Is it offensive to be Oriental?

[The Funky Yellow Bro]

After reading all these different posts on this subject, I have come
up with my opinions:

1. Who the fuck cares? If someone says, "Don't call me
Oriental", then don't call them Oriental. It's like when I say,
"Don't call me Mike, call me Michael". It is a questions of
preference. The people who don't want to be called "Oriental", should
be more patient with the people who use this term. I would say that
most of them aren't using it to be offensive.

2. I have never heard this term used offensively. When someone
calls me "Chink", a "Jap", a "Gook", a "Bardo", etc. I usually take
offense. When someone calls me an "Oriental", I usually don't take
offense unless it was in their tone. I've never heard anyone say "You
Oriental!" the same way as someone would say "You nigger!".

3. To me, personally, "Asian"refers to a very broad region. When
I hear the term "Asian", I usually think of just the people of the
Orient... I do not usually associate myself with the Iranians and
Iraqis, the Afghans, the Pakistinians, the Indians, etc. I associate
myself with the Chinese, the Japanese, the Koreans, the Vietnamese,
etc. Basically, those of East Asia and South East Asia, but not the
entire Asian area. To me, personally, the term "Oriental" is a more
specific term as it defines a more specific region. I am content with
either, but I prefer the term "Oriental" since I am proud of the
cultures that make up what I am. Perhaps a more accurate term should
be Confucian.

4. With my experience in Eastern Asian, particularly Taiwan and
Japan, most people will not understand me if I use the term "Asian",
but if I use the term "Oriental", most people understand what I am
saying.

Anyways, those are my views on this whole argument.

Miki-o

[Lao Ke Mong]

How can people feel offended about being oriental ?

In hong kong people call foreigners gui lo's ( foreign devil ) and
foreigners couldn't care less.

Why we so sensitive.

[Peter Sun]

because this ain't HK, and this is about individual preference...

PS

[Patrick Chung]

On Sat, 5 Oct 1996, Lao Ke Mong wrote:

> How can people feel offended about being oriental ?
>
> In hong kong people call foreigners gui lo's ( foreign devil ) and
> foreigners couldn't care less.

If you say it to them in English they may care. :)
If you swear to them in Cantonese how would they know if it was supposely
a good gesture or not? Unless they know Cantonese, but some do so you
have to be careful. :)

Pat Chung

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