cwayne@unm-cvax.UUCP (01/29/85)
<I don't create the facts, I merely report them.>
I have just been informed that "In our enlightened society, people of
Japanese descent are highly offended by the adjective 'Jap'." Let me say that
I intended to offend noone (and this is not an apology, because there should
be no insult taken), but this news group should be the last place anybody could
be offended (unless you tried real real hard). I used the term 'Jap' for one,
it was shorter than Japanese or Nipponese(sp), two, in WWII 'Jap' WAS the term
used whether or not it was meant as an insult, and three, Star Trek has been a
major influence in most of my life and so some of the events from no less than
two ST episodes come to mind. In SC, Uhura tells Lincoln that in the 23rd
Century "we are proud of what we are." In LB, Kirk tells Loki and Bele basicaly
the same thing. So, when I (or anyone else) use a term that might sound
offensive to someone, remember it's coming from the 23rd Century and Not the
20th!
I greatly injoy ethnic jokes. I'm very disappointed that there aren't
more ethnic jokes reguarding my major nationality (which is Czech). You see, if
we can't laugh at ourselves, we can't laugh with each other. That leads to not
being able to accept ourselves and if we're not proud of what we are, how can
we be proud of each other?! In the end, anything said, any label given will
become offensive! If there is no hatred, there is no insult and if there is
'laughter', how can there be hatred? 'Laughter' could be replaced with sharing
or common intrest or something of similar quality.
Now, if I had said 'Commi' or 'Moonie', would I have been told that I was
offending anyone? How conceited we are! There is one redeeming thing, we
must be able to differentiate between something that is ethnic and something
that is cancerous (evil in the guise of good, which is very very common today)!
From now on, if somebody says "death to all Zeaon Pigs" or "Jap" or
whatever, let's first try to recall from what episode it came from and if that
fails, consider it in the mind of someone from the 23rd Century.
One final thing, somebody will probably say that this letter belongs in
net.politics or net.religion, but I think I have already answered this with what
Uhura and Kirk said in SC and LB respectfully. If the subject of this letter
has not been part of the Star Trek Universe, then I must be seeing things that
aren't there and the hope for a better future just doesn't exist!!
Chris Wayne @ UNM
The "being serious" time is now over with.
<jap = just another problem>ellen@reed.UUCP (Ellen Eades) (02/05/85)
> > <I don't create the facts, I merely report them.> > > I have just been informed that "In our enlightened society, people of > Japanese descent are highly offended by the adjective 'Jap'." Let me say that > I intended to offend noone (and this is not an apology, because there should > be no insult taken), Ummm. I am glad to hear that you *intended* to offend no one. However, it reminds me of the old saying about ignorance of the law. > it was shorter than Japanese or Nipponese(sp), two, in WWII 'Jap' WAS the term > used whether or not it was meant as an insult, This troubles me, for some odd reason. Are you willing to assert that, in the heat and noise of WW2, *anyone* used the word "Jap" in other than a derogative sense? Also, we are no longer living in WW2 years; and also, most ethnic terms which are shortened are done so for their contemptuous overtones, not just for brevity. > If there is no hatred, there is no insult and if there is > 'laughter', how can there be hatred? Cf. the above; an appellation given in times of war can be assumed to have at least a strong dislike behind it. See also "gook," "Hun," and "nigger." > Now, if I had said 'Commi' or 'Moonie', would I have been told that I was > offending anyone? How conceited we are! Yes, you would have been told. > Chris Wayne @ UNM > The "being serious" time is now over with. > <jap = just another problem> ** Right. I'm really laughing hard now. ** *** REPLACE THIS LINE WITH YOUR MESSAGE *** *** RIGHT AWAY, MR. SPOCK SUGAH *** I don't venture to speak for the rest of the Japanese-American community here, but when I was in grade school, "Jap" and "Chink" were commonly tossed in my direction, and I think they were not used with affection. I think Alan Schmidt is correct in pointing out that "our heroes" would not use these terms; they never even used terms like "Rom" or "Klink." It would have been contrary to Federation ethics. In Star Trek III, Sulu is not taunted for his *race*, but his *height*. Oh, well, you can't get rid of all prejudices at once. Let me, just for the sake of controversy, point out that I am half Irish and half Japanese. I grew up being taunted with the term "Jap." Last summer, visiting my Japanese grandmother for the first time, I was called "gaijin" on the street. Gaijin is a Japanese slang term meaning, essentially, honky. So I guess what I want to say is ... think before you speak. Many people are sensitive to ethnic slurs even if you don't regard them as such. Also, an ethnic joke delivered by a member of that group is perhaps more of an in-joke, but may be resented from a member of a majority nationality. Peace, -ellen