# Is JAP still considered a racial slur?



## SlyGuy (Aug 26, 2006)

I know in the past it has been, but I'm wondering if it is OK to say now.  I often find myself wanting to use this when talking about Japanese games, hardware, etc. but I feel like it would be offensive to say in public.  To me, it seems like Jap is just an abbreviation of JAPanese vs. other racial slurs which are completely different words.  To me, Jap is like Aussie or Yankie, or Brit.  So, what is the current connotation of this word?


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## Z_Hunter (Aug 26, 2006)

I think it still is a racial slur. People use JPN instead of JAP to avoid the slur.


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## yuyuyup (Aug 27, 2006)

japs are smarter then us whiteys so they can deal with it


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## mthrnite (Aug 27, 2006)

Add Yankee to that list of possible slurs. It started out as a slur, was "owned" by the colonials during the revolutionary war, and returned to being a slur during the civil war. Lots of people in America are proud to be called yankees, but I wouldn't risk using the term on someone you didn't know pretty well. The people who don't like it, don't like it to a pretty damn large degree.


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## vancitypimp (Aug 27, 2006)

I would think calling a Japanese person "Chinese" would be more offensive to them than Jap.


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## TheSpade (Aug 27, 2006)

It's still a slur, period.  If you use it, and I don't give a damn whether or not you intend to offend, then you're an idiot.  The whole excuse behind this is that people are too lazy to type out Japan or Japanese.  If you are one of these bastards who lack the energy to type a few, extra keystrokes, then use J or JP or just be silent.


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## Pado (Aug 27, 2006)

well .. to call japanese a "JAP" comes quite naturally .... but it's really still considered a racial slur indeed. But I think this nothing considered to how the japanese call foreigners "gaijin" which a sort of an abbrev but it's a very rude (is used as an swear-word) instead of the official "gaikokujin".


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## serious_sean (Aug 27, 2006)

I don't really think that it's offensive if used in the context of ROM names. It's simply an abbreviation. 

If people get up in arms about it, I'd say just let them be upset. 

Remember, a word is only offensive if people let it be offensive.


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## Orc (Aug 27, 2006)

But it's still NOT okay to call them "Japs" because they call us "Gaijin". That's just like hey let's kill them because they killed some of us. :/ It's kinda weird trying to defend something you know is wrong with something that is wrong.

Two wrongs don't make it right.

I agree with what TheSpade just wrote. Don't be lazy. :/


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## shunned_bozo (Aug 27, 2006)

just to express my humble opinion about the topic... someone can type JAP not for lazyness or to offend but simply because doesn't know that its an offensive term to mean Japanese, because people participating into forums have not always  english as a MOTHER TONGUE, so it is not so skilled or educated to recognize these matters..
and , due to the fact that often forums are free-time and hobbish aggreagation places people doesn't feel themselves obliged or compelled to abide to a PERFECT ENGLISH(in case they were able to... I can't obiviously 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




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so, there are lot of guys like me 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 , spread over the forums that doesn't know english so well to think to these mistakes...

that's it... just think to the net as meltin-pot , yes we have to speak english just to facilitate comprehension among members, but forums should not become so CLOSED to other language speakers... so about the JAP expression, i think that it does have a different sense if it does come from a well educated english speaker or from someone that doesn't know english well..like me






 -=SPAGHETTI ENGLISH FOREVER=-


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## outphase (Aug 27, 2006)

Just because one doesn't not know it is a racial slur at the time does it make it ok after one knows it is. Think of Wanda Sykes in Clerks 2 when Randall didn't know "porch monkey" was a racial slur.


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## shunned_bozo (Aug 27, 2006)

i wasn't sain this"I DUNNO ENGLISH SO I'M JUSTIFIED", no, i was saying that its a matter more complcated than it appears to english speakers... so just aspect someone saying JAP not having any idea or intention to offend... could you call them guilty or offensive ? i think no.


