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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsFox News Host Bob Beckel forgets "the preferred nomenclature" on live TV
"The Chinese are the single biggest threat to the national security of the U.S.," he said. "They have been, they will be and they can wait, they're very patient. Do you know what we just did? As usual, we bring them over here and we teach a bunch of Chinamen -- er, Chinese people -- how to do computers and then they go back to China and hack into us."
The other 'Five' hosts gaped in disbelief.
"That is going to end up on 'The Soup,'" Andrea Tantaros said.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/10/bob-beckel-chinamen-the-five_n_5575873.html
Drunken Irishman
(34,857 posts)Solely there to humiliate the Democratic Party and bring nothing to the narrative. Go away, Bob.
jollyreaper2112
(1,941 posts)That's such an old-timey slur. That's like bagging on the Irish.
Drunken Irishman
(34,857 posts)JEFF9K
(1,935 posts)If someone in China called me a "United States man," I wouldn't feel insulted. Going overboard on political correctness can only hurt the progressive cause.
LanternWaste
(37,748 posts)I imagine many people purposefully confuse "simple respect" with "political correctness" to better rationalize a bias.
"The term Chinaman is described as being offensive in most modern dictionaries and studies of usage..."
~ Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of English Usage ~
See also: The Cambridge Guide to English Usage describes it as having "derogatory overtones"
Wolf Frankula
(3,601 posts)Zhongguoren.
Wolf
geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)about racist slurs used against people of Chinese ancestry.
Also: many people (I am not saying I am one of them) see white guys who complain about "political correctness" as the type who tend to be sexists and racists.
It's generally a phrase used by libertarians and Republicans.
JEFF9K
(1,935 posts)As someone with free-speech rights, I have standing to make a comment.
Beckel's remarks were somewhat insulting, but his use of "Chinaman" is pretty mild, as insults go.
And going overboard with political correctness is just like handing free votes to Republicans.
geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)carries extremely little weight amongst most liberal folks.
And, yes, people are free (freedom of speech) to criticize racist slurs, whether or not it gets your nose out of joint.
"white guy thinks minorities, women being too sensitive" is never very compelling frame of argument.
randys1
(16,286 posts)But you are probably a white, hetero, protestant male and know all about being called names and being discriminated against, right?
If you arent in that category then what in the heck are you doing being so insensitive, it only makes sense if you are
CTyankee
(63,912 posts)my mother used to use it, fer gawd's sake...and she was born in 1911!
I think it is time to let it go. Some things you just can't rescue, spiff up and trot out as if it's "all good!"
It is vernacular for late 19th, early 20th century colonialist sentiment, along with "wog" and "coolie."
Get a map. See how the world has changed.
JEFF9K
(1,935 posts)... if you want to pursue policies that help Republicans.
Capt. Obvious
(9,002 posts)helps Democrats?
I'm sure he'll try harder next time
JI7
(89,262 posts)Wounded Bear
(58,693 posts)of what is the "most serious threat to national security" anymore. It seems to change every week.
Guess I'll have to go back to trying to track who is the "most liberal" Senator/congress-person in history. That one nearly drove me , though. The Repub game of whack-a-mole "worsts" continues.
ProfessorGAC
(65,138 posts)You're the most serious threat to national security given your inability to keep this stuff straight!
libodem
(19,288 posts)When it is only a facade of civility. Look at the actors and comedians who lose their shit and spew horrible stuff about the Jews or African Americans. I figure if you don't think it you won't say it.
Negro and/or Black used to be 'polite' now it is 'wrong'. It's harder if you are older, l think. You are not always on top of the trend.
I'll confess something. I was talking with my son (a few years ago) and saw him blanch and he said, Mom? We were discussing Asians and some how I said, 'Oriental', during the conversation. I got called on it before I realized what I'd said. That is because somewhere in my personal life, the word was programed in. If it's in there its bound to escape your lips. Don't even think it.
WinkyDink
(51,311 posts)is okay, too.
JEFF9K
(1,935 posts)I think it's of fairly recent vintage, and that "Orientals" was considered the correct term not that long ago.
But it's kind of strange that a term like "Chinaman" is bad, while a term like "Irishman" is okay. Saying that "Chinaman" is a slur is almost an insult in itself!
Gormy Cuss
(30,884 posts)Not so much after that. The shift to Asian for people, Oriental only for inanimate use started in the '70s. There were hangers on in the next two decades but the shift to Asian was pretty much a done deal by the end of that decade. Most government entities including the Census bureau were using the term by 1980.
As for why Irishman is okay and Chinaman is not, one was never an insult and was embraced by those of that ethnicity, the other, not so much.
B2G
(9,766 posts)Nye Bevan
(25,406 posts)BTW "Oriental" is fine in the UK, but not so much in the US.
libodem
(19,288 posts)If you talk about race almost any thing can be a stereotypical icon, and it makes you look like an ass. I was talking to the same wonderful intelligent grown up son this summer and got anther ....mom that sounds racist.
One of his childhood friends was the most delicious caramel color. I brought him up and mentioned his color and the curiosity I had about his national origin.
Gawd. I got my ass handed to me. Even if you try to be good and decent you can still offend people. Or just be saying it wrong.
Drunken Irishman
(34,857 posts)The overly sensitive may use the term African American, but I hear black used a lot. Just how many times have you heard Obama referred to as the first black president?
steve2470
(37,457 posts)Tommy_Carcetti
(43,191 posts)(Some NSFW language in clip)
I'm convinced Fox hired the most obnoxious lout they could to pass off as a "liberal" for disinformation purposes.
In the world of Fox News, apparently liberals are either wimps (Colmes) or drunken asses (Beckel).
zappaman
(20,606 posts)I completely agree.
Armstead
(47,803 posts)Unlike Beckel, who spends half his time sounding like a conservative and the other in half-hearted mumbling and goof ups, Colmes is actually pretty sharp and generally on the right side of things. Unfortunately his looks and manner aren't a match for the big mouth conservatives on Faux.
joeybee12
(56,177 posts)Those asshats probably applauded him.
Mike Daniels
(5,842 posts)so they can say "well, liberals use term "xyz" as well so why is it a problem when the GOP uses it?"
tanyev
(42,598 posts)I'm not young, but I've never heard anyone actually use the word 'Chinamen'. I've seen it in historical novels, but that's about it.
Drunken Irishman
(34,857 posts)MisterP
(23,730 posts)the sequence goes "blame the Pequod, Irish, Germans, Italians, CHINESE, Japanese, Jews, Mexicans, Muslims," and we also have to consider what's coming NEXT
*squints at picture* Tahitians?
more ACTUAL racism at
http://www.georgetownbookshop.com/