> Not the be the PC police, but a reminder that JAP is an offensive and
> racist term. I was at the local parts counter asking for a part for my
> Toyota truck. The parts counter person said that "jap" parts are over
> there. I mentioned to him that the term was offensive and his counter was
> no harm ment, that is just what we call them.
Obviously Dana was not at Foreign Auto Parts, whose proprietor is Ron
Hirabayashi. Ob-brit-car: Ron's father, Bill Hirabayashi, was the MG and
Jaguar dealer in Saint Paul for decades. He also sold Renault cars.
Never did sell Japanese cars in the dealership. Bill is retired now, and
works part-time for his son. All of the MG, TR, Jaguar and Renault stock
that was left when Bill sold his building to a Dodge dealer went into the
basement at Foreign Auto Parts in Minneapolis. Ron may still have some
NOS parts which someone out there needs. If you have been looking for
original parts, maybe he has what you need. Call 612-721-6541
Back to the subject at hand. I have referred to the dangerously-cracked
wheels I got with my Lotus as JAP Magnas. Since some folks might not
realize this was a foundry in England and I am not trying to slam the
Japanese people, I'll try to remember to write and say J. A. P.
> So I figured that Nigger,
> Kike and Spic are OK because that is what folks call them.
I seriously believe that many people do say "Jap car" without thought of
insulting people, just abbreviation, no different than saying "Swede
car". Thoughtless, not hateful. Nigger, Kike and Spic don't share this
excuse for thoughtlessness.
Surely name-calling is associated with racism, but not always. I cut my
association with one fellow because I was so offended by the racist
anti-Vietnamese comments he made to me once. He never used the offensive
name commonly applied to these people. His IDEAS were racist and
indefensible to me, not his choice of words.
If someone called me a Mick or a Frog (I'm French-Canadian and Irish), I
guess I would consider the context. If someone calls Fob Fogt's machine a
Frog car, I don't take it personally. Since about the only Mick car would
be a DeLorean, it doesn't come up often.
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