February 19, 2009
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Japs
A framed newspaper has been removed from a VA hospital that was titled “Japs Surrender.”
The paper had been hanging there for more than 60 years. It offended a new employee because of the ethnic slur. Here is the link: Link
Do you think the newspaper should be taken down for offended one employee?
Comments (242)
yes
No.
omg yay that was my first time every being first on your site! ahahhhagah
Well, I’d read a magazine called The Dago Chink Nigger Faggot Kraut Cunt Fucker Bitch Times, but that’s just me.
No.
Would they have thought twice if it said N*****?
Uh, no. It’s been there for 60 years and is historical. The one person should get over it.
Nope.
Given its historic nature, no. If someone were talking about “Japs”, that would be a different matter.
No.
@trebleclef402 - ^^^So much for my censorship.
no.
haha @ christin0–first, and your comment sucks. I have to wonder if you even read the article/entry >.<
I think the world would be better if more people used SlapChops and ShamWows.
It was historical. Lots of historical things are now, many years later, offensive. Get over it, and accept it for what it was – a piece of history, not a racial slur directed at anyone.
People shouldn’t get so offended by stupid bullshit.
No, that newspaper was a piece of history. “Jap” was a word they used at the time; there is no point in whitewashing the past. They said a lot of things about a LOT of people back then.
@Drakonskyr - …my Grandad has that delivered to his door of a weekly basis. Say’s he likes “doing the crossword.”
Yes.
Eh, get over yourself. I hear yellow chink all the time. Of course, it has to do with race, but when I wore glasses, I was called four-eyes. How come nobody takes that case to the supreme court? “Well, you can’t help being your race”. Well, I couldn’t help having to wear glasses. Same thing. I got over it. I wouldn’t call anyone out like Jap or Chink or whatever slurs there are these days, but I personally don’t get as offended as I used to and she or he shouldn’t either.
No, it’s been 60+ years since it was posted.
@hyunj09 - uhhh…I forgot to write my last part…lol
Anyway, it’s history. I think we should all respect that. Although I don’t why that newspaper clipping was there in the first place…at a hospital. Interesting.
Ethnic. Slurs. Are not. Funny.
History is history. Ethnic slurs were part of our history. The new employee is overly sensitive. It’s one thing to expect people not to use that term now…it’s another asking for history to be ripped down because of their insecurities.
No.
60 years and no complaints.
All of a sudden one person comes out and has a problem with it? Get over it.
Japs isn’t an ethnic slur any more than calling someone a Brit, or an Aussie. Slang, yes, but not slur.
if it offended even just one employee, why wouldn’t you take it down?
@DrugInducedDuck - What’s that, Nose?
This reminds me of people who try to get Huck Finn banned because it uses the word “nigger.” This newspaper was written quite some time ago when Japs was common to use, it’s a piece of history. I can understand why this would probably offend someone and don’t condone the use of such a racial slur, but in the context of the newspaper, it wasn’t meant to offend. As long as you keep it in that context, I don’t think anything of it.
No.
@Drakonskyr - if you find one, let me know. i’m curious to see what it’d say.
yes. This is what happens when America tries to make everyone happy. The man has rights and if he finds it offensive, the newspaper should have been removed.
No. I can see why they’d be offended, but it’s kinda like Huckleberry Finn, do we ban that book because it uses the word ‘nigger’?
@Drakonskyr - You are so funny.
no
Ah what the hell, they should have kept it. It was a peice of history.
OOOOOH MY GOD, palease… people just need to get over it
No, that was a period of time when it was acceptable for such language to be used, and the employee should get over it: we’ve all heard the ‘n’ word about a thousand more times, and it’s about a thousand more times as offensive. Look, that’s a piece of our U.S. History, and if you’re going to live in this country, you should accept that fact. You should also be prepared to read, write, and speak English, because that’s just how awesome we are.
what significance does it have in a hospital?
nope. the world doesnt revolve around that one crybaby.
no, it’s historically accurate. here in america we don’t hide our past as much as say…japan.
it’d be funny if the employee offended wasn’t japanese…
@O_B_i_3 - it’s happened
@hellaz - Well, you could go read it again, that’s the beauty of text.
No.
I like the phrase Jojo used, “whitwashing the past”.
The Russians did that, I think the Chinese did that.
1964 did that.
yes it shud be removed & donatid to the smithsonian or sum uther arkive for war memorabilia
@DrugInducedDuck - What’s that, Nose?
That’s crazy. Who’s the uptight employee who decided to get all high and mighty?
definitely not
No
Racial slurs are in papers and articles as such all the time, and VA hospital just figured it be easier to remove it then create controversy and all that good stuff we like. It be one thing if the paper directly was using racial slurs to the group which doesn’t seem like the case it just seems the racial slurs are there in context to history
But yeah.hmph.
