This guy was a flash in the pan
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Hoohawnaynay — 17 years ago(September 06, 2008 10:32 AM)
That's probably because they have lived with you for 50 years and have accepted your ignorance. Either that or they are not educated enough to know why it offensive. Besides the Orient only covers a small part of asia mostly Japan.
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alecwest — 17 years ago(September 06, 2008 01:06 PM)
Hoohawnaynay,
If you go back to my second post in this thread, you'll notice very clearly that I bore no ill will toward the person who chose to call himself "Asian" as opposed to "Oriental." The only people expressing any ill will here are those who are upset when THEIR preferred terms are not accepted as correct for ALL uses.
In short, to me, people are welcome to describe themselves in any terms they wish to use and it's OK by me. This is because I'm tolerant enough to realize that more than one set of terms exist in our diverse culture.
Do you think the term "negro" is universally distasteful and racist? Why not ask the opinion of the board at the United Negro College Fund. Do you think the term "colored" is universally distateful and racist? Why not ask the opinion of the N.A.A.C.P (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People). Some indigenous people in the USA prefer to be called Native Americans. But not the members of the American Indian Movement - who are "Indians" and proud of it. Other indigenous people like to use the term (my favorite) "First Nations" - which is quite correct since there were, at the v2000ery least, 8.4 million people already here - organized into their own sovereign groups - at the time when THEY discovered Columbus (grin) - and not the other way around.
You used the term "ignorance" in your post. Let me be blunt. The only truly ignorant people posting to this thread are the people who think THEIR way is the ONLY way to describe people and are doubly ignorant because they expect everyone else to be mind-readers and know what THEIR hot-button terms are so they can avoid using them.
BTW, when a woman is walking behind me into a building or room, I will hold the door open for her. Many women appreciate this. But some women (feminists) consider it rude and condescending. Oh, well. I'm not going to go through life worrying about how the hypersensitive PC crowd is going to interpret what I do or say. I'll just continue to be myself and let the chips fall where they may. But I will say one final word on this topic. In this country (and elsewhere), there are many people who feel we need "sensitivity" training to cope with our diverse culture. I can see this but only up to a point. Frankly, I think a lot of people need "tolerance" training to help them develop the thick skins necessary to weather the slings and arrows of that diverse culture and not turn into incessant whiners, complainers, and malcontents.
If anyone wishes to respond to this post, fine. But frankly, I've wasted enough of my time on what was meant to be a "simple" response to the person who said Evan Kim was a "flash in the pan." Bye (grin). -
Hoohawnaynay — 17 years ago(September 09, 2008 07:16 AM)
First of all asians never called themselves Oriental. It was ignorant white people that coined that term way back when. THAT is why it is offensive. It wasn't a term they gave themselves, it is an archaic term used a long time ago by caucasians who were so stupid they thought the Phillipines was in the Orient. Or pick any other country. Like I said "Oriental" is a term used for an object like a vasr or a rug NOT a person. If you want to split hairs call them what they are, Malaysian, Japanese, Cambodian but not an Oriental. Save that for your new rug you just bought in Japan.
Try going up to an African American and call them a negro and see what happens. Just because YOU grow up using a term doesn't make it acceptable. The shift from Oriental to asian has only been in the last 20 years so it is still relatively new. I'm 47 and if I can learn the new term so can you. I haven't called anyone an Oriental for a good 20 years. -
Pharaoh Osmosis — 15 years ago(December 09, 2010 02:44 PM)
In the UK most "East Asian" people call themselves "Oriental" (which actually just means "of the east" and does not imply something is animate or inanimate) rather than "Asian" as for some reason that term is used almost exclusively for South Asians (Pakistanis and Indians et cetera).
I personally don't like either term that much as it implies more homogeneity in East Asia than there actually is. It is a large place with very diverse ethnic groups some of which are closer to Europeans and Native Americans than other groups in the area and others that are related to pacific peoples and then others that are quite isolated culturally and linguistically.
To be fair the term "European" implies the same thing about folk from Europe (though there are more in the same ethnolinguistic group than there are in East Asia). It is OK to use Asian and European in regards to geography but I think it is stupid to imply there are distinct "European" and "Asian" races or cultures really. Superficial notions of race do not correspond well to Eurasian cultures.
I don't think in terms of "Asian"/"Oriental" but in ethnolinguistic groups, Japaonic peoples, Chinese peoples etc.
"Nothings gonna change my world!" -
pawtrax67 — 14 years ago(September 18, 2011 12:53 PM)
Getting back on topic. He wasn't a flash in the pan. I think he was a great and under-utilized actor. Yes he was better in comedy, but was he really given a chance to get a role he can sink his teeth into? Probably not. It seems Hollywood is reluctant to give males of Indo, Chinese, Japanese, and Filipino decent any kind of leading role. (Include others like Thai, Vietnamese, and so on..)
For example Jackie Chan and Chow Y. Fat can't get many roles in Hollywood. Why?
Because they want them stuck into their pigeonhole roles. Just shows the real face of Hollywood producers. And that there's still a long way to go. -
saltnurwound — 13 years ago(February 26, 2013 06:31 AM)
I didn't want the argument to end!! Just love how sensitive some people are. Ok, let's call it a debate instead. It was more interesting than anything else on the board. To think how many words can be used to describe a personANY person, and then expect each and ever111cy user of each and every term from any given time not to offend anyone is asking way too much. These terms aren't even set. What might be thought of as offensive in one decade might be popular and acceptable the next. And then there is the region in which it is used. Oh man, where does it end?? How about when it is obvious that the user of a questionable term has meant no offense, that the guy (or gal!) is cut some slack? It was, however, debated all the way through without any name calling or the flexing of internet muscles. THAT is wild.
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richard.fuller1 — 11 years ago(March 14, 2015 07:57 AM)
I'm watching the Saturday morning cartoon Space Sentinels and he did the voice of Mercury. I always thought it was Brian Tochi (who DID manage to read for the live action rehearsal of Space Sentinels, which is included in the DVD collection, but that's another story).
You can examine the 'careers' of white actors and there are some that completely fail (not a good term) to manifest into something worthwhile or more meaningful.
You can see it in old black and white film actors who will be overly serious and dramatic in one role, then they show up in a light-hearted, grade B comedy.
This affected numerous actors, because once this grinning jack-an-ape thought he was worth so much money, a somewhat reasonable look-alike clone would be brought in.
I recall his character from V, but also remember there wasn't nothing for the guy to do until he was offed.
Black, white, Hispanic or Asian, a performer has to bring more to the role than just their ethnicity.
I watched What's Happening, then later on Airplane, and was astonished to see the Thomas father from WH and the jive talker from Airplane when I finally watched Miss Jane Pittman and he was doing all the emoting and struggling for the cause at the hands of the cursed white man.
You'll see this numerous times with endless actors. -
screenscreams — 12 years ago(October 26, 2013 08:45 PM)
Maybe you should ask more Asians about this. Timothy DeLaGhetto, a Filipino-American, made this music video in which he asks about himself, "Tell me what's your mental, 'bout this Oriental."
The term "Oriental" has never been used as a put down of Asians. -
ShadowsouL — 11 years ago(November 27, 2014 03:28 PM)
Wow!
Not only can't Evan C. Kim seem to get work as an actor anymore, but he can't even remain the subject of an IMDb thread about him!
Talk about not being able to catch a break!
"Okay, first of all, it wasn't 'Eek, a mouse,' it was 'EEK, AN OIL TRUCK!!!'"