Yeah, that's what I don't get. "Oriental" simply means 'eastern,' which, by the reference of the English speaking world, the Orient is. "Asian," however, encompasses the better part of the hemisphere, and could be Indians, Siberians, Tibetans, etc., etc., etc., even Moscovites. I'm not sure the source of the offensiveness of "Oriental" and the propriety of "Asian." One seems to be a more specific indicator of region, which would seem to be more appropriate to the PC Police, but it's not-- it's the 'naughty' word.
Eh. Who ever said PC doctrine made sense?
Tiger Woods has an asian mother. Why is he called african-american instead of asian-american or just simply american?
The two PC racial terms that are the most ridiculous are "Asian" and "Native American." As you pointed out, Asia encompasses many nationalities. An Israeli or a Russian have very little in common with a Korean or a Filipino. Indians and East Asians, the two principal Asian groups in America, are vastly different in race and culture. As for "Native American," the traditional term, American Indian is admittedly inaccurate. However, America as a nation and a concept had its origins in the European, especially British, settlers who came to this nation from 1609 onwards. Calling the mostly Northeast Asians that inhabited this continent prior to the European settlement Native Americans implies that the Europeans were evil interlopers, rather than the noble founders of the greatest nation in today's world.