Use of the word 'Jap' - is it offensive?

sorry to speak up again

kaotsun wrote:sorry to speak up again
just want to thank you for teaching me a new word 'ignorant'
i opened the dictionary to find what it means and it's exactly what i am
thank you

your welcome. :beaten:

you can still posts..you know..don't get upset because of this now that everything is clear I hope you will understand more now. After all you're just a little girl :beaten:

kaotsun wrote:still, since i always think different from you guys
wouldn't get along so well
i've been taught that we should be brave to think, and brave to say it out loud(it's something that thai schools teach, though i do study in australia)
now i don't think it works with this
as i start saying what i think, people gets angry with me in this thing
feel like i have no right to think differ from people here
(please don't blame thailand though, all my fault)
and as i promised--> i'll shut up

no dont shut up, we dont want anything from u but understanding.. my bad i sounded kinda rude earlier but its just annoying how this has been settled then newbie comes out and pop an ignorant question all over again.. it happened several times.. i hope you're brave enough to stand up and not just leave over some thread

kaotsun wrote:sorry to speak up again
just want to thank you for teaching me a new word 'ignorant'
i opened the dictionary to find what it means and it's exactly what i am
thank you

Hey girl, you didn't have to be too upset over it. The rest were harsh to your replies, but they meant well to correct your thinking. Normally if you had read thru all the posts in the thread, those comments wouldn't have been posted without much supporting points.

You're still welcome to post your views on any topics on JDorama.com. When others told you to be brave and say it loud, I think they've missed out telling you that you've also to face the responses to your words with a positive attitude.

Genma wrote:You're still welcome to post your views on any topics on JDorama.com. When others told you to be brave and say it loud, I think they've missed out telling you that you've also to face the responses to your words with a positive attitude.

‚³‚·‚ªD

. :bow:

kaotsun wrote:this stuck in my head all day today so i decided to post one more
i asked everyone i knew about this three letters, no one actually thought it is offensive. i called my friend in japan also...everyone said " i thought it was just shortened word for japanese ". that's what i thought also
see i'm living in this world where no one cares. so why would i care? this is why i think it is not offensive. i have my reasons. i wasn't upset with this though, i thought it was non sense. but i felt like something is undone, and i must finish it. and i think i did think before i type something out. my first post here was considered also, and i decided it was alright, just because that's what i think, not what you think(and by you i kinda mean everyone). i read the posts. they says what the person think, so i did.but the responses turned out quite unexpected.
you people here got mad at me because of one comment i made, so i actually believe my mom and dad who says i'm not ignorant
i feel unwelcomed though, so i'll just stop it here

You just don't get it, do you? :shakehead:

kaotsun wrote:this stuck in my head all day today so i decided to post one more
i asked everyone i knew about this three letters, no one actually thought it is offensive. i called my friend in japan also...everyone said " i thought it was just shortened word for japanese ". that's what i thought also
see i'm living in this world where no one cares. so why would i care? this is why i think it is not offensive. i have my reasons. i wasn't upset with this though, i thought it was non sense. but i felt like something is undone, and i must finish it. and i think i did think before i type something out. my first post here was considered also, and i decided it was alright, just because that's what i think, not what you think(and by you i kinda mean everyone). i read the posts. they says what the person think, so i did.but the responses turned out quite unexpected.
you people here got mad at me because of one comment i made, so i actually believe my mom and dad who says i'm not ignorant
i feel unwelcomed though, so i'll just stop it here

Apparently in where you live, "Jap" isn't found offensive. That's perfectly fine.

I am of Japanese nationality. I also DO NOT find it offensive. Regardless, I refrain from using the term here because people here DO find it offensive. We're not trying to change the way you think. All we ask is that you please mind others' feelings by refraining use of "Jap" in this forum.

kaotsun wrote:you people here got mad at me because of one comment i made, so i actually believe my mom and dad who says i'm not ignorant
i feel unwelcomed though, so i'll just stop it here

We're not trying to push you away and make you feel unwelcomed. All we're trying to do is educate you on how some people may feel whenever they see or hear the term "Jap".
There is no right and wrong answer here. Basically it comes down to how much respect you have for other peoples' point of views.
If you must insist on using the word in the forum, then by all means please feel free to. :)

kaotsun wrote:see i'm living in this world where no one cares. so why would i care?

Do not forget that this forum is accessed world wide. No matter where you go on the web, you will see that people from different country's have different ways of thinking and find different things offensive. Accomodation is key to getting along. ;)

Well, this has become quite a nasty thread of late, hasnft it?

I just read through the entire thread again, and it seems to me that itfs gone from an honest inquiry, to a license for some to berate, belittle, and scold anyone who happens to step on this particular verbal landmine.

The result is usually hurt feelings, and defensiveness on the part of the offender, which sets off another round of scoldings.

The question: Is the use of the word Jap considered offensivec was asked and pretty well answered in the first few pages. From here on I canft see how belaboring the question is productive.

My suggestion to the moderators: Lock this thread up now.

Leave the thread as a sticky.

When Moderators find someone using the term at JDorama, simply post a standard response. Something like:

Use of the epithet, gJaph is considered offensive to many, and as such is not acceptable language at JDorama. http://jdorama.com/viewtopic.22.htm

People who used the term innocently will understand and probably wonft use the word again.

