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[DECK'ARD]

I think your problem is that you have large gaps in your reading comprehension.

As in, you read the thread title but only glanced at the content of the OP.

You implied he was racist when you told him that was the excuse racists use when they say the word nigger.

Oriental is outdated and ignorant but from UK perspective anyone I've heard use it (and it's not common at all anymore) just meant location. East Asian.

It's not been used in the way say Paki has.

 

[Stinkles]

Exactly. Despite the fact that Oriental is offensive to the OP, that doesn't make it a 'racist' term in and of itself. That's just diminishing the N word issue.

Don't use your lack of offense as a measure of others. There's many a stupid old fart can't fathom why the n-word is racist either.

 

[divusrex]

+1 OP, I don't think I would have the patience or self-restraint to politely correct someone. At least more people know now not to use "Oriental" to describe someone of Asian descent.

 

[foxtrot3d]

It took WAY too long for this to be posted.

Back on topic, the word "oriental" is weird in that some people do and do not find it offensive. It's definitely not up there with "nigger," but my general policy is not to use the word. Honestly, if anyone told me that a word was derogatory towards their race or culture I wouldn't argue with them over it but would simply take their word for it and not use it.

 

[Mineshaft_Gap]

just curious, why was he consistently bringing up your ethnicity into the conversation? seems odd that he just met you and his conversation drifted and lingered on your ethnicity.

This is something people with secret racist thoughts often do.

 

[BennyBlanco]

Beyond being a borderline racist term, it's just a fucking strange word to use in a sentence. How did he work that in there?

It's not been used in the way say Paki has.

Wow, Paki is considered offensive? I've heard so many people describe themselves as that. I always just looked at is an abbreviation like Brit.

 

[Jmanunknown]

Exactly. Despite the fact that Oriental is offensive to the OP, that doesn't make it a 'racist' term in and of itself. That's just diminishing the N word issue.

The word Oriental is offensive when used to describe asian people. So it is a racist word when used to describe someone of asian descent. The word itself is not racist the way you use it is when it becomes a racist word.

 

[block tower]

This is something people with secret racist thoughts often do.

yeah, that's what i was thinking. i was just curious how OP's ethnicity became the subject of casual conversation when the roommates dad just met them.

 

[Sibersk Esto]

 

[RyougaSaotome]

I'm fairly surprised so many people don't realize using oriental to describe an Asian person is pretty damn offensive.

I've totally politely corrected people when they've referred to me or my mom as such, and they've never given me the kind of super defensive reaction the dude in OP's post did.

You were totally in the right, dude.

 

[davepoobond]

technically you were in the right, and in this case you probably did what i would suggest. i would also suggest being a little less confrontational in general, but what is done is done.

 

[EmiPrime]

I never branded him a racist. The word is offensive in the context in which he used it and I politely corrected him figuring it was a case of simple poor judgement/ignorance. If I thought he was a legitimate racist I would have bailed immediately rather than get into an argument. He's also a British immigrant (although he's been here for like 30 years). That factored in as well. I thought maybe it's not the same in England.

Oriental is not a racist term in the UK.

Frankly both of you could have handled this better.

 

[Mineshaft_Gap]

I'm sure anyone who occupies the spectrum between white and black will back me up on this: Racist people often feel the need to identify your racial background if it's not immediately obvious.

"So uhhh, where are you from?"

"Chicago and Detroit."

"Oh... Where were you born/your parents from?" or "Where are you REALLY from?"

 

[tokkun]

He wasn't saying "oriental" is "as racist" as "nigger" or whatever. He said the reasoning used was the same.

It is a false equivalency. It is expected that every American would know that "nigger" is seen as extremely offensive. Therefore, any "I didn't know it was offensive" argument would be dismissed out-of-hand. The same is not true for "oriental," as you can observe in this thread.

 

[Massive Duck. C.M.]

just curious, why was he consistently bringing up your ethnicity into the conversation? seems odd that he just met you and his conversation drifted and lingered on your ethnicity.

(in David Attenborough voice)

"The wild racist cannot rest until it has successfully identified the ethnicity of the person it has encountered. A sense of superiority must be established before further interaction can be had."

It is a false equivalency. It is expected that every American would know that "nigger" is seen as extremely offensive. Therefore, any "I didn't know it was offensive" argument would be dismissed out-of-hand. The same is not true for "oriental," as you can observe in this thread.

Why defend ignorance?

 

[Ingueferroque]

Don't use your lack of offense as a measure of others. There's many a stupid old fart can't fathom why the n-word is racist either.

I said before that OP has a right to be offended.

 

[Mineshaft_Gap]

It is a false equivalency. It is expected that every American would know that "nigger" is seen as extremely offensive. Therefore, any "I didn't know it was offensive" argument would be dismissed out-of-hand. The same is not true for "oriental," as you can observe in this thread.

