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Originally Posted by EatingPie
And here is where you miss the salient question. Is it a racial slur if it's not meant as such?
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There is a saying, "The pen is mightier than the sword" or something like "a tongue is mightier than the blade". So my answer to you is yes "words" do matter. How one use words really count. One can use language to discriminate and oppress without lifting an arm. It was "words" that governments used during wars to dehumanized their enemies. It was words that that labeled "African America" as another species to make it acceptable to own another human-being. It was words that Nazi Germany used to portrait "Jews" as vermonts and "rats" in their war time propagandas. This is why words are so important and why we have to be careful when using it.
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Originally Posted by EatingPie
Is it a racial slur if it's not meant as such?
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My answer to you is no it is not. However, when someone find it particular word offensive due to the past historic usage of the term; then one should try not to use it. I find that the OP's own insistent of using the word make him a "prick" at best and a racist based on his followup comments.
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Originally Posted by EatingPie
Is it a racial slur if the race in question does not find it offensive? Is it a racial slur if you are part of a culture that uses the term, but not as a slur?
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I deal and judge things on a case by case basis. All these questions that you just asked is irrelevant to this discussion at hand. In this particular "case", I find it offensive to the people of Japan in general. Don't tell me that Japanese find the term non-offensive. Hence, your question is moot.
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Originally Posted by EatingPie
The PC movement is a lot about words. And the reaction to the words alone (the OP is solely a racist due to the term he used) is what makes me conclude that there is some Political Correctness going on.
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As I stated above, this has nothing to do with "Political Correctness". In order to fight any type of discrimination similar to those that has lead to violents in the past; one have to stay vigilant and watchful for *sshole like the OP. The OP is deemed racist for his follow up comments not just his initial use of the term. My initial respond was with a question mark, "?". Hinting that that might sound racist. If his follow up comments has been different then he wouldn't be label as such.
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Originally Posted by EatingPie
First, I did not "accuse" you of anything. I asked a question. "Don't you think...?" (And to clarify, I'm not asking if you "think," as obviously you do! It's a colloquialism asking "Did you consider this important or not?")
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The OP stated that he's from Europe and the term is used colloquially as non-offensive. However, several others who live in Europe confirmed the term is considered offensive there. So don't used "colloquialism" as his defense.
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Originally Posted by EatingPie
Since the above statement was directed at me I don't think I was on too much of a limb to interpret that as "you" as "addressing something specific about my case."
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When I used the "you", I did not intended at you directly. I meant "you" in a general meaning of the word.
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Originally Posted by EatingPie
Not the "case" (the initial use of the derogatory term), but the response.
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Again, you and OP defended your opinions by attacking us for being "political correctness'? That's a good tactic, instead of defending your case; why not just attack them back. Using 'political correctness' argument as a defense is the same as calling the victim the oppressor. Oh yeah, poor harryE123, he was unfairly treated. It's the same bullsh*t going on this week up in D.C. where Glen Beck reclaimming the Civil Right Movement. It's bullsh*t at its best.
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Originally Posted by EatingPie
I seldom cite films as such, but in this case it is extremely relevant to the discussion. I could just as easily have cited a book. This is a book site, after all.
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Hollywood films are fantasy trying to portrait only one perspective and so are books. Don't tell me you believe everything you read as long as it's published. There are more rubbish published than ever before. Don't think that books are any better.