I'm Dating a Japanese Guy shirt

[Trinket]

Originally Posted by MMM

I am not sure what you are getting at. It is my opinion, but I am right?

I never think fighting against racism is a lost battle. Older folks might have their opinions cemented, but racism among younger folks is usually rooted more in ignorance than a long history of "experience".

Dealing with it at the "teenager" level is much more valuable than at the geriatric level. Teenagers are smart enough to be able to change their minds.

I meant I agree with your opinion but it's still just your opinion.

Teenagers are also not to always be taken so seriously.

[MMM]

Originally Posted by Trinket

I meant I agree with your opinion but it's still just your opinion.

Teenagers are also not to always be taken so seriously.

Everyone's opinions are their own, but when it comes to opinions I have found that teenagers are generally not so stupid as to be rigid in their beliefs for the simple reason they know they don't have a lot of real world experience.

It is easy to educate a 50 year old about something new, but hard to change their mind about something old. Teenagers (and even 20-somethings) are a little different.

[jesselt]

There is a fine line between jokes that poke fun at race-related things and are funny and jokes that make fun of other races and lack taste. It is odd that so many people here don't see that this shirt falls into the latter =/

I would assume the sequel would include things about buck-teeth and terrible vision because that isn't racist at all either

[MMM]

Originally Posted by jesselt

There is a fine line between jokes that poke fun at race-related things and are funny and jokes that make fun of other races and lack taste. It is odd that so many people here don't see that this shirt falls into the latter =/

I would assume the sequel would include things about buck-teeth and terrible vision because that isn't racist at all either

You are right, Jesselt. I agree 100%.

DIS SO FUNNY



WHY YOU NO LAUGHING???

[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.

[clintjm]

Originally Posted by MMM

You are right, Jesselt. I agree 100%.

DIS SO FUNNY



WHY YOU NO LAUGHING???

Descriminating by generalizing with Physical traits is another thing.

An old war political cartoon from WWII is in bad taste today, just as Japanese attacking with slurs as "round eyes" etc.

This T-shirt isn't even close to this. Its no more harmful than Engrish blogs.

I really do appreciate your adlibs to the cartoon though.

[clintjm]

Originally Posted by ninjakid

I'm japanese and thinking of giving my girlfriend one of these shirts as valentine gift.

If anything get her the thong or briefs.... no one will care what is written on it.
If they can read it, and have something to complain about, they are too close anyway.

Advertising what race you are dating on a T-shirt is a bit strange though.
Again in the states, you will always find a wacko to make a something out of nothing because you are fraying the edges of political correctness.

[MMM]

Originally Posted by clintjm

MMM, why all the Torches and pitchforks?

It is good to see you want to bring a discussion from another thread here from the get-go.

But I have already answered the question you are asking.

Originally Posted by clintjm

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".

So would your Japanese wife appreciate you wearing a shirt making fun of her accent and mistakes in English?

I have asked this question in three ways now on this thread, but no one wants to answer it.

Originally Posted by clintjm

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.

English speakers that speak Japanese do not make fun of Japanese speakers of English. Why? Because they know how hard the other language is.

It is people that don't speak a word of Japanese that find humor in making fun of native Japanese speakers' accents. The stereotypes promoted on this shirt are based on ignorance, not education.

Originally Posted by clintjm

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.

So turnabout is fair play? They are racist against us, so we have a right to be racist against them? That seems like a good strategy to eliminate racism.

Originally Posted by clintjm

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.

What does "Attack of the Show" have to do with this t-shirt?

Originally Posted by clintjm

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?

Wow. I have to say it again?

No.

Calling it "innate" is.

Originally Posted by clintjm

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

Crap. I have to explain it again. It says Japanese are too stupid to understand "the" but are "innately" calculators.

You don't see the problem with that?

Originally Posted by clintjm

No sterotyping on your part here with America and Guns.

Oh, now I am the a-hole for stereotyping?

Originally Posted by clintjm

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

engrish.com and those type of websites are one thing, but to whitewash a race, a country, a continent... is something different. Engrish.com (etc.) gives specific examples of English mistakes found in Asia. That is a little different than saying a Japanese person could not pronounce "parallel" "to save his life".

Originally Posted by clintjm

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.

So how would you feel to see someone wearing a t-shirt pointing that out specifically?

I know how I would feel. Not so great.

Originally Posted by clintjm

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

On joke t-shirts? Sure.

Originally Posted by clintjm

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.

If it is racist, then it is hurtful. That is a matter of course.

Originally Posted by clintjm

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.

How in the world of logic can you compare Mr. Baseball, Gung-Ho, and Lost in Translation to the dehumanizing comments of a t-shirt with less than 100 words?

Really, please.

Originally Posted by clintjm

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.

We are going to play the Nazi game? Really?

That's when the argument just ends. I can't say this shirt is Nazism...so therefore it has redeemable values? No....

This shirt is racist and just not funny. I would be ashamed of anyone I knew who wore it in Japan or in the West.

It is sad that people would actually pay money to promote the outdated and misinformed stereotypes shown here in the guise of "humor".

[Heru]

I have to agree with MMM here.

I've never really been one for racism or stereotypes on shirts. Especially the ones mentioned here. They could have easily listed 10 things you may expect to find in japan or 10 things a typical japanese guy would do, that wouldn't be offensive. Or at least less so.

[MMM]

Originally Posted by clintjm

Descriminating by generalizing with Physical traits is another thing.

An old war political cartoon from WWII is in bad taste today, just as Japanese attacking with slurs as "round eyes" etc.

This T-shirt isn't even close to this. Its no more harmful than Engrish blogs.

I really do appreciate your adlibs to the cartoon though.

It is all the same: in bad taste.