@Chinese_Sait0u -
Really? Where did they ban it? I read it just last year…
Yeah.
Yes. Racism is racism, no matter how many accept it.
“Niggers rebel against slave owners.” Would probably get taken down.
Most of the people have a double standard here.
@randomneuralfirings - I fully agree.
What would he prefer? Would he prefer the Japs continued thier atrocities?
“Jap” is just a shortened version of “Japanese.” I guess, since they don’t call their own country “Japan” then we shouldn’t either. In their own language, the nation is called “Nippon” and the poeple are “Nipponese.”
In conslusion, let me just say, I’m glad the Nips surrendered. When the nation of Japan apologizes for Pearl Harbor, I’ll apologize for this joke.
NO!
everyone seems to be writing about ethnicity today.
I don’t see it as an ethnic slur but as a historical document, and that is clearly the context in which the word appears.
Times do change, what was acceptable for decades, does sometimes become unacceptable.
But it is important to know of our history, even the parts we no longer feel comfortable with.
Yes. It’s an ethnic slur whichever way you spin it. They’re looking for an alternative front page so it shouldn’t be a big deal.
I guess now, we have to pull Herman Melville’s The Nigger of the ‘Narcissus’ from library bookshelves. And Huck Finn too.
I thought it was a not-so-beautiful reminder that our country has not always been “perfect”, that it also reminds us about what we should do and say today. It was an historical peice. I DO NOT like ethnic slurs… but at the same time, if we only showed the “good” parts of our country’s history…its very misleading. Now, if that had been a current post, than I think it should have been taken down. You can hide history, but that doesn’t mean it never existed.
It’s a piece of history…history isn’t pretty most of the time but it shouldn’t be censored.
No. It is part of history.
I have no opinion one way or the other. I really don’t think its that important.
At the time of printing, “Jap” has not accumulated its racial connotation– it itself isn’t racist. As a snapshot history, the front page shouldn’t have been removed.
From the article:He has also assigned a member of his staff to look for an alternate
newspaper front page — “Something like ‘Victory in the Pacific’ or
‘Japanese Surrender.’ “
That seems like a reasonable compromise. The purpose of the newspaper is to commemorate a historical event; if they can find one that doesn’t use offensive language, then why not?
This is what is wrong with America…
hmm..well the title gets a lot of attention huh?
No. The title of the article is reflecting the history and circumstances of the time period.
No. It’s history. That’s just as much a part of American history as nigger and Jim Crow.
I’m Japanese and I don’t find it that offensive. It was a reflection of the times. I wonder if that person was even asian. I can’t talk, I use racial slurs all the time.
NO, get over it.
@DrugInducedDuck - Right, “Japs” isn’t an ethnic slur anymore. That’s hilarious.
To the rest who say “No,” you’re just reinforcing how nobody seems to care if “Asians” are offended by anything. Like a few others have mentioned, if it said “N—–s” it’d be gone. I mean, gee, that was acceptable at one point too, right?
So, the argument is what? It’s historical… it’s been 60 years… ok, get over it already, WWII is long over. Right? Just like telling someone slavery is long over, yet we still hear people complaining about it.
Now, if we were talking about a text book, who cares, but in a VA hospital? I think most of you are missing the venue here. Sure, VA, I get it, but seriously, how many folks going in and out of there remember anything about the “Japs” surrendering.
This pretty much reinforces why employees of mine threw a fit when our Xmas party was on the anniversary of Pearl Harbor.
But fuck it, how many Japanese do any of you know, let alone ones that might be offended?
(this is just Devil’s advocacy btw)
For the record, I am just not for pretending the past was anything like the present.
Newspapers used to say a lot of things.
The guy shouldn’t be such a whiner. That’s my immediate thought. If he was one of the Japanese that was thrown in internment camps and had his personal belongings ransacked and rummaged through by the government while being referred to as a “traitorous dirty fucking Jap,” then I can garner some sympathy for his whining.
how is it a slur? it is simply a truncation japanese. given that it’s a newspaper, that “slur” could save a lot of money.
Yes. If the newspaper was about women’s rights or voting rights for women or blacks 1/2 a decade ago, and ethnic slur was on the headlines, people would protest and the article would be taken down. It is historical, but the article was put up in the Hospital for no significant reason, correct? So why the complaints? Reading the article, it says on the bottom that the campaigner is going to get new headlines for the article, and I think that’s the best solution of all: the history of the victory is still displayed and the slur is removed.
