[clintjm]

MMM, why all the Torches and pitchforks?

Originally Posted by MMM

I had a feeling someone would come up and say "lighten up".

I have no problem with poking fun at stereotypes, but this shirt crosses the line from poking fun to what I consider to be racist.

Let's look at some examples:

9. Concept of the word "the" is beyond his comprehension.

So Japanese people are so stupid, they cannot even understand the concept of "the". Not only is it not funny, but it is degrading the intelligence of an entire race. There is a word for that...

I don't think it degrades the race, I think it shows a terrible difference between English and Japanese. This is a stereotype at best, and near close to a fact. Most Japanese, including my wife, has the occasional slip up with "the". Frankly not many native speakers of English can explain properly when to use "the".

I don't know anyone who could use this as hate or calling a race stupid, because that peson doing this would simply have to be flawless in the Japanese language to not be a hypocrite.

I watched many primetime Japanese comedy variety programs that destroy the foriegner's use of Japanese in grammar and in accent. My wife does it to me at every chance.

At the same time you can turn on a network like G4TV "Attack of the show" and watch their insane takes on Japan. No rasicm, no hate, no dehuminizing, just takes on how different
Japanese and American ways are so different.

Originally Posted by MMM

8. Had the innate ability to be a human calculator.

This is a dehumanizing stereotype. Yes, Japan, Korea, Singapore and students in other Asian countries tend to do better in math than those in the US and other Western countries. So instead of that being a call to educational action, we make fun of it.
Notice the use of the word "innate", implying that math skills are not due to good education, but are skills Asians are born with (not true).

That the Japanese are better at Mathematics because their educational system leans towards science and mathematics more than the U.S. is "dehuminizing" to Japanese?

So in contrast, the shirt says Japanese are too stupid with "the" and too smart "with mathematics"?

Originally Posted by MMM

5. Slices meat with a katana

That's just stupid. More Americans have held pistols than Japanese have held katanas.

No sterotyping on your part here with America and Guns.

Originally Posted by MMM

2. Can't say "parallel" to save his life

Like the "the" comment, this is simply degrading the Japanese language because it doesn't have an "r" or "l" sound like the one in English. Like that's Japan's fault. It is such an ethnocentric comment to make (much less put on a t-shirt).

Even though all Japanese study English to some degree in school, many are shy to speak English outloud with any confidence. Part of the reason for that is because of idiotic shirts like this. Japanese people KNOW they have an accent in English, and don't like it being pointed out.

Same reasoning of the above "the" example.
I guess you don't like the Engrish joke books or blogs either?

Yes, and I can't say Ryori or Ryokou without a grin once in a while from friends or family. Also can't say Konnyaku without people knowing if I'm saying engagement or root jelly.

Actually I believe many like to have their issues with pronounciation pointed out so they can correct and practice their faults.

Originally Posted by MMM

The shirt is racist, idiotic, hurtful and hateful.

Wow, thats quite a list of complaints.
I disagree. It is stupid. But I think you are reading way too much between the lines.
People throw around the words racist and hate way too easily these days.
Hurtful is a matter of opinion.

Its kind of like watching "Gung-ho" with Japanese in Japan and then "Mr. Baseball". In both cases Japanese will chuckle at both because they realize the differences.
Now watch "Lost in Translation"... serious stereotypes on both sides, and both sides laughing at their differences.

Are those movies hateful, dehuminizing and racists?
No.

Originally Posted by MMM

If you disagree, ask yourself, would you wear that shirt with pride in Japan?
So would you want your Japanese mother to see your GF wearing that shirt?

I could probably go to Harujuku and find someone wearing this right now. I could go into a specialty shop in Tokyo and probably find like t-shirts.

I personally wouldn't wear one, but nor would I wear shirts with "I'm with Stupid here" either. Its a geek thing. Its stupid, but it hasn't got a nazi swastika on it like you making it out to be.

However you make a good point: I wouldn't wear them in the U.S. because of the state of ever running political correctness the country has been in for a while now. It would probably go over better in Japan.

Personally the lime green colour is too much.