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## mthrnite (Aug 27, 2006)

I don't even like people of the same race/creed/whatever calling THEMSELVES a known derogatory name. Especially the terms that are fairly dripping with hate. Not that I can do anything about it... but it still unnerves me. (FWIW)

Oh, and it's ok I'm taking it back 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




Oh, and shunned_bozo.. it's ok to make a mistake, someone will set you right on it and hopefully they won't be a jerk about it. Then you'll know and it will cease to be an issue... unless you keep using the word of course.


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## Blebleman (Aug 27, 2006)

QUOTE(Pado @ Aug 26 2006 said:


> well .. to call japanese a "JAP" comes quite naturally .... but it's really still considered a racial slur indeed. But I think this nothing considered to how the japanese call foreigners "gaijin" which a sort of an abbrev but it's a very rude (is used as an swear-word) instead of the official "gaikokujin".



Gaijin is nothing, it's common talk, and it's not considered as mean as it used to be.

Gaikokujin was also used to mean "barbarian". Gaijin is considered nicer today.

The first Portuguese explorers used to be called nanbanjin (??? literally: "southern barbarians") because they came from the south in boats. The terms changed many times... ijin (?? literally "different person") ih?jin (??? literally: "different motherland person")

Using Gaijin is a much more polite thing to say if you don't know the nationality. Because it IS possible to say "White" "Black" "Hispanic".


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## th3sandm4n (Aug 28, 2006)

QUOTE(outphase @ Aug 27 2006 said:


> Just because one doesn't not know it is a racial slur at the time does it make it ok after one knows it is. Think of Wanda Sykes in Clerks 2 when Randall didn't know "porch monkey" was a racial slur.


Porch Monkey for life.
lol

I don't see what the hype of slurs is all about. But then again I don't take offense of slurs to my ethnicity. People could call me a spic or wetback (I'm hispanic)all they want, I don't really care.
I say slur away.


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## .TakaM (Aug 28, 2006)

my girlfriend doesnt find it offensive =/

political correctness is already out of control, stop helping it.


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## maduin (Aug 28, 2006)

If you call a person a Jap, then that's pretty racist.  If you're refering to a game on the while on the internet and saying it's "the jap version" that's not racist at all.  If you call all asians (Chinese, Lao, Korean, etc) Japs, that's pretty racist.

If your girlfriend doesn't find it offensive, that doesn't matter.  I can call my girlfriend stupid dirty slut, and she doesn't find it offensive, because she knows I'm kidding and there is no malice behind it.  If you call your girlfriend a jap, then call some random asian guy a jap, he's gonna be pissed cause he has no idea what you mean or who you are.  

But then again, I hate most black people.


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## .TakaM (Aug 28, 2006)

whats the difference between calling a japanese person 'japanese' or 'jap'?
racial slurs are usually words barely related to the.. technical term you'd use in anyway other than an offensive relation.


Ive always thought 'jap' was just the abreviation for japanese, and nothing more.


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## Opium (Aug 28, 2006)

I'm offended by being called Aussie.......not 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




same difference


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## .TakaM (Aug 28, 2006)

I find being called a 'kiwi' offensive, and since I find it offensive therefore everyone finds it offensive.


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## benplaut (Aug 28, 2006)

Here in Hawaii, roughly 40% have some amount of japanese in them.

In general, nobody seems to care... nor do use haolies care about being called thusly


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## mario5555 (Aug 28, 2006)

I wholeheartedly agree with Z Hunter just use JPN and your set and safe, no one with a uber-PC anal retentiveness compulsion will have a stroke reading it if you went that way. 

I myself have taken to using JPN all the time now, not because of PC-ness just because it's how it should have been all along. 



			
				QUOTE said:
			
		

> It's still a slur, period. If you use it, and I don't give a damn whether or not you intend to offend, then you're an idiot. *The whole excuse behind this is that people are too lazy to type out Japan or Japanese*. If you are one of these bastards who lack the energy to type a few, extra keystrokes, then use J or JP *or just be silent*.



Whaa...gimme a break. 

There are alot more offensive things to say than that, that's just ignorant that's it's due to laziness 100% of the time. You know it, I know it. 

What's wrong with using JPN.  It's common, covers what you want to say, and everyone will know what you mean. 

As for the last bolded statement, please take your own advice.  

(Considering you are condescending and rude in what you are advising anyway)

'Nuff said.