At the point where he made the "It's what I grew up with" argument he was aware that the term oriental is offensive to an Asian person as I'd only a few seconds ago just informed him. So what, are you advocating he continue the use of the word despite having just been informed of its status as a racially insensitive term? By a person to whom the term applies, no less? His argument was never valid. A non-asshole non-racist would be like "Oh sorry! I didn't know." and I'd be like "Ain't no thaaang"

 

[DECK'ARD]

At the point where he made the "It's what I grew up with" argument he was aware that the term oriental is offensive to an Asian person as I'd only a few seconds ago just informed him.

And he's British, where all it means is location.

You then branded him racist and compared it to nigger even though you were aware there might be a cultural difference.

You both contributed to this.

 

[foxtrot3d]

I'm sure anyone who occupies the spectrum between white and black will back me up on this: Racist people often feel the need to identify your racial background if it's not immediately obvious.

"So uhhh, where are you from?"

"Chicago and Detroit."

"Oh... Where were you born/your parents from?" or "Where are you REALLY from?"

Yup.

 

[Nesotenso]

Why defend ignorance?

word is used differently in the UK because South Asians are more of a feature there.

 

[loaf of bread]

I didn't know it was offensive, my new question would be why is it offensive. Does it not just refer to people/food/products from the Orient As in the area encompassing Middle to East Asia?

 

[Sketchbag]

At the point where he made the "It's what I grew up with" argument he was aware that the term oriental is offensive to an Asian person as I'd only a few seconds ago just informed him.

The issue with this, and is seen often in actual discussions, is that one side won't back down on the issue so the other will have more reasons why something happens or what not. Adding or changing reasons isn't usually a lack of intelligence or understanding, but that the conversation has been going on so long that you got to add more to it. Conversations on GAF do the same thing: no one discusses just the issue it branches off and for some reason people will even argue analogies I make. It's better to say your piece and move on.

 

[Mineshaft_Gap]

I didn't know it was offensive, my new question would be why is it offensive. Does it not just refer to people/food/products from the Orient As in the area encompassing Middle to East Asia?

http://racerelations.about.com/od/understandingrac1/a/racialnamestoavoid.htm

 

[Infinite]

Oriental is not a racist term in the UK.

Frankly both of you could have handled this better.

Please tell me what the OP could have done better. Humor me.

 

[EmiPrime]

At the point where he made the "It's what I grew up with" argument he was aware that the term oriental is offensive to an Asian person as I'd only a few seconds ago just informed him. So what, are you advocating he continue the use of the word despite having just been informed of its status as a racially insensitive term? By a person to whom the term applies, no less? His argument was never valid. A non-asshole non-racist would be like "Oh sorry! I didn't know." and I'd be like "Ain't no thaaang"

And you escalated it by comparing the word he used (which is NOT a slur in the UK) to the n word.

Both of you behaved poorly.

 

[Massive Duck. C.M.]

You know, you don't

have to

refer to people by their race/where you think they're from/your quaint catch-all for people from a region

 

[EmptySpace]

oh come on. i am asian and as long as the person does not have any intentions of being racist, i am not going to lecture him/her or label the other person as racist.

orient means east. yes, oriental was used by the grandfathers of your grandmothers to mean a different thing, that does not mean the definition of the word oriental is forever changed. even asians use oriental in different things as a descriptor.

where i'm from, we use negro and oriental freely because we use them using their true definitions and not as a means to berate someone.

then again, 'murica made those words taboo because they take words from other languages then use them the way they want to.

so i say you went overboard, especially labeling someone as racist even though they're not one.

 

[Sketchbag]

oh come on. i am asian and as long as the person does not have any intentions of being racist, i am not going to lecture him/her or label the other person as racist.

orient means east. yes, oriental was used by the grandfathers of your grandmothers to mean a different thing, that does not mean the definition of the word oriental is forever changed. even asians use oriental in different things as a descriptor.

where i'm from, we use negro and oriental freely because we use them using their true definitions and not as a means to berate someone.

then again, 'murica made those words taboo because they take words from other languages then use them the way they want to.

so i say you went overboard, especially labeling someone as racist even though they're not one.

Where in the world is negro acceptable?

 

[foxtrot3d]

oh come on. i am asian and as long as the person does not have any intentions of being racist, i am not going to lecture him/her or label the other person as racist.

orient means east. yes, oriental was used by the grandfathers of your grandmothers to mean a different thing, that does not mean the definition of the word oriental is forever changed. even asians use oriental in different things as a descriptor.

where i'm from, we use negro and oriental freely because we use them using their true definitions and not as a means to berate someone.

then again, 'murica made those words taboo because they take words from other languages then use them the way they want to.

so i say you went overboard, especially labeling someone as racist even though they're not one.

Where do you live that people still use the term negro? And why are you using it?

 

[You Are Viewtiful]

One of my close friends whose parents are from Hong Kong uses the word Oriental. He dropped it so casually the first time, I was shocked/angry at first, and then an "oh wait", and then confusion. That feeling of confusion is still there

He never calls himself Oriental, but refers to other people as Oriental which is what drives me nuts.

 

[EmptySpace]

Where in the world is negro acceptable?

Where do you live that people still use the term negro? And why are you using it?

negro is spanish for the colour black.

 

[Carnby]

Where in the world is negro acceptable?

