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

ganmo wrote:

1. It's not offensive to you, but then you are not Japanese or of Japanese descent. Isn't it a little presumptuous to determine what is offensive or what is not offensive to an ethnic group when you are not part of that group?
2. You may think "Jap" is just short for "Japanese," but there is a long history of bigotry involving this three-letter word. For you and anyone else who thinks it's merely an innocuous abbreviation of the word Japanese, go out and educate yourselves on this topic and see if you feel the same way after.
3. Your last line implies that Japanese who are proud of their culture should not feel insulted by the word "Jap." Again, do you presume to know what an ethnic group believes even though you are not of that group? Also, are you then implying that Japanese or people of Japanese descent who find it insulting are not proud of their culture?

I personally find the word extremely offensive and I'm Japanese American. I am proud to be Japanese. Unless you've grown up Japanese, you wouldn't understand how or why this word is offensive towards us. If you haven't seen it used against your family, grandparents, aunts, uncles, in a negative way how would you understand? I have seen it and I have had it used against me because of what I am. Yes, some people only use it as a shortened form of Japanese, probably because they don't know any better, or are just plain lazy (or ignorant) but I still find it very insulting.

I don't think any enlightened individual would disagree with you, despite the fact that they, themselves, are not Japanese. Most of the regulars here find the use of the term repugnant and actively dissuade ppl from using it in reference to Japanese persons or Japanese popular culture.

Rest assured, the prevailing opinion is one that you share, there is no room for such discriminatory language on this message board....the connotations of such language are not appreciated or endorsed.

1. It's not offensive to you, but then you are not Japanese or of Japanese descent. Isn't it a little presumptuous to determine what is offensive or what is not offensive to an ethnic group when you are not part of that group?
2. You may think "Jap" is just short for "Japanese," but there is a long history of bigotry involving this three-letter word. For you and anyone else who thinks it's merely an innocuous abbreviation of the word Japanese, go out and educate yourselves on this topic and see if you feel the same way after.
3. Your last line implies that Japanese who are proud of their culture should not feel insulted by the word "Jap." Again, do you presume to know what an ethnic group believes even though you are not of that group? Also, are you then implying that Japanese or people of Japanese descent who find it insulting are not proud of their culture?

I failed to mention that I totally agree with what the above person had stated.

Tu_triky...

Thank you very much! :victory:

ganmo wrote:Tu_triky...

Thank you very much! :victory:

no need to thank me...unfortunately we live in an increasingly close-minded world where ppl attempt to appeal to racial stereotypes to justify bigotted views. your bold stance regarding such discrimination is justified and proper. your cause is not singular in nature....you merely echo a voice of tolerance that needs to be heard throughout the world (whether in Japan, Asian, Africa, Europe, America).

again, rest assured, most ppl on this board are not bigotted, ignorant, or lazy enough to condone such offensive views against Japanese ppl.

welcome.

I never knew that was offensive. I've heard a couple people say it all over the web. Thanx for telling.

strawberry_rice wrote:I never knew that was offensive. I've heard a couple people say it all over the web. Thanx for telling.

the historical context of the term began with the derogatory use of the term Jap during the World War II era when Japan was the enemy of the United States.

Tu_triky wrote:
the historical context of the term began with the derogatory use of the term Jap during the World War II era when Japan was the enemy of the United States.

recently i have seen the term yanks used to describe a ww2 movie.
guess it is not offensive if it is used in this context (because the self-reference).
however, it looks rather strange to use yanks in news articles, books etc.
not really offensive, just strange.
maybe it is appreciate to use these words sometimes.

to say, hi i am an euro - complete crap?

You know, I can only say that if you're not Japanese, especially Japanese-American, you wouldn't understand.

See...Jap is a word, just a word. Yes. It's in the movies and media and people use it all the time...so what? Well, so is the "N" word (Nigga, for those that might not understand). It's in the movies, it's even in used in Rap. So, it's just a word, right? No big deal?

Here's what you do. Go to a forum with predominantly African-American members. Write out a post about the "N" word, just being a word and that it's no big deal and what's the big fuss over this word anyway? Come back and tell us what happened.