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## cruddybuddy (Aug 28, 2006)

The very fact that most of you people have used the word "Jap" in your replies proves that it is not nearly as offensive as most of the other slurs out there. I'd like to see how many of you here would throw around the "African" slur.


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## blizeH (Aug 28, 2006)

I'm of the opinion that unless something was meant in an offensive manner, then it really shouldn't be taken as derogatory.

'Jap' is short for Japanese, I'm sure there are plenty of people who'll use the shortened version without meaning any harm what so ever.

Ignorant yes, but offensive? It shouldn't be.


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## mthrnite (Aug 28, 2006)

QUOTE(cruddybuddy @ Aug 28 2006 said:


> I'd like to see how many of you here would throw around the "African" slur.


cruddybuddy took the words right out of my mouth. Very good point!

I know there's a revolt against being "PC", in my country at least, but hopefully that won't stop people from being civil to their fellow humans.
So far nobody I know has gone to jail for saying the n-word, otherwise my dad would be serving life without parole.
Slurs belong in fistfights, not in casual conversation. Ignorance can be forgiven, but venom begets venom.
I think most who would continue using a derogatory name after someone calls them on it, are being venomous.
They may be hiding behind "just making a point", but that's pretty transparent.

So, does anybody of somewhat pure JAPANESE descent wanna chime in on this?


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## Mucuna (Aug 28, 2006)

Do you think offensive to be called GRINGO?


Here everybody calls the tourists gringo. Well, just the anglo-saxon ones.


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## Pochi (Aug 28, 2006)

I've been to Japan last month and talking in English with a pure "Jap" there, referring himself as a Jap and calling caucasians people Gaijin without any malice at all... 
So I guess it's not that indecent... I could use this word in front of him... but maybe it's because he's young (23)... I wouldn't call an old yakuza chief a Jap...not without a bazooka at least...

Another possible comparison would be "Viet" for Vietnamese... I know that some caucasian people seem offended when I refer to Vietnamese people that way. But actually, it's normal for me as I'm Viet myself and "Viet" is the vietnamese word to name the Vietnamese people... 
All this reminds me of the movie "Rush Hour" when Tucker came to the bar with his "Afro-American" friends and greeted them with something ''sup, my n****?" and then Chan came in and imitated him...


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## mthrnite (Aug 28, 2006)

QUOTE(Mucuna @ Aug 28 2006 said:


> Do you think offensive to be called GRINGO?


Yeah, I don't like to be called gringo, a lot of us crackers don't 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




I used to work in a thrift shop. Amongst a LOT of Mexicans, Dominicans, etc... They would call me gringo until I told them I didn't like it, then they stopped. We had a very nice work environment, we were all colors/nationalities, but we found quickly what we had in common.
We were all POOR!
Interestingly, after the "gringo" thing, one of the Mexicans taught me not to call everybody who wasn't black and wasn't white a "Mexican". I thought it was ironic coming from someone from Mexico, but I took her point pretty quickly. Hispanic covers all the bases, and isn't disrespectful to anybody (that I know of.)

Basically if you can err on the side of respect, it's all good.

And Pochi makes a good point about humor (and the Randal porch monkey thing from earlier), in humor there's a lot less rules, and that's good. Comedy is the opposite of Gravity 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




Of course you're free to be an asshole too, just watch your back


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## Tuxedo Kamen (Aug 28, 2006)

Mostly yes, it is considered offensive.


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## DjoeN (Aug 28, 2006)

It's difficult to say: He are you JPN.

But yes, JAP is easy typed and sayd, still i preffer to say the whole word (Japanese), or when typing JPN
Why:

Just to be sure to not offend anyone 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




Personnaly i really don't care and i think it's not offensive anymore

(I wonder how you guys call us South-Koreans?)

S-kors ?, So-kos?,

héhé

(To get some stuff cleared, i'm born in South Korea, and adopted in Belgium 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 )

Personaly i think my roots are on mars or any other planet, but sure not earth!