@Drakonskyr - lol
No. It is history.
yes,
fool. they have every entitlement to stop whatever they feel is
offensive. what if it said, “honkies/crackers surrender” or “chinks
surrender” or “niggers surrender” or “gooks surrender” — do you
expect yourself to walk past this headline everyday and not say
something?? all ya’ll are just taking words from the article. THINK!
— get
educated and knowledgeable. be intelligent!
@omgitsmackie - it’s not the words. its the message behind it and you’re too naive to understand it.
@CallMeQuell - i agree.
GOOD SHIT that they took it down. if you want history read it in a book. like judgement without trial by tetsuden kashima.
what was so wrong about saying JAPANESE anyway? what? too many letters? losers.
WAR IS NEVER GOOD ANYWAY. NOBODY EVER WINS.
If they are this sensitive, maybe they shouldn’t be working in a hospital.
I don’t agree that being “part of history” justifies keeping something that is offensive–especially when it can be so easily remedied. They are not asking for the document to be burned–it belongs in a museum, or in archives, not in a hospital which is accessible to all people–including some people who may be offended by it. Many horrible things have happened in history, and in the historical context of it all it wasn’t certain terms were not deemed offensive at the time—but times have changed, and it what may have been right yesterday wouldn’t be right today. It used to be okay to beat your own children to a bloody pulp–that was part of history, and I would be appalled if someone tried to do it today and justify it with the fact that it is tradition or that it has its place in history.
@RaccoonEyed - Out of all the other people here that posted something similiar to me, you still chose me as the naive one. Thanks!
No. It’s history.
If everything in this world was removed just for offending one person, I don’t know what would be left.
That is stupid shit.
If we took down everything that offended someone, well – we’d have nothing.
Whatever happened to freedom of speech? People don’t understand that offensive terms are part of and cannot be avoided in a country that supposedly “allows” this type of freedom. Also, it is historical. We don’t go around burning books that contain such words. So what makes newspapers a different issue?
What rubbish. People sure have gotten stupider and stupider over the past 60 years.
Why don’t we just throw out our history textbooks and all that so that we don’t offend anyone by talking about how brutal whites were to blacks/japs/etc?
………. (long silence)
I have a recommendation for the new employee: Get over it. It was 60 years ago, and its a art of history. Just because you don’t like it doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. Take some midol and get over it.
No, it’s part of history. Yes, it’s not a very ‘nice’ or PC thing to say, but look at when that was printed…it was just the time
omg get over it. they still use ‘negro’ and ‘nigger’ in the movies when it’s got a historical setting.
no! it’s part of history, just because it’s taken down won’t mean it wasn’t printed or that it didn’t exist.
Sure. Let’s just whitewash all of history while we’re at it. Racism never existed.
There… happy now?
Someone somewhere will always get offended.
That, is a fact that people will just have to come to terms with.
orange.
I would say that if the majority of the people in the institution agrees to have it down then go ahead and have it down. Otherwise don’t sacrifice history for one offended employee.
By the way, I hope you notice my comment here:
You probably meant “for offending one employee” or “for one offended employee” in your last sentence. You might want to correct that in the entry.
@kenwats - “I’m Japanese and I don’t find it that offensive. It was a reflection of the times. I wonder if that person was even asian. I can’t talk, I use racial slurs all the time.”
Thank you. Finally, some sanity. I use them, too, and I don’t care who is offended. I don’t like it when some jackass calls me a cracker bitch but I can’t take that to court, nor would I want to. Toughen up already.
I always thought of it as an ethnic abbreviation, not an ethnic slur.
Nonetheless, a work place is a work place, and the employers (in this case, the hospital) should have the workplace be as distraction free as possible if they desire their employees to be performing at optimum levels. There is no benefit to keeping it hanging there, but there does seem to be a benefit in taking it down. I’d say it was a good manuever, all things considered. And I’m sure many “japs” have felt awkward walking by that news paper yet have not spoken a word regarding it. I don’t think this is the case of one especially sensitive employee calling attention to himself. (Though it could be. But even so, the benefit vs cost argument above applies.)-David
I think so. “Japs” is a racial term even if it does just shorten “Japanese”. I really don’t understand why it is offensive since it does insinuate anything like other terms do, but then again, I’m not Japanese so maybe there’s a hidden meaning I don’t understand. However, it is seen as something insulting to that particular race. I do think it should be taken down.
@CallMeQuell - I beg to differ, in proper context they can be quite hilarious.
Oversensitive pansy ass’. Let’s look at what took place here. A historical document was removed from a public setting because it was “offensive”. I’m thinking of another place that is public. The library. So if employee’s took offense to something in the library where they work, would/should it be removed? At what point will our obsession with being PC stop?
the past is the past, where it should be… sure it contributes to the present but what good does it do it if it offends/hurt people?
