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When did "oriental" become a racist epithet
Avenger

Posted on 07/21/2002 9:00:30 PM PDT by Avenger

A question: when did the usage of the word "oriental" to describe a person fall out of favor among the PC thought police? I recall entering the university around 1990 and being told repeatedly that "oriental" was a racially deragatory term and that "rugs are oriental, not people." I had never heard of such a thing before this and I had been closely involved with a number of "oriental" people in varying capacities for years prior to this. What's up with this? Is there really anything negative about the word "oriental?" I believe that the term is "occidental" for Westerner and "oriental" for people from the Far-East. Does anybody have any thoughts about this? I am curious about the origins of all this.

By the way, don't forget "asian" is racially offensive because "food is asian, not people!" ;-)


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To: APBaer
In the world of PC, black people get to be "African-American"...red people get to be "Native-American"...yellow people get to be "Asian-American"...brown people get to be "Hispanic", etc. and white people are just...well..."white".
21 posted on 09/07/2002 9:49:04 PM PDT by scan58
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To: scan58
I don't agree. There is a specific identity for any American. It's being... welll.... "American"!

There are sub cultures. You can call it a "white" subculture or some other european subgroup.

People who are mixed ethnically are "american" first and "mixed-ethnicity" second. But, if someone is not mixed, does that really matter? I hope not!

22 posted on 09/07/2002 10:08:11 PM PDT by bonesmccoy
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To: Archie Bunker on steroids
A question: when did the usage of the word "oriental" to describe a person fall out of favor among the PC

I think its after he killed his white wife and her boyfriend.

Um, I think the word you're thinking of is "Orenthal", not "oriental". And he is no Asian — neither East, South, nor Central!

23 posted on 09/07/2002 10:41:20 PM PDT by cynwoody
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To: cynwoody
Wouldn't Orenthal be considered an Assian?;)
24 posted on 09/07/2002 10:53:08 PM PDT by Free Trapper
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To: bonesmccoy
I don't agree, either, but that's how it seems in the world of the politically correct.
25 posted on 09/09/2002 5:09:33 PM PDT by scan58
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