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| Is "gaijin" a bad word? |
| Yes, you shouldn't use it |
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51% |
[ 22 ] |
| No, it is ok |
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48% |
[ 21 ] |
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| Total Votes : 43 |
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Message |
Captain Onigiri
Joined: 20 Jan 2005
Posts: 103
Location: fly-over land
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 Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2006 5:16 am Post subject: |
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Okay, we hope and believe that the 1960's setting doesn't happen anymore. But I've been witness to this a few times.
Setting - Midwestern United States
Stupid Dumbass Classmate goes up to Asian Classmate
Stupid Dumbass Classmate: How are you settling in? Have you been in America long?
Asian Classmate: I should hope I have by now. I'm a 3rd generation American 
Stupid Dumbass Classmate: Oh, I just thought.... |
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JimDunlop2
Joined: 31 Jan 2003
Posts: 2286
Location: Japan
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| Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2006 5:31 am Post subject: |
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Yup... What can I say? I have too. I suppose we can only laugh at it.  As sad as it is....  |
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Jazz1975
Joined: 14 Feb 2006
Posts: 301
Location: Zama, Kanagawa
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| Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2006 5:45 am Post subject: |
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| Captain Onigiri wrote: |
Okay, we hope and believe that the 1960's setting doesn't happen anymore. But I've been witness to this a few times.
Setting - Midwestern United States
Stupid Dumbass Classmate goes up to Asian Classmate
Stupid Dumbass Classmate: How are you settling in? Have you been in America long?
Asian Classmate: I should hope I have by now. I'm a 3rd generation American
Stupid Dumbass Classmate: Oh, I just thought.... |
That Stupid Dumbass Classmate deserves one BIG shot to the head. Although I haven't been privy to the above situation, I have been in situations where, despite the fact, that there were other students who were Asian or non-Caucasian for that matter, I was viewed as an object of "fascination" as I was the one who "wasn't born in Canada." Some of the kids were around when I first immigrated to Canada and had progressed to the highest grade with me. |
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Big John Stud
Joined: 07 Oct 2004
Posts: 513
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| Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2006 5:52 am Post subject: |
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guijin is insulting to only people who are so weak minded that anything bothers them.
Guijin is just a word that means none-Japanese. Outsider and we none Japanese are outsiders in that we come from another country another culture.
I even teach kids 10 little guijins, instead of 10 little Indeans.
Too funny those who wrote about Japanese being racest. At least there is not a baseball team or any team called the guijin as there are in the U.S. Redskin is a derogatory term for Native Americans.
And I would rather be called guijin than have riots like what is going on in Australia. As I stated guijin only bothers those with a weak mind! |
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Nagoyaguy
Joined: 15 May 2003
Posts: 425
Location: Aichi, Japan
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| Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2006 6:13 am Post subject: |
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...and thus spake Big John, ending the discussion with a brilliant analysis of the situation. Your song sounds very clever.
I dont think anyone has accused people who say gaijin of being racist, just of being a little ignorant and rude. If you dont mind it, that's fine, but show a little sympathy for those who prefer to be addressed more politely.
The issues of team names or riots have nothing to do with it Particularly for me, since I am not from either of those two countries. Nice try at sidetracking the issue, though. |
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Big John Stud
Joined: 07 Oct 2004
Posts: 513
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| Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2006 6:23 am Post subject: |
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[quote="Nagoyaguy"]...and thus spake Big John, ending the discussion with a brilliant analysis of the situation. Your song sounds very clever.
I dont think anyone has accused people who say gaijin of being racist, just of being a little ignorant and rude. If you dont mind it, that's fine, but show a little sympathy for those who prefer to be addressed more politely.
The issues of team names or riots have nothing to do with it Particularly for me, since I am not from either of those two countries. Nice try at sidetracking the issue, though.[/quote]
Nagoyaguy do you have any ability at logical reasoning? First of all my point is that raciest attitudes is everywhere. And there are many worst kinds of discrimination than being called a name.
I've many of your post. You do know doing drugs in Japan is very dangerous? All the police have to do is find whatever drugs you do so often in your system and you are busted  |
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Henry_Cowell
Joined: 27 May 2005
Posts: 3352
Location: Berkeley
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| Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2006 6:33 am Post subject: |
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| Big John Stud wrote: |
| First of all my point is that raciest attitudes is everywhere. |
But who are the absolute RACIEST? I've always thought that Brazilians are the raciest in the world, especially in terms of physical beauty and dress. They're pretty hot! |
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Nagoyaguy
Joined: 15 May 2003
Posts: 425
Location: Aichi, Japan
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| Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2006 6:45 am Post subject: |
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John said;
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| First of all my point is that raciest attitudes is everywhere |
True. But I live "here", not everywhere. So does my family, so I will try to make 'here' a better place.
| Quote: |
| And there are many worst kinds of discrimination than being called a name. |
True. See the above answer. Should I ignore the problems in my own backyard to try and fix them?
| Quote: |
| I've many of your post. You do know doing drugs in Japan is very dangerous? All the police have to do is find whatever drugs you do so often in your system and you are busted |
Not sure what you mean by this. Are you trying to threaten me in some kind of way? The only drug in my system is caffeine. I am probably one of the worst kind of right wing hate mongers when it comes to illegal drugs- my solution is the death sentence for dealers, and enforced treatment for addicts.
