Ricebox was Re: [TenTec] ten-tec

Wed, 14 Jan 2004 05:49:34 -0600

It happens to be a problem of American society if any one of us feels it is
proper to use bigoted racist terms.  The purpose of the use of those terms
is to put down those who are different.  The use of terms like "jap" and
"gook" originally was intended to dehumanize enemies of America and make it
easier for soldiers to justify killing them.  I hope your intent is not to
do harm to Asian people, but your ease in using hurtful slang is not a sign
of the multi-culturalism that you claim.  It is more a sign of ignorance.
That makes any of your other points suspect.

It is of little importance that your Asian spouse is not offended.  She is
one member of a much larger group.  I assure you that the majority of that
group is offended by your style of speach.
That is kinda your personal problem.  Further, your characterization of the
makers of Japaneese raidos as not being offended because they are making
money is false, and a result of your personal bias against them.

Again, as I said in an earlier post, no polictical correctness here.  I am
not amused by bigotry.  It is a real problem in our society, in fact a wide
spread mental illness.  It is part of a much larger problem that needs to
end, and in my opinion is off topic for this reflector.

Keith Lodahl
KB9NUM

> -----Original Message-----
> From: [email protected]
> [mailto:[email protected]]On Behalf Of Grant Youngman
> Sent: Wednesday, January 14, 2004 1:24 AM
> To: [email protected]
> Subject: Ricebox was Re: [TenTec] ten-tec
>
>
> > snip ... I wonder if it is
> > necessary, in comparing radios, to use a perjoritive word such as "jap
> > radio," "rice box," or other such terms to describe radios made in
> > Japan, at least in part by fellow (albeit japanese) hams.  There must
> > be other ways to register one's patriatism then by using such terms to
> > describe persons from another country.
>
> We've been around this issue several times.. but it just won't go away.
> Perhaps because I'm sort of a multicultural person I take offense at the
> notion that we can't make any distinctions, and that we must be "careful"
> in the terms we use .. unless, like most (here's the cynic), it's
> a private
> conversation that we don't think will be overheard by anyone differenent
> that us ...  You know .. the only place that Baptists don't say
> "hello" to
> each other is in the liquor store ..
>
> I'm truly sorry if someone doesn't like the term "ricebox" or "jap", but
> that's sort of your personal problem.  The folks who build the
> radios that
> are referred to by these terms do a superior job at building radios that
> perform well.  It's Americans .. or maybe caucasians ... bless
> their hearts
> ...  that need to get over the language.  The people to whom the refences
> are made, just rake in the $$, and don't worry too much about it.
>
> I'm still trying to figure out why these (or other terms) are seen as
> perjorative?  It seems to me that "ricebox" refers to a product of high
> quality and decent (at the very worst) performance.  My IC-781 was a
> "ricebox", and by darn the 7800 will be  a "ricebox" too.
>
> My spouse is Asian, and as a result, a huge portion of my family
> is .. uh ..
> Asian.  I eat a LOT of rice at my house, and a variety of other things
> including fish maw (that's stomach, by the way, delicious saute'd ), fish
> eyes (truly impressed my once soon to be inlaws, much like olives with
> pits), sea cucumber (it's a "slug" in case you aren't familiar with this
> delicacy), tripe .. ok, I have to draw a limit SOMEWHERE ... ::-)   and a
> range of other things you PC-sensitive types have never considered
> bringing into the same room as your lips.
>
> My spouse doesn't find the term "ricebox" offensive.  She thinks
> it's pretty
> funny, considering the fact that until earlier last year, all of
> my primary
> radios have been "riceboxes" since the early 80's.  So why should you
> think it's offensive?  Most peoples of the world celebrate their
> 'differences" -- except for white Americans who somehow think that it is
> not "correct" to "notice" that someone else is short, or green.
>
> Why not just get over it?  "Riceboxes" are good radios, and there's
> absolutely nothing negative implied by the term .. if anything it's a
> compliment.  "Darn thang's good as that ol' "ricebox" I used to have on
> the farm".  The Orion's a good radio, too ....
>
> Grant/NQ5T
>
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