Can we be civil and avoid the word Jap here please?

[ManKinD]

Put It this way: would you go up to a Japanese person and say "Hi Jap"? - No, I think you wouldn't, so why would you be comfortable writing it in an anonymous forum even when a person of Japanese origin has told you that it is a disrespectful phrase/slang word.

[TheJian]

Pfff ... since when the historical context associated with Jap is enough of excuse to label someone a racist merely for using it? Don't you see the tragic consequences of political correctness in the western world? If you see, then give up on your false Samurai honour and stop being offended like a little girl for something that isn't even offensive, save for a WW2 Japanese veteran or a child whose parents died in the nuclear strike. Not using the word because someone might feel offended is certainly a common courtesy, but when someone uses it not to insult you but simply refer to Japanese folk, then don't jump on him like he committed a murder and deserves stoning.

Maturity and respect go both ends. When you behave like some kind of lunatics, all you do is create needless attention around the topic and invite people to directly insult you (even if they wouldn't otherwise), because they have enough of you aggressively invading their privacy and telling them how to 'behave'. Save your 'rules' for the foreigners in Japan and grow some balls, if you haven't already. Is it that hard to get over your own history?

We all know words do not hurt, its the intent of words that hurt. Funny thing is i did not see a person insult till you had your rant.................lol Maturity what is that, name calling.

[Achilla]

This completely misses the point. We are not saying people who use the term are rascist, but the word itself is. People who use it are ignorant.

This is a pretty ugly statement, how the would you know someone's background or whether they would be offended by it ?

Most of us are not Japanese, this isn't about getting over 'history' it's about being civil.

Not exactly missed the point. The point here is debating whether the term 'Jap' is offensive, and if it is - then why. I don't believe it's offensive, and the people which had no physical touch with the reality of the times when the term was offensive, have least right to argue that it hurts them, that it's uncivil and that it's not modest.

People who use it in good faith aren't ignorant, but people who get easily riled by it for no particular reason (such as own experience) basically ask for a fight, and portray the Japanese in bad light, in the end.

Plus, who are you to define what is civil or not? There are Japanese who don't feel offended by it.

[Deathofjams]

Where I come from 'Jap' is not an offensive word.

What a lovely and short-sighted view. You're on the internet, it's a public and global space. Regionality doesn't apply.

I honestly don't understand some people. "Jap" can be seen as offensive, so therefore it is reasonable and polite to refrain from using it. It may have started off as a simple abbreviation, but as Wittgenstein said: "meaning is use". The very fact that it was used in a pejorative sense for decades means it's got baggage. Offensive baggage. So, simple, don't use it. I swear some people are deliberately going out there to offend. What on earth is it with this persecution complex that so many of us white people have developed recently?

It doesn't matter if you don't think it's offensive; I personally don't think blasphemy is particularly offensive, but I'll still refrain from using "goddamn" or "oh my God" in front of devout Christians, just as I won't swear in front of my Gran. It's common courtesy.

[TheJian]

Complex problems? i have no idea why jap is a bad word for you. You should try and be black.. UPS I SAID BLACK! RUN AWAAAAAAAAAAAAY

lol no one said Black was a bad word. I dont think would never call someone a J_p 2 his face, thats how you know its wrong. Its something we all have inside, well us humans. I dont think devils have this ability. but I digress

[TheJian]

For the record I really never had any ideal that perhaps in other parts of the world, they may not look at it as most of us here iN america to do. So i have learned something of value and I apologize for my ignorance. I guess America is not the center of the universe.

[xxoverlordxx]

People who use it in good faith aren't ignorant, but people who get easily riled by it for no particular reason (such as own experience) basically ask for a fight, and portray the Japanese in bad light, in the end.

The reason that people may be riled up by this word as said before is the offensive manner it was/is used in. Just because some Japanese people are not offended by the word others may be and perhaps other people outside of the region of Japan may be offended by this word also. There are a lot of offensive words that may be taken lightly or you might piss some one off.
Besides these are forums of seemingly civilized people, and I hope that it is in everyones interest to speak in the utmost sincerity, regardless if you feel the need to argue on the controversial topic of racism. And are the moderators on vacation? Usually on other boards this type of thread would be locked almost immediately.