Nice try though. |
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JimDunlop2
Joined: 31 Jan 2003
Posts: 2286
Location: Japan
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| Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2006 8:26 am Post subject: |
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Good grief! And you call yourself a teacher? I'm no grammar Nazi but I could barely understand your post!
Let's try this again, shall we?
| Big John Stud wrote: |
The word gaijin is insulting only to people who are so weak-minded that anything bothers them.
Gaijin is just a word that means non e -Japanese. Outsider and We none Japanese are outsiders in that we come from another country and another culture.
I even teach kids "10 little gAijin" s, instead of 10 Little Indians.
Too funny, those who wrote about Japanese being racist. At least there is not a baseball team or any team called the gaijin as there are in the U.S. 'Redskin' is a derogatory term for Native Americans.
And I would rather be called gaijin than have riots like what is going on in Australia. As I stated gaijin only bothers those with a weak mind! |
Ok, let's get a few things straight. It isn't just another word that means "outsider" -- that's why we have the word gaikokujin.
Next, teaching 10 Little Gaijin is no better than 10 Little Indians. If it's so darn wonderful, why don't you teach them 10 Little Nihonjin? Rhymes with Indians doesn't it?
Just because one culture or country has race problems doesn't make it acceptable for another to follow suit. Can we get away from 10 year-old playground mentality for a moment? Well Billy does it too!!! I suppose if the United States went and started fingerprinting every person to come into the country, Japan should just follo... Ok... Nevermind... Bad example...
As for me, I'd rather NEITHER have rioting in the streets, NOR ignorance about the use of the word gaijin.
It has nothing to do with weak-mindedness. It has everything to do with effecting change to benefit everyone.
I agree with Nagoyaguy in many respects. The fact that "gaijin" is unacceptable for public use, eg. TV, newspapers, speeches, etc, speaks volumes. I couldn't have expressed it better myself.
FWIW, I also think there are far better terms to use in lieu. Okyakusama is the one I hear most commonly.
Although I would not advise the use of "anno hito" instead of "gaijin." "Anno hito" is actually a commonly used derogatory slang reference for foreigners BECAUSE many of them have caught onto the fact that they are being talked about when they hear the word "gaijin." "Anno hito" is used to avoid arousing suspcion. It is the more polite cousin of "Jin-gai" which is just "gai-jin" said phonemically backwards. |
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Sweetsee
Joined: 11 Jun 2004
Posts: 2302
Location: ) is everything
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| Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2006 10:20 am Post subject: |
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Duh, how lame can I get?
I was back-flashing to "juvie" too much while trying to spell it.
You know what I mean Noodles? Hey, that's a good one!
Enjoy your weekend,
Last edited by Sweetsee on Fri Apr 21, 2006 11:02 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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johanne
Joined: 18 Apr 2003
Posts: 189
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| Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2006 1:08 pm Post subject: |
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| How would people here feel if you said, "oh, your daughter looks very Asian!"- you think they would take it as a compliment? |
y
Well actually when I lived in Vancouver a few older asian ladies did say exactly that to me. I wasn't especailly insulted as my daughter does in fact look quite asian. What I was insulted at is when they then asked me if I was her mother. To me that was much more racist as it implied that my child couldn't have come from me because she wasn't "white" is the same sense I was.
Here is Yokohama I've yet to hear her referred to as "gaijin" and I do understand enough Japanese, but she spent the first 7 months here in an international school and only started her Japanese daycare at the beginning of April, so we'll see. I wouldn't be very insulted if she was called "half" as in she is "half" Japanese, because that is in fact the case (although I prefer the term bi-racial or bi-cultural) especailly when the context clearly shows that the speaker isn't disregarding her other half. I would be somewhat offended to have her referred to as "gaijin" though, since she is a Japanese citizen and therefore not a "gaijin" at all. She refers to herself as Japanese and Canadian and that it what I hope other people will see her as, rather than one or the other. |
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JimDunlop2
Joined: 31 Jan 2003
Posts: 2286
Location: Japan
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| Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2006 3:07 pm Post subject: |
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Once again we're faced with an analogous situation. What your daughter IS versus what people SAY she is. Yes, she is half-Japanese.... But to call someone a "hafu" isn't exactly a compliment. 
That's precisely what many of us are getting at. No one denies that we are indeed foreigners or even outsiders, but the label "gaijin" goes far beyond a simple description of a factual state of being... |
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buddhaboyjp
Joined: 24 Jan 2006
Posts: 75
Location: Dai Po, Tai Wo
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| Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2006 3:34 pm Post subject: |
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Be glad you are not addressed as a "Gwailo" as used in Hong Kong.
Don't know if I could get used to being called a "ghost". |
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nomadder
Joined: 15 Feb 2003
Posts: 709
Location: Somewherebetweenhereandthere
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| Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2006 10:46 pm Post subject: |
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| Moral of the story seems to be that "sensitive" people should not leave home and they should also not have children that are half whatever they aren't. |
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Sweetsee
Joined: 11 Jun 2004
Posts: 2302
Location: ) is everything
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| Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2006 11:04 pm Post subject: |
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What if they do Nomadder?
What do they do if they did?
Enjoy the shining sun,
s |
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