I don't mean to sound rude or anything but I'm just trying to help people understand why it's such an offensive word to many Japanese-Americans (and to others who are aware of the racist history of this word).

Very well put ganmo-chan.

Even better, go to any city in the USA (New York would be good) and try the N-word out on the street. I guarantee instant pain!

Anime Dad wrote:Very well put ganmo-chan.

Even better, go to any city in the USA (New York would be good) and try the N-word out on the street. I guarantee instant pain!

Go the South...a few white ppl might pat you on the back and flash you a one tooth smile.

seriously i've never knew that this term is offensive until i came across this thread...it really enlighten me and i guess i can understand the reason after reading some of the comments...

seriously i've never knew that this term is offensive until i came across this thread...it really enlighten me and i guess i can understand the reason after reading some of the comments...

Thanks...that's nice to hear. :victory:

Something from World War 2 America:

[image]

I forgot...

Very well put ganmo-chan.

Thank you! :mrgreen:

Even better, go to any city in the USA (New York would be good) and try the N-word out on the street. I guarantee instant pain!

Yep...like this... :beaten:

Go the South...a few white ppl might pat you on the back and flash you a one tooth smile.

:rofl: :rofl:

ganmo wrote:I forgot...

Very well put ganmo-chan.

Thank you! :mrgreen:

Even better, go to any city in the USA (New York would be good) and try the N-word out on the street. I guarantee instant pain!

Yep...like this... :beaten:

Go the South...a few white ppl might pat you on the back and flash you a one tooth smile.

:rofl: :rofl:

they miss the good ol' days of plantation life...when the coloreds worked the land and did the laundry....they could compete with the carpet baggers from the North without needing to resort to their nefarous machines of industrialization.

That was a very nice piece of 'ranting'. I have to admit I stay away form the word 'Jap' to avoid possibly offending others. The word in itself has no meaning for me - I have not a single drop of Japanese blood in me. Nonetheless pissing off people you having even met is just not quite right for me.

I spent a few years in England in my late teens, and have met my share racists bigots. Sometimes, though, it's because that particular 'racist' don't really know any different. To cut a long story short I ended up getting quite friendly with a South African, at a time when apartheid was well in force. One time in an army training camp the staff sergeant kept calling me 'Chink' (yes, I'm Chinese) for a whole 3-day training session. To be honest I wasn't that offended, especially right at the end of the training he apologized (as much as career soldier can) about calling me names right in front of the whole platoon.

I suppose the moral this story is - if you don't want people calling you names, prove to them you're not what they think. I don't mean hiding your roots a la Michael Jackson, but prove to them 'Chinks', 'Japs', 'Niggers' etc. are not necessarily what they think.

funny how you bitch that americans say they're 10% this, 10% that, yet in your 2nd paragraph, you specifically state that you're 50% english, and 50% german... aren't you 100% british?

Black Dragon 1000 wrote:


Ouch.... looks like I hit a nerve. To answer you, just so my argument is complete, I lived in Germany when I was young but then went to high school in England..... If thats the only flaw in my argument, I am WELL pleased. :mrgreen:

I'm guessing that people who are 100% Japanese, living in Japan, are not going to get called by the "offensive J-word" (no, I won't use it) very much at all, except by maybe really stupid and insensitive (or unknowing) tourists. It's mainly going to be Japanese or Japanese-Americans (or -British, or whatever) who would hear this. (and probably some Chinese, Koreans etc as some of these bigoted people don't even know which race they are insulting sometimes).

I have not a drop of Asian blood in me - I'm as white as they come - but I don't judge anyone by their race or skin color. You are all just "people" to me - no different to anyone else, or me - citizens of the world.

‹U‘PŽÒ.

..........................................................................

ganmo wrote:‹U‘PŽÒ.

Who is?

And please, if you are going to direct a comment at someone, please make sure you specify who it is and make the comment in English.

‰°•aŽÒB
(Coward)

‘‰¤š

I was curious about that...... not being able to read Japanese....