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## karamu (Aug 28, 2006)

you may not find japanese living in western society finding it too offensive, however as someone who has many japanese friends who have only been in a western country a short time, they find Jap very offensive.  once i had explained to them that in most cases it is used as an abbreviation they realised its not so bad in many cases, however still sensitive to how it is used.  I make a point never to use the abbreviation Jap in front of my friends.

It all depends on the person.. but it is better to be cautious and sensitive to their feelings and not use it then to use it and offend them.  i mean really is it that hard to say japanese.  i do it without even thinking now that i made the effort to remove jap from my vocab.

I move to japan this sunday, and Jap will certainly be a word i won't be using.. haha.

Edit: come to think of it, english won't be a language i'll be using too much.. haha


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## Hanafuda (Aug 28, 2006)

QUOTE said:
			
		

> Is JAP still considered a racial slur?



Based on the responses to this thread, the answer seems to be "only if youre not Japanese." 

My wife is Japanese, as is my 14-year old stepson. My 3 year old daughter and 1 year old son are half Japanese. 

Being "Japanese" is rather unique, as to the Japanese people it is both their nationality and their race. So when they feel insulted for being Japanese, its a double slam, and a lot more personal. That doesn't mean Japanese people can't have a sense of humor about it in the right context, but I have to respectfully disagree with Opium that being called "Aussie" is the equivalent to being called Jap. Not even close.

While its easy to say its being overly-politically correct to refrain from using "JAP," I don't see us making a regular practice of using other racial epithets that members of the affected race would rather not hear. So what's the justification for doing it to the Japanese, except that you consider them less worthy of your respect?


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## mthrnite (Aug 28, 2006)

QUOTE(DjoeNtje @ Aug 28 2006 said:


> Personaly i think my roots are on mars or any other planet, but sure not earth!


Do you prefer Martian or Mars-Earthian?


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## mthrnite (Aug 28, 2006)

Thank you Hanafuda! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



I think that about sums it up.
Is there really anything left to say on this topic?


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## HugeCock (Aug 28, 2006)

Using Jap is an abbrivation when talking about games. Nuff said. People abriviate the source of the games.

USA = United States of America
Euro = Eurpope
Jap = Japan

So @The Spade and everyone else who think we need to actually spell out the  word Japanese then shouldn't you spell out European? No, cause we are abriviating a country not using it to attack someone. All this PC shit can be quite a lot of bull shit at times. Being a white man in a multicultual world I have to say that I am always walking on eggshells and now days weather I am in Miami, to Chicago to Canada I am often an equal mix or actually the minority which makes it hard to talk a lot of times. Perfect example was last night at Dennys when my BLACK friend was like "Tell me about those dates you had with that Spanish and black chick" and it was hard as hell for me to talk cause I am trying to be all PC correct...."Uh gee Nikki....I...uh...date...lots..of girls...which..one was the black one?"

/me thinks to myself....damn that was close I coulda came off racist.

In conclusion I am also dating an actual Japanese chick and when I blog about her I call her that Asain chick which she is okay with cause she read my blog and continues to see me however when I refer to playing the Jap version of FFIII I will refer to it as just that cause in that context I don't think it should be offenseive.


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## yuyuyup (Aug 28, 2006)

I can't believe my post was censored, also TheSpade totally sucks


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## Eruonen (Aug 28, 2006)

I usually say JAP not meaning anything offensive with it.



QUOTE(HugeCock @ Aug 28 2006 said:


> USA = United States of America
> Euro = Eurpope
> Jap = Japan
> 
> ...


How about Chinaman?


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## corbs132 (Aug 28, 2006)

btw, yup not a good idea to insult mods who can banz0r you


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## DrKupo (Aug 28, 2006)

TheSpade is a tard. Ignore him. 

Moving past that, no, it is not considered a racial slur.


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## Covarr (Aug 28, 2006)

Some consider it is, some consider it isn't. It often can depend on the context; in speech it might be seen as offensive, but in the context of ROM nationality abbrevs, it might not.


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## 5uck3rpunch (Aug 28, 2006)

I'm Italain American & I think Japan & Japanese people ROCK!


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## mthrnite (Aug 28, 2006)

QUOTE(5uck3rpunch @ Aug 28 2006 said:


> I'm Italain American & I think Japan & Japanese people ROCK!