[Greve Af Göteborg]

"Usually on other boards this type of thread would locked almost immediately"

Why? it's not like we're saying offensive words to eachother.

[Tony83]

A member of our community, here on TWC, has pointed out that the term "Jap" is used as a pejorative in his community, that its use upsets him and he has asked politely that the term not be used. That seems like a perfectly reasonable request to me, so why are there people kicking up a fuss about it? That's just like arguing "It's my God-given right to be an hole!"

If you had a good friend, named Richard, ask you to call him Rick, or Ricky, instead of Dick, would you ignore his request, knowing that by doing so you are going to hurt him? What's more important to you, his feelings, or your right to call him a "prick"!?

I'm gay, and I recall my bemusement the first time an American called me a faggot. I couldn't understand why he was likening me to, what is in the UK, a rather yummy meatball. To all intents and purposes he might just as well have called me a haggis! Of course, I have learnt since the connotation and that the fellow was just being a merchant banker.

I consider myself to be a reasonable person, if I do or say something that is, unwittingly, offensive to someone then I would desist in the future, but then I guess that not everyone is like me, and that the world is full of those who are "primarily engaged in offering financial services and advice to corporations and to wealthy individuals".

[Nakandakari Lobato]

"Usually on other boards this type of thread would locked almost immediately"

Why? it's not like we're saying offensive words to eachother.

You have a great sense of humor.

[Soulstrider]

Funny I always thought that jap was a simple abbreviation of Japanese for the people to lazy to write .

[xxoverlordxx]

"Usually on other boards this type of thread would locked almost immediately"

Why? it's not like we're saying offensive words to eachother.

It doesn't matter, this topic refers to words that are considered politically incorrect which refers to someones culture or some other thing. Which usually if anyone has seen this cascading effect in which this topic which, is already controversial is turned into a troll fest or countless rants which the arguments go on for an eternity...

[Greve Af Göteborg]

So be it then, I will no longer use the word 'jap' (Even though I haven't even used it)
I will henceforth use either 'Esteemed inhabitant of Japan' or 'Japanese' in order to honour my fellow forumers wishes.

[SimMachine]

It's only been 60 years from the 2ww, so some of the soldiers fighting in the pacific are still alive. Tell them to stop using term "Japs" when they are telling war stories. We are just messangers, passing stories from our grandfathers, fathers to our sons. If my grandfather says he was attacked by the "Japs", and the "Jap" kamikaze ran to his bunker with a hand grenade, making 3 of his friends flying all over the place, then I will also say Jap.

[Miniluv]

Thank you, but i does matter some white people are just sick of other telling them what they can and can not say, and i get that. Its just said you have 2 be told over and over. Sucks 2 b you.

First of all, let me say that you have grammar. It took me quite some time to decipher this poor excuse of an argument.

On to my reply. If you don't want to be told what to say, then GTFO. Just because white people here are the majority, it doesn't mean what you want to say to the minority goes. You have to take account who are affected by what you say. Or are you too full of your damn self to adjust to a simple plea by people who are offended by your slurs. Sucks to be you.

[Achilla]

The reason that people may be riled up by this word as said before is the offensive manner it was/is used in. Just because some Japanese people are not offended by the word others may be and perhaps other people outside of the region of Japan may be offended by this word also. There are a lot of offensive words that may be taken lightly or you might piss some one off.
Besides these are forums of seemingly civilized people, and I hope that it is in everyones interest to speak in the utmost sincerity, regardless if you feel the need to argue on the controversial topic of racism. And are the moderators on vacation? Usually on other boards this type of thread would be locked almost immediately.

Personally I never use this term over the Internet, let alone in the open, what doesn't change the fact that some people simply overreact. This entire thread is an overreaction. Few posters have used the term 'Jap' or 'Japs' in the threads over the Shogun section, so what? Did they use it to insult the Japanese? Was it out of malice?

Ignorance, what kind of ignorance? You know what I call ignorance and lack of being civilised? I will tell you! That is being so centric of your own culture, that you can't stand someone over the internet doesn't feel like an offended Japanese individual, and not everyone is, frankly. I can understand the older generation to be annoyed by the use of this word, but the younger generation has nothing to back it up, besides obvious national pride, that is somehow even more prevalent since the end of WW2 and financial crisis from the past two decades.