The United Negro College Fund still uses the word.

http://www.uncf.org/

 

[ishibear]

Seriously who the fuck uses "oriental" to refer to Asians? I swear it's like every damn day now, someone uses the dumbest terms in an attempt to be clever or smart or some shit when addressing minorities.

This reminds me of the "exotic" thread. Who the hell has the gall to think calling people this shit is appropriate? Oriental? Wtf, WHY?

I'm sorry you had to deal with that asshole, OP. You have every right to be upset with how he responded to you.

 

[Kimaka]

I don't think you overreacted. That guy was being a douchebag. You don't continually refer to someone by a term they told you was offensive to them like he did.

 

[Kandrick]

Oriental is racist now ? Or is that just a US thing.

 

[Mineshaft_Gap]

The United Negro College Fund still uses the word.

http://www.uncf.org/

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/17/business/media/17adco.html?_r=0

 

[Hylian7]

In this thread peeps didn't know oriental is offensive.

But really, sucky situation. This racism is killing me inside.

I'll be honest, I didn't know either, however I don't use the word myself. My family did, but I never thought of anything of it.

If anything, this thread has gotten me to think about it and be aware that that word is in fact offensive. So that should at least be taken as a positive from this thread.

 

[painey]

Oriental isn't offensive in the UK (where he's from) although his refusal to apologise or cease using the term when you claim insult is just him being a cunt.

 

[Qvoth]

i assume OP is of chinese/japan/korean descent?
i am chinese, and i don't think oriental is offensive at all

 

[Mineshaft_Gap]

Seriously who the fuck uses "oriental" to refer to Asians? I swear it's like every damn day now, someone uses the dumbest terms in an attempt to be clever or smart or some shit when addressing minorities.

This reminds me of the "exotic" thread. Who the hell has the gall to think calling people this shit is appropriate? Oriental? Wtf, WHY?

I'm sorry you had to deal with that asshole, OP. You have every right to be upset with how he responded to you.

Haha, I've been called exotic. Lots of times. People think it's a compliment.

"You're so pretty in an exotic way!"

And I'm like. Hey buddy... fuck you!

 

[finowns]

I'm sure anyone who occupies the spectrum between white and black will back me up on this: Racist people often feel the need to identify your racial background if it's not immediately obvious.

"So uhhh, where are you from?"

"Chicago and Detroit."

"Oh... Where were you born/your parents from?" or "Where are you REALLY from?"

I do this a lot, but I'm actually interested where people are from and their background. Now I wonder if it's some racist tendency I'm not aware of. Last time I asked I got a kind of weird look.

 

[cwmartin]

I had to correct my father that referring to Asian people as "orientals" was not okay.

I was returned with the "well, sooooorrrry" sarcastic response. Fun!

 

[block tower]

(in David Attenborough voice)

"The wild racist cannot rest until it has successfully identified the ethnicity of the person it has encountered. A sense of superiority must be established before further interaction can be had."

sounds about right.

 

[SteveWinwood]

I'm sure anyone who occupies the spectrum between white and black will back me up on this: Racist people often feel the need to identify your racial background if it's not immediately obvious.

"So uhhh, where are you from?"

"Chicago and Detroit."

"Oh... Where were you born/your parents from?" or "Where are you REALLY from?"

i live surrounded by white people and we ask each other where we're "really from" all the time

mostly because the answer is either german or scandanavian

or if youre a grad student its just part of your introduction

im *name* im in *whatever department* working on *whatever* with *whomever* and im from india or whatever

 

[MrToughPants]

I always had reservations about what I said to this hot Filipino girl I was seeing. We were having sex and I said, "Now you're caucasian." At least it got a laugh out of her.

 

[Crumpet Trumpet]

White proverb: "Frankly both of you could have handled this better."

I always had reservations about what I said to this hot Filipino girl I was seeing. We were having sex and I said, "Now you're caucasian." At least it got a laugh out of her.

 

[Infinite]

i assume OP is of chinese/japan/korean descent?
i am chinese, and i don't think oriental is offensive at all

That's you, bro. OP didn't like though and politely requested the gentleman in the scenario refrain from using it to refer to him.

 

[Carnby]

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/17/business/media/17adco.html?_r=0

Yet the word is still on the website. I figured it would have been completely omitted.

 

[BocoDragon]

Why is it considered an offensive term? I'd love to know the history behind it.

I mean, I know that it is considered an offensive term... That seemed to be the trend in the 90s, to not say that word. But I got the impression it just meant Asian 30+ years ago.

Let's not act like you're a racist monster for using it - unless there is some hidden history of oppression connected to it's use that I am unaware of. More like it is just hopelessly out of touch to use it - a depreciated word, like "negro".

 

[ishibear]

Haha, I've been called exotic. Lots of times. People think it's a compliment.

"You're so pretty in an exotic way!"

And I'm like. Hey buddy... fuck you!

And if you bother to tell them that shit isn't cool, then they're offended you didn't like it.

It's fucking gross behavior.

I think I've lucked out by attending college in a school predominantly filled with minorities. Nobody likes that creepy shit here.

Sorry you have to deal with that.