Bill to keep Sioux nickname

[AlumniGreen]

Never knew that "wop" was an acronym for "without papers." Can understand why Italians are so upset. I have several Italian friends and one almost 100% Sicilian male friend. Beautiful people. Always admired Italian surnames with their lilting pronunciation. Love to watch Giada de Laurentis.

My dad was in Pacific theater in WWII and referred to Japanese as "Japs." I assume that is seen as derogatory but that is what he called them. My uncle served in European Theater and called Germans "Krauts."

[THEsocalledfan]

My dad was in Pacific theater in WWII and referred to Japanese as "Japs." I assume that is seen as derogatory but that is what he called them. My uncle served in European Theater and called Germans "Krauts."

Anyone who criticizes a Pacific Theater WWII vet for calling Japanese folks Japs needs a remedial history lesson. They very much earned that derogatory moniker, but do admire how they clearly course corrected to where it is impolite and wrong for non-vets to say it.

[GreenfieldBison]

Anyone who criticizes a Pacific Theater WWII vet for calling Japanese folks Japs needs a remedial history lesson. They very much earned that derogatory moniker, but do admire how they clearly course corrected to where it is impolite and wrong for non-vets to say it.

I’m not so sure that one is all that derogatory. Feels a bit like calling someone from the UK a “Brit”, an American a “Yank”, New Zealander a “Kiwi”, Saudi a “Sand t…”, er, uh, never mind that last one. Well, you get my point I’m sure.

Now the names that some Vietnam Vets I’ve known use for Vietnamese peeps OTOH, whoa*.

* but perhaps also well earned in some cases. Problem is with generalization.

[scottietohottie]

I’m not so sure that one is all that derogatory. Feels a bit like calling someone from the UK a “Brit”, an American a “Yank”, New Zealander a “Kiwi”, Saudi a “Sand t…”, er, uh, never mind that last one. Well, you get my point I’m sure.

Now the names that some Vietnam Vets I’ve known use for Vietnamese peeps OTOH, whoa*.

* but perhaps also well earned in some cases. Problem is with generalization.

It's the s on the end. Makes it bad when you make it a mascot name. Dehumanizing eh.

[AlumniGreen]

Well, my dad would be 102 if he were alive today. Growing up, EVERY dad in our neighborhood had been in the service. It was not a question of IF our dads had served, it was what branch of service they were in and what theater they had been in. They rarely discussed war stories with kids or wives but would gather in garages, smoke, drink beer, and trade stories. It was only shortly before my dad died, he told me "war is hell." I can only imagine what everyone went through.

About 20 years ago, my history-buff husband traveled to Japan to visit, among other areas, Hiroshima.

[NI4NI]

It was only shortly before my dad died, he told me "war is hell." I can only imagine what everyone went through.

This is why I get so worked up over current politics. The sacrifices so many made, and our current regime is doing their damnedest to screw it all away.

[Kevin]

This is why I get so worked up over current politics. The sacrifices so many made, and our current regime is doing their damnedest to screw it all away.

i get worked up over politics because the talking box in my living room tells me to

[NI4NI]

i get worked up over politics because the talking box in my living room tells me to

Well, there's alot of truth in that too.

[bisonaudit]

Never knew that "wop" was an acronym for "without papers." Can understand why Italians are so upset. I have several Italian friends and one almost 100% Sicilian male friend. Beautiful people. Always admired Italian surnames with their lilting pronunciation. Love to watch Giada de Laurentis.

My dad was in Pacific theater in WWII and referred to Japanese as "Japs." I assume that is seen as derogatory but that is what he called them. My uncle served in European Theater and called Germans "Krauts."

The acronym thing may be true. But it’s very unlikely that loads of people got through Ellis island without papers. You couldn’t get on a boat without your documents in order. The companies transporting people were responsible for their passenger manifests and those manifest were delivered to immigration officials before anyone departed the ship.

this also gives the lie to the idea that people’s family names were Americanized by immigration officials.

[GreenfieldBison]

The acronym thing may be true. But it’s very unlikely that loads of people got through Ellis island without papers. You couldn’t get on a boat without your documents in order. The companies transporting people were responsible for their passenger manifests and those manifest were delivered to immigration officials before anyone departed the ship.

this also gives the lie to the idea that people’s family names were Americanized by immigration officials.

You know this how?

I'm just relating an anecdote from someone who was, you know, alive in 1919. And Sicilian. Spoke pretty good Italian in my estimation too. But, what would he know*?


* oh, he was a Board Certified Pathologist so, quite a lot actually.