People who donft care that the term is offensive to some, wonft care about your reasons for being offended.

ahochaude wrote:
...No matter where you go on the web, you will see that people from different country's have different ways of thinking and find different things offensive....

That's true. For example my father talks about African Americans by using the "n word" yet he doesn't mean it by any offence. He's like: "Samuel L. Jackson is my favourite n****r actor, I just love that guy", and that's true. He really is a huge fan of Jackson. So, why does he use the "n word" ? Well, becase that's the way he has learned to refer to African Americans (he was born in the 50's btw).

Now, I find that word absolutely racist and would never use it myself. I don't like it when my father uses that word either but I know that he doesn't mean anything bad by it. That's how people talked when he was young. That's not saying it would be okay today, because it isn't. But people should notice that other people might have a different way of thinking and may not mean to insult even if may sound like it.

But still, people should avoid using words that others may find insulting. It's actually kind of an insult not to think how other people might react to what you say.

kaotsun wrote:this stuck in my head all day today so i decided to post one more
i asked everyone i knew about this three letters, no one actually thought it is offensive. i called my friend in japan also...everyone said " i thought it was just shortened word for japanese ". that's what i thought also
see i'm living in this world where no one cares. so why would i care? this is why i think it is not offensive. i have my reasons. i wasn't upset with this though, i thought it was non sense. but i felt like something is undone, and i must finish it. and i think i did think before i type something out. my first post here was considered also, and i decided it was alright, just because that's what i think, not what you think(and by you i kinda mean everyone). i read the posts. they says what the person think, so i did.but the responses turned out quite unexpected.
you people here got mad at me because of one comment i made, so i actually believe my mom and dad who says i'm not ignorant
i feel unwelcomed though, so i'll just stop it here

I don't think "jap" is as offensive to a native Japanese person as it is to a Japanese American LIKE ME! It was the Japanese Americans who had to bear most of the racism that erupted from WW2-- far more than the native Japanese who were oceans away! Your friends in Japan probably didn't have relatives or close family friends who were put in camps and called "enemies" even when they were in no way responsible for Pearl Harbor! Even today the hate embedded in this term has far from faded. Just last year my friend and I were called "japs" in a derogatory manner. The pain we both felt drove us to tears. Why should we be hated for being a race we are proud of? Please keep in mind that there are many japanese people who DO find the word "jap" offensive, and be sensitive to their feelings.

I think I opined once before, and I think I'll stick to it -- I think it's as morally wrong to say, "it's OK to call THESE group of people [that term], but, it's wrong to call THOSE group of people [that term]" as it is to actually use the offensive term.

bmwracer wrote:
You just don't get it, do you? :shakehead:

no i just won't get it.

ahochaude wrote:
Apparently in where you live, "Jap" isn't found offensive. That's perfectly fine.

I am of Japanese nationality. I also DO NOT find it offensive. Regardless, I refrain from using the term here because people here DO find it offensive. We're not trying to change the way you think. All we ask is that you please mind others' feelings by refraining use of "Jap" in this forum.

oh, i guess this must be what i've forgotten.....i was so selfish thinking about myself, that if i don't care, then no one else should care....
:banghead:
.......:beaten:
thank you so much, ahochaude.
without your words i must still be.....stupid
:bow: honto ni arigatou gozaimashita!!!!!!!
now i feel so bad....this must be what people were trying to tell me here but i just wouldn't understand it.....
thank you again!

kaotsun wrote:no i just won't get it.

You won't get it??? Huh?????

i think she got it now ^^

Geezer wrote:My suggestion to the moderators: Lock this thread up now.

Leave the thread as a sticky.

I'm leaving this thread active so that others may post their views or share their experiences over this issue. This little spate is of rare occurence and should not be a problem, right kaotsun? :)

bmwracer wrote:
You won't get it??? Huh?????

er...I think she somewhat gets it now..

Actually, if someone uses the word "Jap" in a historical, linguistic, or otherwise scholastic manner, I don't mind. That is, I can understand someone being curious as to the origin and usage of the term and why it became offensive to Japanese Americans. Thus, a thread like this serves a good purpose, to educate folks and help raise awareness and understanding.

It may sound corny, but there's simple wisdom to Bill & Ted's famous line:
Be Excellent To Each Other! :woot:



Party on! :drink: :hehe:
-PCM

kaotsun wrote:oh, i guess this must be what i've forgotten.....i was so selfish thinking about myself, that if i don't care, then no one else should care....
:banghead:
.......:beaten:
thank you so much, ahochaude.
without your words i must still be.....stupid
:bow: honto ni arigatou gozaimashita!!!!!!!
now i feel so bad....this must be what people were trying to tell me here but i just wouldn't understand it.....
thank you again!

Don't feel bad. It was just a misunderstanding. And you're NOT stupid.
You're still welcomed here. :)

Genma wrote:I'm leaving this thread active so that others may post their views or share their experiences over this issue. This little spate is of rare occurence and should not be a problem, right kaotsun? :)

Exactly the reason why I as well, did not lock the thread. :)