French-American here:
I second that emotion!!!


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## s1r1u5 (Aug 28, 2006)

i mean... is this really important?  (jpn is also easy to write and it does not harm) let's just try to be polite and use some common sense ...
Jap for me reminds of how the americans called (japanese people) during world war II and that period is definately one of the worst ones to remeber (it was whos fault? doe's it really matter nowadays?) 
let´s be united and polite...
My 2 cents exposed...


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## th3sandm4n (Aug 28, 2006)

QUOTE(cruddybuddy @ Aug 28 2006 said:


> The very fact that most of you people have used the word "Jap" in your replies proves that it is not nearly as offensive as most of the other slurs out there. I'd like to see how many of you here would throw around the "African" slur.



n**** please 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





I don't really throw around any slurs accept for African American, Asian, White, and Hispanic since I have friends in all those races. I don't have any Jap friends (oh no I said it), but if I did, they would damn well be called that. Just as much as I expect to be called, well my friends think I look Persian for some reason...not sure what slur goes with that.


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## Hanafuda (Aug 29, 2006)

QUOTE(th3sandm4n @ Aug 28 2006 said:


> Just as much as I expect to be called, well my friends think I look Persian for some reason...not sure what slur goes with that.



raghead. and I would never use that word to refer to anyone, except you since you asked for it.


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## mthrnite (Aug 29, 2006)

hey, I wasn't gonna post anymore on this topic but I'M CONFRUSED!?!?!?!

th3sandm4n - Y'all from Texas and don't know any "Persian" slurs?
?? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ??

And btw, "n****" is a euphemism compared to the real slur I think cruddybuddy was talkin' about.

I may be wrong... I'll go away now


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## dice (Aug 29, 2006)

n**** AKA n****


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## mthrnite (Aug 29, 2006)

QUOTE(dice @ Aug 28 2006 said:


> n**** AKA n****


There is a stronger variant, at least here in the southern US.

Wait, I said I was gone didn't I? Ok byebye.


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## ridgecity (Aug 29, 2006)

I don't understand why The U.S. is so into mentioning races and skin colors. Here in Mexico we call people by their names or if we don't know someones name we say the gender (boy or girl, man or woman) and if you wanna say something more personal or offensive we say fatty or slim, or shorty or giant, etc. Rarely does someone says something about their races, and most of the time they are trying to be as offensive as possible. 

Everytime I turn on the tv on a U.S. channel it's either "the afroamerican won some recognition for his music" " the middle easter bussinessman said..." "the study show that white students like..." "hispanic or latino or mexican people enjoy the saturday doing..." Why do you like so much to divide your citizens?java script:add_smilie("")





Also, why do you consider black a separate segment, why aren't they regular americans? The arrived at the same time as white people to the continent like 500 years ago, they left Africa a long time ago... Mexicans that go to live in the U.S. are called as Chicanos or Paisanos here, since most don't even speak spanish anymore, at least not their kids, but its not an offensive wordnot mexicoamericans or something silly like that.


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## yuyuyup (Aug 29, 2006)

thespade aint no god damn mod


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## anotheruser22 (Aug 29, 2006)

Yes "Jap" in an abbreviation of Japanese but you can't compare it to Aussie for Australia and Kiwi for New Zealand....

Just look at history... this is why there is so much fuss..... Jap refers to the Japanese imperial army and was also used by the US as a term to refer to the Japanese during WWII to express hostility. 

Offensive? It depends on the person and it's offensive as long as someone find it's so. I wouldn't take one Japanese 23 year old's view would represent all of the 130 million people in Japan.


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## Blebleman (Aug 29, 2006)

"Attention G.I. Joe"

Remember that from Battlefield : Vietnam?


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## mthrnite (Aug 29, 2006)

Hey! Lets get a religious debate going next! Whaddayasay!!!!

We've pretty much got this problem knocked out, let's move campers!!!

