Why do some of you use the word "JAP"?

[fightclub85]

Why do some of you use the word "JAP"?

I'm Jpanaese. To me Jap is a slur. I don't know why some of you use this word. Every time I see this word on this forum I feel offended by your words.

If this board really cares about Racism, I think we all know that we shouldn't use this word.

Regards,

[kraidazen]

while the history to it is less than appealing, anyone outside your country or anyone who doesn't know the history or racial slur to it would be more likely to use it because of its shorthanded form. as for the racism issues, don't get offended to it. i'm filipino and one wrong pronunciation (whether derogatory or not) of its shorthand form and my countrymen turns into lunatics. i ignore it or teach them what it means depending on situations. as for preventing usage of such word, doing so would only increase the sensitivity to it thereby putting more attention to such meanings. such attention might not be good to it. just look at the history of the word "nigger" for that matter.

[gyoza, ramen & a beer]

A few thoughts:

1. While I tend to come down on the side of "words are one thing, deeds are quite another" and the license that implies that we should all, and always, be judged not by what we say, but instead, by what we do, I have over time become much more aware of the corrosive effects of language. Effects that, aside from hate-speech, we may have grown used to and may only be minimally aware of, if at all.

2. In any case, being non-Japanese, it simply isn't my call to decide if the term is offensive or not.

3. I would point out, however, the obvious fact that "jap" happens to be the first three letters of your country's name and the ethnicity of it's residents, so it may simply be a verbal short-hand or abbreviation that is used casually and without bad intent. Citizens of Britain are, after all, widely-known and referred to as "Brits" and, aside from the term's use by members of the Irish Republican Army, I don't think is meant or taken as an insult or slur. Similarly, people of the Jewish faith have no problem being called "Jews" and universally refer to themselves as such.

This is not to brush aside or show a lack of respect for your feelings, fightclub85, but to suggest that not every such use of the term may be rooted in racism.

There is speech and there is behavior. While the former can be unclear, the latter never is. It is our actions -- not our thoughts or words -- that define us.

[EzikialRage]

Originally Posted by fightclub85

Why do some of you use the word "JAP"?

I'm Jpanaese. To me Jap is a slur. I don't know why some of you use this word. Every time I see this word on this forum I feel offended by your words.

If this board really cares about Racism, I think we all know that we shouldn't use this word.

Regards,

I guess to most people see the word JAP is nothing more than an abbreviation of Japanese.So if someone is using the word jap they are not being racist. Jap was used as an abbreviation before WWII and wasn't until WWII that it was considered a slur and many people today only see Jap as nothing more than an abreviation. Too many people it doesn't have the same connotation as Nigger, Chink, Prairie nigger, sand nigger, porch monkeys, rag head, spick, beaner, peckerwood, Uncle tom, wet backs, cracker, kites, twinkie or any other racial slur.

Has it occurred to you that if someone is racist against Japanese people that this board would be the last place on earth they would be visiting?