[MMM]

Originally Posted by clintjm

MMM, why all the Torches and pitchforks?

It is good to see you want to bring a discussion from another thread here from the get-go.

But I have already answered the question you are asking.

Originally Posted by clintjm

I don't think it degrades the race, I think it shows a terrible difference between English and Japanese. This is a stereotype at best, and near close to a fact. Most Japanese, including my wife, has the occasional slip up with "the". Frankly not many native speakers of English can explain properly when to use "the".

So would your Japanese wife appreciate you wearing a shirt making fun of her accent and mistakes in English?

I have asked this question in three ways now on this thread, but no one wants to answer it.

Originally Posted by clintjm

I don't know anyone who could use this as hate or calling a race stupid, because that peson doing this would simply have to be flawless in the Japanese language to not be a hypocrite.

English speakers that speak Japanese do not make fun of Japanese speakers of English. Why? Because they know how hard the other language is.

It is people that don't speak a word of Japanese that find humor in making fun of native Japanese speakers' accents. The stereotypes promoted on this shirt are based on ignorance, not education.

Originally Posted by clintjm

I watched many primetime Japanese comedy variety programs that destroy the foriegner's use of Japanese in grammar and in accent. My wife does it to me at every chance.

So turnabout is fair play? They are racist against us, so we have a right to be racist against them? That seems like a good strategy to eliminate racism.

Originally Posted by clintjm

At the same time you can turn on a network like G4TV "Attack of the show" and watch their insane takes on Japan. No rasicm, no hate, no dehuminizing, just takes on how different
Japanese and American ways are so different.

What does "Attack of the Show" have to do with this t-shirt?

Originally Posted by clintjm

That the Japanese are better at Mathematics because their educational system leans towards science and mathematics more than the U.S. is "dehuminizing" to Japanese?

Wow. I have to say it again?

No.

Calling it "innate" is.

Originally Posted by clintjm

So in contrast, the shirt says Japanese are too stupid with "the" and too smart "with mathematics"?

Crap. I have to explain it again. It says Japanese are too stupid to understand "the" but are "innately" calculators.

You don't see the problem with that?

Originally Posted by clintjm

No sterotyping on your part here with America and Guns.

Oh, now I am the a-hole for stereotyping?

Originally Posted by clintjm

Same reasoning of the above "the" example.
I guess you don't like the Engrish joke books or blogs either?

engrish.com and those type of websites are one thing, but to whitewash a race, a country, a continent... is something different. Engrish.com (etc.) gives specific examples of English mistakes found in Asia. That is a little different than saying a Japanese person could not pronounce "parallel" "to save his life".

Originally Posted by clintjm

Yes, and I can't say Ryori or Ryokou without a grin once in a while from friends or family. Also can't say Konnyaku without people knowing if I'm saying engagement or root jelly.

So how would you feel to see someone wearing a t-shirt pointing that out specifically?

I know how I would feel. Not so great.

Originally Posted by clintjm

Actually I believe many like to have their issues with pronounciation pointed out so they can correct and practice their faults.

On joke t-shirts? Sure.

Originally Posted by clintjm

Wow, thats quite a list of complaints.
I disagree. It is stupid. But I think you are reading way too much between the lines.
People throw around the words racist and hate way too easily these days.
Hurtful is a matter of opinion.

If it is racist, then it is hurtful. That is a matter of course.

Originally Posted by clintjm

Its kind of like watching "Gung-ho" with Japanese in Japan and then "Mr. Baseball". In both cases Japanese will chuckle at both because they realize the differences.
Now watch "Lost in Translation"... serious stereotypes on both sides, and both sides laughing at their differences.

Are those movies hateful, dehuminizing and racists?
No.

How in the world of logic can you compare Mr. Baseball, Gung-Ho, and Lost in Translation to the dehumanizing comments of a t-shirt with less than 100 words?

Really, please.

Originally Posted by clintjm

I could probably go to Harujuku and find someone wearing this right now. I could go into a specialty shop in Tokyo and probably find like t-shirts.

I personally wouldn't wear one, but nor would I wear shirts with "I'm with Stupid here" either. Its a geek thing. Its stupid, but it hasn't got a nazi swastika on it like you making it out to be.

We are going to play the Nazi game? Really?

That's when the argument just ends. I can't say this shirt is Nazism...so therefore it has redeemable values? No....

This shirt is racist and just not funny. I would be ashamed of anyone I knew who wore it in Japan or in the West.

It is sad that people would actually pay money to promote the outdated and misinformed stereotypes shown here in the guise of "humor".