GBAtemp: _Fixing The World - One Unsolvable Problem At A Time!_


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## Seicomart (Aug 29, 2006)

Good idea, theres a simple, easy to remember term for ALL religious people: Stupid ignorant cunts


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## cruddybuddy (Aug 29, 2006)

Thank you dice and sandman for proving my point. Mthrnite is correct, neither one of you felt comfortable using the actual work so you watered it down. Now someone here is going to say it just to show off, but I think by now my point has been well made. This is a mostly anonymous forum and we've been throwing around Jap for days now and yet we're all still too chicken to use my aforementioned word. Case Closed.

EDIT: Seicomart - Don't make me come over there and bitch-slap you.


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## th3sandm4n (Aug 29, 2006)

no problem cruddy just trying to help a n**** out. (It feels wierd sayin this since I don't know you and you are prolly not a soul brotha)

@Hanafuda - I'm not really Persian, but my friends say I look it for some reason. But thanks for the slur, though I was hoping for something better. =( I'm really Hispanic (American with Mexican grandparents), yet I'm not into the Spanish speaking, so I'm pretty much white i guess.

Lol, just read your whole post cruddy, you caught me  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



I was going to originally use n****, but I prefer that for my more intimate relationships(like singing along with the kids on MTV), whereas n**** is just a social word you can try out anywhere. Boring church service, tell the priest what is up "n****, preach!". Bad day at the office, "This job is wearing a n**** down!"


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## Orc (Aug 29, 2006)

Wow, people are still talking about this...
For me, if you know it will offend atleast someone, don't throw it around unless that was your intention.

Hey! GamerGuyDude started another thread about culture and whatnot~ I'ma jump over there.



QUOTE(DjoeNtje @ Aug 28 2006 said:


> (I wonder how you guys call us South-Koreans?)
> 
> S-kors ?, So-kos?,
> 
> ...


We call you Zergs. Kekekeke.


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## mthrnite (Aug 29, 2006)

QUOTE(th3sandm4n @ Aug 29 2006 said:


> It feels wierd sayin this since I don't know you and you are prolly not a soul brotha


Ha! at least you HOPE he ain't a soul brotha!

I swear you guys are somethin' else!


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## ridgecity (Aug 29, 2006)

This topic should be closed. People are starting to get offensive...


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## .TakaM (Aug 29, 2006)

QUOTE(ridgecity @ Aug 29 2006 said:


> This topic should be closed. People are starting to get offensive...


they are?

to you? or do you just think someone else will find this offensive?


fuck political correctness!


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## Orc (Aug 29, 2006)

QUOTE(.TakaM @ Aug 29 2006 said:


> QUOTE(ridgecity @ Aug 29 2006 said:
> 
> 
> > This topic should be closed. People are starting to get offensive...
> ...



Don't say fuck. That fucking offends me. :/


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## .TakaM (Aug 29, 2006)

being offended fucking offends me


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## th3sandm4n (Aug 29, 2006)

my virgin eyes :0


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## .TakaM (Aug 29, 2006)

**TakaM adds another notch to his belt*


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## Orc (Aug 29, 2006)

QUOTE(.TakaM @ Aug 29 2006 said:


> being offended fucking offends me



So you're basically offended all the time.


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## mthrnite (Aug 29, 2006)

Ok... if nobody else is gonna do it, I will....



HITLER!!!!!

say goodnight, Gracie..


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## th3sandm4n (Aug 29, 2006)

I'm confused. Is Hitler a new slur nowadays too?
If So, since no one has said it...

STALIN!


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## .TakaM (Aug 29, 2006)

MARX


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## mthrnite (Aug 29, 2006)

Theres an ancient net rule called Godwin's Law.

_As an online discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches one._ 

It usually marks the end of the usefulness of the thread.

Just tryin' to speed things up a bit, I got nothin' better to do right now


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## s1r1u5 (Aug 29, 2006)

oh yeah???  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




Mao tsé tung !!!!    
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	







(ha let's see whos bad in here!!!)


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## cruddybuddy (Aug 29, 2006)

Dschinghis Khan!

I win on two levels.


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## Hanafuda (Aug 29, 2006)

*KHAN!!!*


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## yuyuyup (Aug 29, 2006)

in case this thread gets locked, let me reiterate: thespade totally sucks and he is my grandma


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