Job Discussion Forums

[PAULH]

The recent thread on racism has been moved to Moderator forum for safekeeping, for anyone who is wondering where it went to.

Feel free to post but be aware that you will be being watched closely for 'racist' language.

[cafebleu]

Hi Paul, I do hope you are not referring to my attempts to actually put in context what I found out when I lived and worked in Australia.

I consider my post to have been a responsible rebuttal of the way-off-beam image some posters seem to have received about Australia owing to one Australian`s exaggerations, which were generalised about by people who clearly have no experience of the country and its general racial harmony as well as fantastic legislation. Which I gave examples of.

As for my reference to the racist term `Japs` I was also putting it in the context of how it was viewed historically. I cannot hold any view other than:
The Japanese vogue for calling foreigners `Gaijin` is remarkably similar to the `Japs` slur and indeed is justified by the Japanese for the same reason.
When in Australia I didn`t hear that racist term used but I have heard Japanese people unashamedly refer to people in the UK etc as `Gaijin` when they are visiting there. They also were quite offensive in Japanese and I took them to task.

I can`t see any reason to close a thread because of logically argued points against racism while pointing out that some posters simply do not understand the immigrant context of Australia. As an English person who actually has experience in that country I do.

[PAULH]

I'm going to wait for a second opinion from the other Moderators.

Its not an act of censorship, but simply an effort to maintain some board standards. I have let the thread continue for six pages but recently it has not only run out of steam but started to go down-hill into the realm of name-calling and insults.

Some posters have taken the opportunity to put the boot in while the other guy is down.

[cafebleu]

Thanks, I understand your point of view. The thread did go on.

However, I thought my post that addressed the issues raised in that thread was reasonable and quite clear in what it was trying to do.

Answer those who have no experience of Australia and answer those who
find it fine for the Japanese to use essentially racist terms under the guise that `Japanese people like shortening words`. They do, but if that is the case why not approve westeners shortening the word Japanese to something else that is also racist.

[malcoml]

I would like to read what was actually said before it was taken off. I had no problems with it.

[cafebleu]

Actually, I recall giving an example of how one word that is resolutely racist in the UK has been given a new twist by the grandchildren of Southern European migrants in Australia - that is probably why the thread was moved.

I think it would be clear to the moderators I was giving examples of how a terrible word in one context has come to be a nickname used by Italian and Greek Australians, but I see how the way I used examples from the UK would seem a bit strong although I was relating how that word was used to degrade certain groups of people. I understand that was probably Paul`s point and he is welcome to delete that.

[malcoml]

There was nothing offensive in the whole thread. Well there initially was a misunderstanding and some non-Australia members felt offended by the Australian language. We were in the process of helping them understand language that is used in Australia on a every day basis. This language caused no one any offense.
Then someone posted two pages of cut-and paste racist information that was directed straight at Australia. That caused all hell to break looses, like someone had let a rooster go in the hen house.

Whilst we are in the process of removing posts. I have a girlfriend who has a JApanese friend that was deeply offended by some of the language used in one of the sticky posts.

[PAULH]

Malcolm

I just did a google search and a survey poll on about 2500 young people who contacted an STD clinic after sex, about 70% of the men concerned did not use condoms during the act of intercourse.

www.who.or.jp/aids/1999/25.pdf

The pill is generally unavailable in Japan as a means of contraception and most men here ride 'shotgun' if they wear any protection at all.

You might be interested in the growing number of abortions resulting from unwanted pregnancies by underage minors in Japan,

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/getarticle.pl5?ek20020208ag.htm



Having worked at NOVA in my youth I have had female students proposition me for dates and there were one or two (or more) who were hunting for gaijin (any gaijin) boyfriends. Not all of them, but a few. That is just my experience, and men coming here think that NOVA students will throw themselves at foreigners. That is the common perception.


http://www.denbushi.net/blog/archives/000046.html

[PAULH]

Public posting of private messages, whether it involves me or any other poster is generally not condoned on this forum and will not be tolerated.

That is why you have PMs in the first place and not only that, its an invasion of the senders privacy.

[SamhainP8]

Then do me a favor Paul and stay the hell out of my PM box with your pathetic threats and moronic gibberish