tremendous amount of time in the Far East and married to a first generation Korean. I have a bit of insight on the subject. Asian is the proper term to refer to an individual from that region of the world. Oriental is used to describe the region or an object.
My wife gets two questions on a regular basis and they are both degrading.

1) What are you? (Not the way to ask someone their ethnicity)
She'll generally respond "I'm Mexican, can't you tell?"

2) Are you Oriental? (Again, offensive)
Her response, "Do I look like a fucking rug?"

She will give you a pass if she can see that you genuinely don't know and politely educate you, but if your an asshole about it she'll be up in your shit. And trust me when I say you don't want her up in your shit!!

When asked properly (You look Asian.. Where are you from?) She will tell you she is an American but originally from Korea. One of the most patriotic people I know, and she is first generation. She also voted for Trump!

 

[shueman]

Asian Pacific Islander

 

[Dirtbag]

I believe people with Asian persuasion might not like being associated with the term Oriental.

WHY?

that is the question......

 

[Uncle Dave]

Didn't quite understand this words transition from OK to PC - From Oriental to Asian.

How and why I completely missed.

One of the high schools I went to had the worlds most racist mascot (possibly of all time) and I get what that got changed in 82 I think... that one I got.


UD

 

[Dirtbag]

I have spent a tremendous amount of time in the Far East and married to a first generation Korean. I have a bit of insight on the subject. Asian is the proper term to refer to an individual from that region of the world. Oriental is used to describe the region or an object.
My wife gets two questions on a regular basis and they are both degrading.

1) What are you? (Not the way to ask someone their ethnicity)
She'll generally respond "I'm Mexican, can't you tell?"

2) Are you Oriental? (Again, offensive)
Her response, "Do I look like a fucking rug?"

She will give you a pass if she can see that you genuinely don't know and politely educate you, but if your an asshole about it she'll be up in your shit. And trust me when I say you don't want her up in your shit!!

When asked properly (You look Asian.. Where are you from?) She will tell you she is an American but originally from Korea. One of the most patriotic people I know, and she is first generation. She also voted for Trump!

See this is what blows me away....and i dont understand it cause im not asian...

but why is the term oriental degrading....orient is a region...from eastern asia...it describes so many things and to me it sounds so much better than Asian....orient is a beautiful word. Just like oriental rugs or vases or the Mandarin Oriental is....It seems to me that if i called that an asian car or asian hotel or asian rug its the same fuckin thing..........I fucking hate political correctness its fucking stupid

I just dont understand!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Deja_Vu]

WHY?

that is the question......

Cause Oxford says so?

o?ri?en?tal. [ˌ?rēˈen(t)l]

ADJECTIVE

1.of, from, or characteristic of East Asia:

"oriental rugs"

synonyms: eastern ? Far Eastern ? Asian ? Asiatic ? orient

2. (of a pearl or other jewel) orient.


NOUN

1. offensive

a person of East Asian descent.

 

[Ziggy]

I have spent a tremendous amount of time in the Far East and married to a first generation Korean. I have a bit of insight on the subject. Asian is the proper term to refer to an individual from that region of the world. Oriental is used to describe the region or an object.
My wife gets two questions on a regular basis and they are both degrading.

1) What are you? (Not the way to ask someone their ethnicity)
She'll generally respond "I'm Mexican, can't you tell?"

2) Are you Oriental? (Again, offensive)
Her response, "Do I look like a fucking rug?"

She will give you a pass if she can see that you genuinely don't know and politely educate you, but if your an asshole about it she'll be up in your shit. And trust me when I say you don't want her up in your shit!!

When asked properly (You look Asian.. Where are you from?) She will tell you she is an American but originally from Korea. One of the most patriotic people I know, and she is first generation. She also voted for Trump!

Absolutely correct.:thumbsup
My daughter is studying Asian languages in depth(her degree is in linguistics) and is about to go to Korea to work and teach. She reminded me many times to use the word Asian and not Oriental when it addresses a person.

 

[500bbc]

My niece is Oriental, adopted.

If you ask her she'll say I'm an American yo0u idiot! Especially if it's an oriental asking.

Until the 70's it didn't matter, then it became all about feelings, teddy bears, binky's and safe rooms.

 

[Bobby V]

WHY?

that is the question......

Maybe because people from Japan, China, Korea etc don't want to be lumped into one group. They want to be called where they are from. Not a region. ?

 

[elcajones]

The other day I was towing a car up my driveway with a chain. I stopped, and my buddy asked "what's wrong?" I said "there's a fucking chink".........I offended my gardener.

....not sure why, he's Mexican.

