re: #75 tigger2005

Conservative columnist Bobby Eberle who writes for GOPUSA Eagle or something like that was talking in a recent column about how “refreshing” it is to throw political correctness to the winds. He was asking “Why can’t we call them Orientals? Why is it OK to say someone is from Asia, but not from the Orient?”

Well, because, Bobby, the word “Oriental” used to go hand in hand with negative portrayals of (Primarily Chinese and Japanese) people as either wicked, sinister and inscrutable, or as buck-toothed, near-sighted, blabbering idiots.

We’re seeing people unleash their inner insensitive bigot under the guise of “abandoning the strictures of political correctness.”

The Orient includes Persia (Iran) and Egypt. I’m pretty sure that Mr. Eberle does not understand that distinction. It’s OK to use the word Orient but saying Oriental is to be avoided and is also considered and outdated and archaic word.

I think this has been discussed before at LGF and there are some differences within particular countries such as the UK where Oriental is not considered offensive.