[Kanji_The_Wanderer]

What bothers me is how some people can be so bothered by such a simple word. Words in themselves hold no true meaning, it's the action that follows. If "gaijin" means foreigner, then they are pointing out the obvious.

How can it be considered offensive if they are calling you what you are? Unless they were saying something else other then just calling you a foreigner, in other places calling someone a foreigner is no big deal, since that's what they are.

I have never heard the word gaijin being used to degrade someone.

If you can't call them foreigner, then what else would you call them? Immigrant? That can hold more insult then being called a foreigner, you could say traveler, but then not many people are referred to as travelers, unless they are seen all over the place.