 

[Dirtbag]

Maybe because people from Japan, China, Korea etc don't want to be lumped into one group. They want to be called where they are from. Not a region. ?

nope wrong answer.....apparently they want to be called asian. asia is a region....

 

[Uncle Dave]

Not one of you guys called this out?

"One of the high schools I went to had the worlds most racist mascot (possibly of all time) and I get what that got changed in 82 I think... that one I got. "



UD

 

[Dirtbag]

Not one of you guys called this out?

"One of the high schools I went to had the worlds most racist mascot (possibly of all time) and I get what that got changed in 82 I think... that one I got. "



UD

I played against Compton HS back in the 90s. Their mascot was the tarbabes. While way back in the day i know compton was a white neighborhood by the time i got there it was completely black and I couldnt believe they kept the name.

 

[teded]

What's up my orientals

 

[Joker]

So, is it wrong to call it the asian shuffle as they drag their feet on the ground?

 

[milkmoney]

So, is it wrong to call it the asian shuffle as they drag their feet on the ground?

We have flied rice and pesi for only .50 specia

Pronstar to the whit courtesy phone [emoji202]

 

[traquer]

What's wrong with saying ornamentals?

 

[Uncle Dave]

I played against Compton HS back in the 90s. Their mascot was the tarbabes. While way back in the day i know compton was a white neighborhood by the time i got there it was completely black and I couldnt believe they kept the name.

Thats pretty bad

Hows this for a derogatory name for Asians...

This is an interesting documentary on the subject and how it was at first one thing them became another....

UD

[video=youtube;ycEwfDfF8Y8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycEwfDfF8Y8[/video]

 

[Hugh Jascaulk]

I'm Japanese, wife is Chinese, both 4th generation Americans.
Last week we're in La Jolla and get in an Uber and ask the driver how his night is going. He replies, "just dropped a couple of slant eyes, so night is better." I tell him to look in his back seat. I wasn't so offended by what he said, more at how stupid this guy was. I guarantee you that was his last night driving for Uber [emoji23]

 

[Dirtbag]

I'm Japanese, wife is Chinese, both 4th generation Americans.
Last week we're in La Jolla and get in an Uber and ask the driver how his night is going. He replies, "just dropped a couple of slant eyes, so night is better." I tell him to look in his back seat. I wasn't so offended by what he said, more at how stupid this guy was. I guarantee you that was his last night driving for Uber [emoji23]

so Hugh is oriental a bad word?

 

[traquer]

I'm Japanese, wife is Chinese, both 4th generation Americans.
Last week we're in La Jolla and get in an Uber and ask the driver how his night is going. He replies, "just dropped a couple of slant eyes, so night is better." I tell him to look in his back seat. I wasn't so offended by what he said, more at how stupid this guy was. I guarantee you that was his last night driving for Uber [emoji23]

That is pretty damn stupid.. Funny because most Uber drivers I've had seemed smart and have been around the block

 

[Hugh Jascaulk]

Maybe to the new generation, but not to me. Shit, walk down the aisle at the grocery store where all the Asian food is, it still says oriental on the sign above the aisle.

 

[94Nautique]

So the Orient is a region with many countries. Hmm, Africa is region with many countries. African-American is ok, but the other is not. Latin America, same thing. Talk about f'd up...

 

[236eagledave]

My SIL is Korean/Irish. I asked her about this topic. She felt Oriental was derogatory but she wasn't sure why. It's fine with me. Asian is easier to say.

 

[bocco]

Maybe to the new generation, but not to me. Shit, walk down the aisle at the grocery store where all the Asian food is, it still says oriental on the sign above the aisle.

This would be correct. You can have oriental stuff. Whether it's food or rugs or a vase. It's just not PC to call people oriental.

So my question in this about geography. Aren't there countries in Asia that do not have people not usually thought of as Asians? Like India?

 

[Hugh Jascaulk]

Funny story, I walk into a 7-11 and the guy behind the counter asks what am I. I tell him Japanese and his reply with a strong Indian accent is "I'm same as you." I can tell he's definitely Indian and I'm thinking this guy is nuts. I get in the car, tell my kids what just happened and they say, " well he is Asian." [emoji23]

 

[TEAGUE CUSTOM MARINE]

I eat these all the time... Is that not politically ok anymore? Guess I just need to eat more Trump Steaks.. -Eric

 

[Dirtbag]

this thread was supposed to give me answers and all it has given me is a fuckin headache....haha love you guys.

Latin american African American Oriental american fml

 

[milkmoney]

this thread was supposed to give me answers and all it has given me is a fuckin headache....haha love you guys.

Latin american African American Oriental american fml

U forgot honkey and cracker [emoji202]