wilder days said:
... I'm too busy dealing with life on a day to day basis to worry about trivial things like this.
Okay, this will be my last public post on this subject. As Allwalk has said, we shouldn't let this thread get too far off track, and the track is about 2005 Burgmans.
So here goes, and then I'm done:
While it may seem to be a "trivial thing" to you, I can assure you that racism is far from trivial.
You said you didn't mean anything by it; fine -- I can only accept that you were being honest when you said that.
But once you were made aware of the negative connotations, to then come back and say you are "too busy" to worry about other people's feeling reveals something about you that I hope you will give some long and hard thought to.
As far as my profile goes; while I practice Japanese martial arts and am a Zen Buddhist, I am also a Christian and an American. I would have spoken out just as directly if you had referred to an Italian scooter as a *** bike, or a German car as a krautmobile. It's exactly the same thing. You may have only thought of it as an abreviation, but now you know better. If you continue to ignore how hurtful a word "jap" is to many people, then you will be perpetuating racism even if that was not originally your intent.
Racism, inner city decay, youth violence, terrorism -- all are tied to people being "too busy" to care about others.
We hold these truths to be self evident; that all men are created equal. No man is an island. We
are our brothers' keepers.
Okay, end of rant. If you (or anyone else) wish further discourse on this topic, please PM me.
Respectfully,
The Rev. Brian Owens