Who qualifies as being Asian?

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Mo0o

Mo0o

Lifer
Jul 31, 2001
24,227
3
76
Originally posted by: MisterCornell
In England, if you say "Asian" it means someone who is Indian or Pakistani. Chinese people are known as "orientals".

Here in America, orientals have monopolized the term "Asian" for themselves, and in fact insist that the word "oriental" is racist. :roll:
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Well considering the bulk of asian is China Korea and japan (aside from those pesky russains :) ), it really isn't wrong to call themselves asian. And from reading the OP's post it seems the INdians are ostracizing themselves from the term. Oriental's is considered racist because it offers a Eurocentric view of the world as anything to the right britain is the "orient"
 
Mo0o

Mo0o

Lifer
Jul 31, 2001
24,227
3
76
Originally posted by: intogamer
Originally posted by: PhasmatisNox
I wish I were Asian.
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I wish I was mexican. Have burritos and tacos for dinner and tortila chips for snack.:laugh:
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Would you wear a big hat and run around really quickly?
 
M

miri

Diamond Member
Jun 16, 2003
3,679
0
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People seem to forget the entire middle east is part of Asia as well. also Kazakhstan is about the size of India and sits right below Russia and is part of Asia.
 
M

miri

Diamond Member
Jun 16, 2003
3,679
0
76
Originally posted by: intogamer
Originally posted by: miri
People seem to forget the entire middle east is part of Asia as well.
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yeah but they refer to themselves as middle eastern.
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No, we refer to them as middle eastern. The correct term is southwest Asia. Think about it, where do they sit middle eastern from? If your in China do you call them middle eastern since they are west from where you are? Middle eastern is a American term.
 
M

miri

Diamond Member
Jun 16, 2003
3,679
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76
If Asian is a race than North American is a race. South American is a race.
 
Quasmo

Quasmo

Diamond Member
Jul 7, 2004
9,630
1
76
Originally posted by: miri
If you or your family is from Asia that seems to qualify someone as Asian. Keep in mind that Turkey, Russia and the entire middle east is in Asia.
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My dad was born in Japan, does that make him asian?
 
F

FlyLice

Banned
Jan 19, 2005
1,680
1
0
Originally posted by: MisterCornell
In England, if you say "Asian" it means someone who is Indian or Pakistani. Chinese people are known as "orientals".

Here in America, orientals have monopolized the term "Asian" for themselves, and in fact insist that the word "oriental" is racist. :roll:
Click to expand...

Usage Note: Asian is now strongly preferred in place of Oriental for persons native to Asia or descended from an Asian people. The usual objection to Orientalmeaning ?eastern?is that it identifies Asian countries and peoples in terms of their location relative to Europe. However, this objection is not generally made of other Eurocentric terms such as Near and Middle Eastern. The real problem with Oriental is more likely its connotations stemming from an earlier era when Europeans viewed the regions east of the Mediterranean as exotic lands full of romance and intrigue, the home of despotic empires and inscrutable customs. At the least these associations can give Oriental a dated feel, and as a noun in contemporary contexts (as in the first Oriental to be elected from the district) it is now widely taken to be offensive. However, Oriental should not be thought of as an ethnic slur to be avoided in all situations. As with Asiatic, its use other than as an ethnonym, in phrases such as Oriental cuisine or Oriental medicine, is not usually considered objectionable.
 
M

miri

Diamond Member
Jun 16, 2003
3,679
0
76
Originally posted by: FlyLice
Originally posted by: MisterCornell
In England, if you say "Asian" it means someone who is Indian or Pakistani. Chinese people are known as "orientals".

Here in America, orientals have monopolized the term "Asian" for themselves, and in fact insist that the word "oriental" is racist. :roll:
Click to expand...

Usage Note: Asian is now strongly preferred in place of Oriental for persons native to Asia or descended from an Asian people. The usual objection to Orientalmeaning ?eastern?is that it identifies Asian countries and peoples in terms of their location relative to Europe. However, this objection is not generally made of other Eurocentric terms such as Near and Middle Eastern. The real problem with Oriental is more likely its connotations stemming from an earlier era when Europeans viewed the regions east of the Mediterranean as exotic lands full of romance and intrigue, the home of despotic empires and inscrutable customs. At the least these associations can give Oriental a dated feel, and as a noun in contemporary contexts (as in the first Oriental to be elected from the district) it is now widely taken to be offensive. However, Oriental should not be thought of as an ethnic slur to be avoided in all situations. As with Asiatic, its use other than as an ethnonym, in phrases such as Oriental cuisine or Oriental medicine, is not usually considered objectionable.
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I am oriental and like the term oriental. I prefer it over ching chong, hong kong phooey, learn to speak some english beloved patriot, etc.