My grandparents hate japanese people, but one of my best guy friend is japanese… we shouldn’t allow history to dampen our experiences today and shelter ourselves from all the great people out there.
Do you really think he/she deserves to pay for history, and feel inferior and insecure? I don’t…
Does this mean that calling British people Brits or Australians Aussies is also a slur? I mean, i guess i never even thought about Jap as being anything other than a shortening of the national name “Japanese”…?
Maybe i’m just not racist enough to see these things i guess?
@CallMeQuell - yes they are, you… uhhh… south american who’s now in texas?
Take that.
It’s historical and it’s been there for 60 years. And now one person has a problem with it?
Come on. >_<
No, it is a piece of history.
@Mr_A - I’m with you 100%
I personally would have supported anyone that wanted to take it down, sure it was a part of history, but guess what, its long past and there are several “Japs” here and I understand why they would get offended.
Now if this was in a museum or something I could understand why they would have it up. If all you guys want it up because its a historical item, then put it where it belongs.
No, it’s part of history. Actually, the local newspaper here in town recently took down their paper with the same headline within the last year where it had been hanging at the office for several years, too.
I don’t even think it was intended as a slur – “Japs” was, in this context, just a shorthand for “Japanese”. Honestly, the whole “racial names aren’t PC” thing is getting really old, and you can’t just ambiguate yourself from your ethnic heritage by pretending that there’s no name for it, so what’s the point of saying some names for it are bad and others are good?
Hell, I’d be PROUD to be called a “Mick”. People should embrace their ethnic slur!
No. Its been there for 60 years. It wasn’t bothering anyone before…..
No
No. It’s history. If we removed every part of history that offended someone there wouldn’t be much left.
Anyone that sensitive needs to get a life. I can see that it would be offensive to hear it today, but do they think they can rewrite history?
Nope, it’s a historic article. Are we expected to go back over time and re-write everything to be more politically correct?
Hard to say. He may be offended, but the majority of people don’t seem to be.
I wonder what would happen if we rephrased the scenario. What if instead of speaking about “Japs”, we used another ethnic slur, like “cracker” (which tends to hold a humorous connotation), or “nigger” (which is almost taboo to say unless you are black)?
It’s HISTORY! Some people are so pathetic.
Only if I get to have sex with the Jap who was offended by it.
Everyone happy.
i don’t think that it should be taken down, although i do see how someone might have been / could be offended by it.
if it’s been there for that long without any issues, i see no reason why they should take it down just because one person makes a fuss about it, but that’s just me. i know they have a right to be offended by it, if that’s what they choose, but i also have a right to think that they are overreacting to what is essentially just a part of history. if the other employees were being racist towards this man, then i could see a problem … but a hanging newspaper clipping, in ONE spot, out of a whole building? just don’t look at it! he sounds like he’s making a mountain out of a mole hill.
Well geez. It’s a newspaper.
There were thousands of newspaper headlines printed off that day and I can bet that some of those headlines didn’t include a racial slur. Maybe they should just get a different newspaper. What is so particularly special about the Atlanta Journal?
Eh. It’s history.
No
Parking meters on city streets offend me deeply……..I am sure they offend many of you as well…. I think we should file a formal complaint and get them all removed………………………….and no I don’t think one person should be trying to ”hide” history. If we forget our past we are doomed to repeat it.
No
yes. If it isnt a museum why is it up anyways for that long? if it had a blk racist slur in it they won’t even think twice.
I don’t know what the gov’t rules are on that, but personally I don’t think they should have to take it down. Perhaps they could replace the paper with one with a less offending title, but we’d still be talking about the same war in which millions of Japanese people died. Shouldn’t that be as offensive as the slur?
If you’re offended by that sort of thing, a VA hospital may not be the best place to work. At least not at a VA hospital where the WWII vets that I know go. We told these soldiers to fight the Japanese, and the use of slurs was part of the training. Old habits die hard.
Of course. History shouldn’t be forgotten, but it doesn’t need to be paraded around to remind others of how they were hurt. We would never have a sign up with the “N” word, and this is the same thing.
That newspaper article is historical. There’s no need for it to be taken down. :
They should have just fired the dude.
If this paper had said the word “nigger” anywhere in it, people would have flipped their shit. So, I personally don’t think it should be taken down, but then again people should get over all racial slurs all together.
There is that same paper in a little diner in my town. I like it though, its a reminder of what we used to be like and how far we’ve come.
They put warning lables on music because only one person was offended.
I didn’t know “Jap” was a terrible thing. Just a shortened version of Japanese, right?