But that again, is history ... and this is Internet. A 'Jap' in someone's post is not the same as 'Hi, Jap' in front of Japanese person. The latter might be a grave insult, unless addressed to a Japanese friend (then it would be most likely a joke or little tease, if anything ... but certainly not out of malice or ignorance). I can't see how a person which isn't Japanese might feel offended by the use of word 'Jap', if anything the person might be disgusted.

'Hey, do you see this Jap over there? Let's ask him about this place, we are lost' =/= 'Looking for a fight, ing Jap? I will show you a nuclear punch in the face!'.

The above is all to be said about this thread, really. You overreact, even if your concern is valid.

[Biggreenfellow]

If I saw a Japanese person pass me by on the streets, I wouldn't say 'Hey Jap." If I saw a German pass me by on the streets, I wouldn't say 'Hey German.' either, though. So again, moot point.

If any of my Japanese friends would tell me they'd feel insulted by the abbreviation 'Jap', I would explain to them that they have no cause to be offended by the word. I would, however, stop using the word either way, because they are my friends, and I value the friendship more then my belief that it is in not offensive and silly to think otherwise (though, to be fair, if this belief would cause the friendship to collapse, it wasn't really that good a friendship to begin with). People on the internet are generally not my friends, so here I'll defend my beliefs more fervently. I'm sure someone will cry 'hypocrisy' now, but that's not true; we all measure different situations differently.

People who try to compare 'Jap' with the 'N-word' or 'Faggot' or 'White Devil' are too busy with feeling discriminated or PC. The thing I find most offensive about this all is the fact that because someone decides that a word is offensive to them, it shouldn't be used any more, by any one. Why cry 'racist!' or 'discrimination!' at every occasion? Seriously, are you trying to feel discriminated? I am fanatically opposed to discrimination and racism, and do not suffer people who practise these things. I don't suffer people who feel it is their God given right to censor others because they feel offended about things they shouldn't feel offended about either, though.

[Maizel]

I don't see the big deal, I'd say it's on par with calling the avarage American A Yank orthe avarage Scottish person a Scot. I don;t see the big deal. Some people are just determined to get offended.

[xxoverlordxx]

Personally I never use this term over the Internet, let alone in the open, what doesn't change the fact that some people simply overreact. This entire thread is an overreaction. Few posters have used the term 'Jap' or 'Japs' in the threads over the Shogun section, so what? Did they use it to insult the Japanese? Was it out of malice?

Ignorance, what kind of ignorance? You know what I call ignorance and lack of being civilised? I will tell you! That is being so centric of your own culture, that you can't stand someone over the internet doesn't feel like an offended Japanese individual, and not everyone is, frankly. I can understand the older generation to be annoyed by the use of this word, but the younger generation has nothing to back it up, besides obvious national pride, that is somehow even more prevalent since the end of WW2 and financial crisis from the past two decades.

But that again, is history ... and this is Internet. A 'Jap' in someone's post is not the same as 'Hi, Jap' in front of Japanese person. The latter might be a grave insult, unless addressed to a Japanese friend (then it would be most likely a joke or little tease, if anything ... but certainly not out of malice or ignorance). I can't see how a person which isn't Japanese might feel offended by the use of word 'Jap', if anything the person might be disgusted.

'Hey, do you see this Jap over there? Let's ask him about this place, we are lost' =/= 'Looking for a fight, ing Jap? I will show you a nuclear punch in the face!'.

The above is all to be said about this thread, really. You overreact, even if your concern is valid.

I am not overreacting, I am not even offended by the word but I just want to show someone two sides of the argument and I agree that the word 'Jap' is somewhat offensive and I frankly don't mind it. And I see that people are just using it naturally and I don't really care if some one uses it. But I am willing to defend someones interest in not using this word based on its historical background.

[MaximiIian]

Kinda like calling a swede a swede?
I've no problem with that, what's the big deal? you are japanese, why hide it?

Those aren't even remotely similar. Jap is an ethnic slur, like nr or spic. Swede is the actual name of an ethnic group.

At the same time, I'm not terribly bothered or offended if someone uses the term.
But I make ethnic jokes all the time, so...I'm not a good metric for this.