 
I

intogamer

Lifer
Dec 5, 2004
19,219
1
76
Originally posted by: miri
Originally posted by: FlyLice
Originally posted by: MisterCornell
In England, if you say "Asian" it means someone who is Indian or Pakistani. Chinese people are known as "orientals".

Here in America, orientals have monopolized the term "Asian" for themselves, and in fact insist that the word "oriental" is racist. :roll:
Click to expand...

Usage Note: Asian is now strongly preferred in place of Oriental for persons native to Asia or descended from an Asian people. The usual objection to Orientalmeaning ?eastern?is that it identifies Asian countries and peoples in terms of their location relative to Europe. However, this objection is not generally made of other Eurocentric terms such as Near and Middle Eastern. The real problem with Oriental is more likely its connotations stemming from an earlier era when Europeans viewed the regions east of the Mediterranean as exotic lands full of romance and intrigue, the home of despotic empires and inscrutable customs. At the least these associations can give Oriental a dated feel, and as a noun in contemporary contexts (as in the first Oriental to be elected from the district) it is now widely taken to be offensive. However, Oriental should not be thought of as an ethnic slur to be avoided in all situations. As with Asiatic, its use other than as an ethnonym, in phrases such as Oriental cuisine or Oriental medicine, is not usually considered objectionable.
Click to expand...

I am oriental and like the term oriental. I prefer it over ching chong, hong kong phooey, learn to speak some english beloved patriot, etc.
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Oriental sounds like Asian crafts. Asian sounds good.
 
S

sniperruff

Lifer
Apr 17, 2002
11,644
2
0
my friend is from egypt and i wouldn't call her african. same logic. i think it's more dependent on skin color etc.
 
B

b0mbrman

Lifer
Jun 1, 2001
29,470
1
81
Originally posted by: Syringer
Originally posted by: b0mbrman
Yeah, it's silly...Asia is the most diverse, most populous continent on the planet and it's used to describe a race...
Originally posted by: ManSnake
I also remember once I met a Filipino girl and she told me that she is Pacific Islander and not Asian.
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She's stupid and just wants to be more exotic/unique

Taiwan, Japan, Indonesia...they've all got islands in the Pacific. Filipinos are much more entrenched culturally into SE Asia than they are w/Samoans, Hawaiians, Tahitians, etc.

If you see her again, tell her she's stupid and that I sent you.
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Isn't that all the more reason to distinct all those people?

Sure technically Indians may be asian, but you don't call a white person from Africa African, or a Canadian person American because Canada is in America.
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Yes, that's what I was getting to.

I wish they'd realign the race definitions on census cards to separate East Asians from South Asians from Southwest Asians (those from the Middle East) and so forth. Defining a race by a politically-defined land mass (the Asian continent) is stupid
 
I

intogamer

Lifer
Dec 5, 2004
19,219
1
76
Originally posted by: b0mbrman
Originally posted by: Syringer
Originally posted by: b0mbrman
Yeah, it's silly...Asia is the most diverse, most populous continent on the planet and it's used to describe a race...
Originally posted by: ManSnake
I also remember once I met a Filipino girl and she told me that she is Pacific Islander and not Asian.
Click to expand...
She's stupid and just wants to be more exotic/unique

Taiwan, Japan, Indonesia...they've all got islands in the Pacific. Filipinos are much more entrenched culturally into SE Asia than they are w/Samoans, Hawaiians, Tahitians, etc.

If you see her again, tell her she's stupid and that I sent you.
Click to expand...

Isn't that all the more reason to distinct all those people?

Sure technically Indians may be asian, but you don't call a white person from Africa African, or a Canadian person American because Canada is in America.
Click to expand...
Yes, that's what I was getting to.

I wish they'd realign the race definitions on census cards to separate East Asians from South Asians from Southwest Asians (those from the Middle East)
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My Debate/Mock Trial teacher told me he crossed out all the boxes(asian, white, african american, etc.) and put other or human(forgot) when he filled out his college forum. Thats why he is my favorite teacher.
 
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