@CallMeQuell - How the hell is it an ethnic slur? It’s a shortened version of ‘Japanese.’ Like if I called a Russian ‘Russ’ or a Zimbabwean ‘Zimba’. Not really a big deal.
I’m part Japanese myself and I couldn’t give a shit. Poster should be left up.
Not to sound ignorant, but I didn’t realize that Japs was a slur I just thought the were abbreviating for space like when they say Blacks insteads of African-Americans or Whites and so on. As far as taking it down, was it really necessary to have it hanging there in the first place?
no it should not. this age of political correctness is nonsense.
that was history warts and all. deal with it!!
Wow, a vast majority of people seem to be either insensitive, racist, or stupid.
So a newspaper article titled “Niggers Freed!” would have been okay?
Oh, because its historical, I forgot.
Edit: To everyone saying “Jap is a shortened form is Japanese… blah blah blah”
What the fuck do you think “Nigger” is? A mutation of the word “Nigeria…”
no
What’s funny is that all the people who disagree aren’t even Japanese.
It should be taken down.
@cseman - I know they are actual products from my hours of tv watching, but those sound like ethnic slurs from the 40′s.
That’s an interesting point, though: Would it be an issue or point of argument if we had gone to war against African America, and the title had made reference to blacks as “Afros” or “Aff”s?
Of course it should, is this even a question?
@omgitsmackie - Wow what a culturally insensitive bitch you are. That’s pathetic.
@raiderjester - No. Its a racial slur just like the N word is a racial slur for African Americans.
It’s part of history it needs to be viewed with perspective, not stored in a closet. Maybe it doesn’t need to be on the wall, but maybe it should be somewhere else where people can view it. It could be put into an archive with other newspapers or something, that would be pretty good. You could go back and look through a bunch of old documents from that time.
no that’s stupid. besides, that’s not even a BAD racial slur. I used to use it all the time because I didn’t know it was a racial slur. Its just a shortening of a “PC” name,
I wouldn’t be offended if arabs started calling me an “amer” (like short for american)
get over itttttttttt.
I’m white, so the common thought is there is no racism against me.
when in reality there’s more racism against me than you think.
but you don’t hear me crying about it.
(only in this comment box now because I’m responding to something)
It’s an historical marker. It’s been there for 60 years and people have realized that it’s not there to hurt anyone. The worker should get over it.
Oh, good Lord. Well, then they’ll have to remove it from the Truman Library, too, because either that exact headline or one pretty close to it is hanging in there as well. Like someone else said, it’s history, it’s a word that was used back then and even though it is offensive, you can’t rewrite history.
@TakingxOverxMe - your a racist dumbazz bitch!
No.
I wish I had that newspaper, though.
@Dare2BDiferentt - You’re so practical!
The guy could just go work somewhere else…it’s not like his employers were calling HIM a “Jap,” or making racists remarks against him.
I didn’t even know “Jap” was a slur. O.O
How do you make a JAP surrender? Take away her credit cards!
Haha
I didn’t know that “japs” was a racial slur! Not that I say it, I just didn’t know. Hmm, I dunno, I’m not down with slurs, but I am a fiend for old archival type documents, so that part of me wants it to stay up.
Absolutely not. This was an historic headline that announced the end of the most bitter and destructive war in world history. It signalled the final defeat of a ruthless enemy who had dragged us into that war with an unprovoked attack and, in addition to destroying many American lives during that conflict and threatening our very existance as a nation, had likewise extended a brutal reign of conquest and oppression over all of eastern Asia.
Calling our most pitiless of enemies “Japs” or “Nips” was actually pretty mild in the face of all that. When you think about it, how is that any worse than terms like Canuck, Limey, Kraut or, for that matter, Yank?
I go to my local VA hospital for checkups and treatment all the time. There are always a lot of men there who are obviously WWII veterans… as one would expect. That headline was a testament to THEIR valor and sacrifice. Because of them, America is still whole and free. They made it happen; they and their buddies who didn’t come home again.
That headline honors them. It’s little enough, in itself. It shouldn’t be denied them because of the complaint of one individual on some vague basis of political correctness.
@tom - And you’re a cunt motherfucker who can’t spell.
Stop being an anonymous pussy.
Kthx
I don’t think it should have been removed. It probably has a right to be in that veterans hospital.
As ethnic slurs go, Jap is probably one of the tamest there is.
@jediwa72 - @randomneuralfirings - Well said and I agree completely.
@STEVENPILL - Beautiful explanation. Hooah to you…
Yes it should be taken down!!
I think it should be taken in historical context. A lot of things happened in the past that we wouldn’t agree with today, but it doesn’t mean that we should censor history.
No. My walls are pasted with the word “niggers begone” and I don’t think it offends anybody.
I think it should have been taken down
of course not. instead they shouldve done something else like asking all the employees to have a vote on if they should keep it or take it down
The Japanese know better than to complain about ethnic slurs and historical hardships. They are too busy kissing our ass and making a fortune off of us.
i dont think you’d be talking like that if they we’re making ethnic slurs to your race.
but it shouldn’t be removed, 60 years, i’m sure at least ONE other japanese person walked by it and ignored it. and .. jap isn’t an ethnic slur … just short, for japanese .
STFU
“JAP” is a fucking racist word. It’s like saying Niggers surrender or CRACKER JACKS SURRENDER
SO maybe no one wanted to say anything. Finally someone spoke up and thank goodness for that. PEOPLE DO STILL USE THAT WORD AND IT IS OFFENSIVE AND IT ISN’T FUNNY. wait till someone calls any of you fat americans who surrender to burger king and mc donalds and see how that effects you?
Personally I find the history taught in the classroom to be very insensitive to people’s ethnic backgrounds. I think that along with this newspaper the freedom wall, present in many schools and such, is very offensive. We’re taught about all the bad things our enemies did but what about the bad things we did?
So yes it should be removed.
What if the paper said “Niggers surrender”? Would you take it down? If nigger offends you, Jap should too.
umm YES. People don’t know this but the term “JAPS” is really offending.It’s like having a newspaper saying,” White people lost the Vietnam War”. =/
yeah .. it was historical
No keep it, but the term should be acknowledged as offensive to keep everyone happy i suppose.
But it is ridiculous to censor history for the sake of P.C. To me the whole point of history is to get an accurate view of our past, and censoring this is tantamount to distorting history.
On the other hand, Japanese history books aren’t reknown for being the most accurate about their imperial past. Distort history, that also starts to piss people off.
and maybe that one person actually has a BRAIN to say it’s wrong =].BTW you guys look it up it is a racial slur!! It’s like saying Ni***a to an African American.
NO!!! I’m so sick of all this “hate speech” crap where every knucklehead with a pulse is offended by something. THE FIRST AMENDMENT DOES NOT…DOES NOT GUARANTEE YOU THE RIGHT TO NOT BE OFFENDED!!!!
What’s next? Banning the use of terms like “black hole,” ”black sheep,” ”red ink,” “india ink…” Good grief.
No. It’s history.
Of course. We should also stop reading “To Kill a Mockingbird” because of the racism in that and we should stop teaching that America ever had slavery [/sarcasm]
In all seriousness, the article is a part of history. It should stay up.
@STEVENPILL - Excellent.
No. Although it is funny that someone is whining about the racist connotations of this when you know, the Japs were allies with er, HITLER and the NAZIS in WWII.
I had a great-uncle who fought in WWII, and he made a comment once about a family member driving a “Jap” car. When we asked him about it, he said “they killed too many of my good friends.” No, the newspaper should not have been removed. It had been there for 60 years, in a veterans hospital. Many of those vets fought and sacrificed during times when Japan was the enemy, and that was a term used. Times have changed. No one directly called her a “Jap”. I think she was being over sensitive.
Some people need to be more aware of historical context. It’s not like it was written yesterday. It’s like the N word used in historical context from the 1800′s is offensive to black people now. Why do minorities like to play the victim?
Uhmm, where’s the slur. The article was about the JAPense surrender. The headline said Jap, short for Japenese. Live it alone.
http://www.goinggreenaccidently.blogspot.com
It’s funny, because a lot of the same people who voted “no” would still vehemently argue that the posting of the Ten Commandments in public is absolutely unacceptable.
Not to say that I support that; just that if people are going to deny other people the right not to be offended, they ought to do so consistently across the board.
Also, why would they even have a newspaper hanging on the wall celebrating their victory over Japan in World War II? It seems a bit insensitive to be putting up an article in honor of a grand-scale atomic massacre in a hospital, historically significant or not.
The hospital did the right thing in taking it down.
No, it’s somewhat historic. It must have something related to the hospital on the page
History can be offensive. Get used to it.
I was highly offended by several of the posters out there. Does that mean they should be censored and their comments erased as if they had never been made? The truth is at some point we will all get offended. It can not be protected against and should not be. It’s one thing if the article was placed deliberately to hurt or offend a group of people, but obviously it wasn’t.
no.
No. The offended employee needs to get over it. It’s part of history and it’s from a newspaper. It’s not like someone just made it at home and put it up.
That’s silly.
I am personally offended by political correctness
leave it up!
Since when does the bill of rights promise us the right to be not offended?
I’m tempted to say they should have told the employee to get over it, but I’m also not sure how offensive the word “jap” is to people. I can see where the hospital is coming from though. Maybe others have found it offensive, and this person was just the first to speak up. Sometimes I hate everything having to be overly PC, but it is too bad this newspaper chose to use that word. Maybe someone could get them another old newspaper that is less offensive.
No. The overly sensitive offended employee was not taking into consideration the historical time period in which the newspaper was in publication. I can understand if something like that was printed currently, but it’s been 60+ years since that newspaper was printed. It’s a part of our history now, isn’t it? Why shy away from it?
It does seem out of place to have something like this in a hospital, though. If anything, this newspaper clipping should be displayed in the nearest museum.
Ahahaha. “Japs” is censored on the xanga frontpage.
No, absolutely not.
It’s merely a part of history — it’s not like they were promoting the use of the word “Japs,” for God’s sake.
They went 60 years without any problems.
That easily offended, uptight moron shouldn’t have had such an impact on them.
You offended Xanga… and they censorded your post. X_X
MEIN EYES!
No
No, it’s a part of history.
let’s see, the Spanish Inquisition offends me, does it mean it should be removed from history books?? It’s history for pete’s sake.
“Jap” is an ugly word, but history is ugly and the newspaper is historical. The next step after removing the newspaper is removing Mark Twain’s novels from libraries since they liberally use the word “nigger.”
Nope. History will remain to be history. Leave the paper be.
japs is a racial slur?
edit: i just realized that i’m not the only one who didn’t know japs was a racial slur. i, too, thought it was just an abbreviation for japanese.
uggh people are too sensitive.
words hurt if you let them, people.
=)
Hell no.
Yes. I hate how it’s not taboo if an Asian complains about it. If a Black person did it about a slur dealing with them, who’d be saying no?
no. it is part of history. and i’m not saying racism is right in any form. but it’s been up there for a long time. why should it be taken down. that one person needs to take it for what it is. history, and not take it so personally. even though i can clearly see why they took it personally. but no.
yes and also the history is for Museums. Put it there. stop insulting Americans.
People collect those ads from back in the day that said, “Irish need not apply,” to remind them how racist people America used to be and how things have changed.
what if the newspaper has the word nigger instead of Japs…would you still ask the same question?
it’s a hospital. i don’t think it’s unreasonable to ask for taking that piece of newspaper down. if it’s in a historical exhibit in a museum, i think it’s ok to keep it.
it’s like, imagine a newspaper referring african american as nigger before the civil right movement and it’s posted in an medical center – do you think the african american want to see a newspaper from the past that had the n-word on it?!
(oh, and i’m sure more than one person will be offended to see the n-word in that case!)
@misswonderj - I’m actually a rather sensitive person, but in this case, this person is just being waaay too sensitive. This newspaper article was done 60 years ago when there was A LOT of crap going on. I’m sure there have been many Japanese people that have walked past this article and thought nothing of it. They’ve matured and learned from the situation, knowing that even though things like this (ethnic slurs) might still be going on today, they’re not as common as they were back then.
We’re always going to have people still saying the “N” word and whatnot. People just need to learn to grow a backbone. I’m not saying that it’s okay for people to say it, but you need to keep in mind that this is history. We learn from it. I have yet to hear anyone refer to a Japanese person as a “Jap”. And odds are if I have or ever will, it will be a Japanese person themselves saying it.
I’ll be honest, i’m amazed it stayed up for that long!
Is Japs still a slur word in the States ? I know the starting date of WWII in Pearl Harbor was just the birthday for God Father.
@omgitsmackie - There’s no excuse for keeping ignorance around especially when America claims to have progressed, period.
@misswonderj - So, if you don’t want to keep ignorance around then I suppose we should just kill every person that says the “N” word? Or just stop learning in general? If we took down every single piece of paper that had something offending on it or took out every single person that said something wrong or bad in the eyes of someone else… there would be nothing left.
America has progressed from back then. Progress doesn’t mean perfection, especially when perfection doesn’t exist. America DOES think they are better than most countries (they don’t have to say it, it’s in their actions), but they never claimed that.
You will always run into prejudice/racisim wherever you go. Like I said, it’s time for people to grow a backbone. If you take offense to that, then obviously you’re the one who hasn’t progressed.
The only way racism is going to go away is when people stopped getting so offended by racist.
@omgitsmackie - Actually racism is predominantly an American thing. Its about eliminating ignorance, not making up excuses for it. I’d rather not accept ignorance personally. And you asking people to accept ignorance is very uneducated of you.
because the hospital will suffer sooo much if they take it down. just find another old newspaper with a less offensive title already. the fact that not all of us will be offended by it does not justify leaving it there. After all, I’m not offended by dead babies but the woman who just had a miscarriage might not feel the same.
@misswonderj - If you actually think the world is going to be eliminated of ignorance, you’re the uneducated one.
I seriously think that if it was an article with the word “nigger” on the front page like that people would have made a much bigger fuss and think “omg that’s so racist why would the hospital keep something like that up there?” There’s a bigger story behind what I want to say but that was my response to the question.
@omgitsmackie - On the contrary. I didn’t say the entire world would be rid of ignorance. I’m thinking in around 60 years it will be rid of your ignorance however. Excuse the educated; we prefer to not to succumb to the ignorance of others. And I’d much rather educate than let people continue to act like fools. =)
Yes, if only because proper management requires that your employees feel like their workplace is “safe.” It’s no different than if a coworker had directed a racist comment at that person; their manager would still have to take proper actions to remedy that.
White people will say “no” and minorities will say “yes.” That’s just how it is. Don’t believe me? Just read the comments.
No. It’s been there 60 years & nobody ever complained?
Maybe if more people wanted it down.
i think the hospital doesn’t want to be sued, that’s why. put down an old newspaper article that has a “racial slur” on it, or pay a few grand?
i’d take it down.
@misswonderj - And THIS is how you educate? Pointing out a guesstimate of when I will die and saying THAT’S how we’re going to get rid of ignorance? “There’s one ignorant one down, so there’s a little less ignorance in the world today.” That’s not getting rid of the problem, just the people.
It would be a TOTALLY different story if it’s the N-word.
I am appalled by the many people who say that the employee should be less sensitive and that it’s historical.
Well do you see newspapers with the N-word hanging around???? Even though they are historical too?
NO, so do the same for something that is offensive to another group of people.
People need to be more aware of racial slurs which are offensive to Asian Americans as unacceptable!!!!
@coolmonkey - insightful analysis
@BLOOMnLUNAtic - true that
No
That person is dumb. Those who do not study history are doomed to repeat it. The sad part here is not how a single person can be so easily offended – (they fucking offended me by being offended) – rather that an entire institution bowed to that request.
Its a sign of the times.
No. I think it’s funny that Xanga editted the word Japs on the front page. I guess everyone is being politically correct today!
@omgitsmackie - People are the problem. =] When the stubborn generation dies we can slowly cleanse while assuring that they aren’t corrupting younger generations. [=
So really they should all do us a favor and speed up the process =D
@ehowton - How are YOU offended at all?
@misswonderj - I say that to point out that you can’t please all of the people all of the time. What if there were some who were offended that the picture in question was taken down? How does a politically correct society choose who’s offense takes priority? If the VA was going to be brow-beaten over a single occurrence of someone being offended, logic dictates an impass would be reached if another person was offended by its removal. In short, institutions shouldn’t even attempt to pacify individuals, as we’re too varied in our perspectives, and individuals should seriously learn to be less sensitive, espeically where history is concerned.
@ehowton - I love you. Thank you for saying that.
@misswonderj - That’s all fine and dandy for you, but most people spread their ideas and views to others before passing on. So, even though people would be dying, there would still be more (and most likely younger) people to follow them. It’s a never-ending cycle. You’ll never get rid of that “stubborn” generation. Ever.
@ehowton -Its a sign of the times.
HOPE. CHANGE.
Obama. Obama. Obama. Obama.
I only read the first page of comments, and I am surprised that most people seem to be saying “no, the hospital should not have to take it down.” My initial reaction was “yes.” To wonder what kind of claim the new employee would have in a court of law if the hospital refused to take it down is a different story..
@omgitsmackie - They can think what they want as long as they keep it to themselves. =) Oh and we have been getting rid of the stubborn generations from the past by educated the ones below them. Sorry but people like you are about to be obsolete =]
@misswonderj - Okay, I’m done going back and forth. xD Nice chatting with you, though. Seriously. I like a good debate every once in awhile.
@omgitsmackie - Anytime. ;D
If it were a reasonable offense, sure. I’d at least say consider it. However.. Japs isn’t really a racial slur. Judging from the fact it’s on a printed source, I’d say it was just a shortened name they used for the sake of space. Japs is simply a short-form of the word Japanese. I’ve never before in my life heard that it was a “racial slur”. o.O; Did I miss something, then, perhaps? n.n; haha I’m not trying to be funny.. just the honest truth. The world we live in today is so silly about some things. Japs is just so much easier to fit into the header than Japanese or whatever, I would think. Anywho.
<3, ~*Akarui Mitsukai*~
Hell no