Rushing to the end to apologize whole-heartedly for an ignorant reference I made earlier.

And by ignorant, I mean ignoramus.

I had no idea I was being offensive, which makes it no less offensive.

I have endeavored to educate myself and will never make that mistake again. I beg pardon from everyone offended.

bonny, it appears that it's not necessarily a terrible term to use - although if Liese and ita don't like it then obviously it is offensive to some. But I'd never heard the term and just looked it up. Asian filmmakers helped to make this: [link]

Would they have been happy to use the term as a title for a doucmentary they were involved in if it was an offensive term? Interesting debate, anyway.

(I am headed off to a movie, and am not trying to post and run. Will definitely look in later to converse)

I figure, if the term is offensive to members of a community I respect, that is enough for me. It must surely be offensive to others and is not worth the risk.

I save my purposeful offenses for other things!

I understand. I just don't want you to berate yourself.

Would they have been happy to use the term as a title for a doucmentary they were involved in if it was an offensive term?

That's assuming a lot - it's extremely unlikely that the film had it's final title in place at the time the interviews were done, and there's no way to know if they were happy with the title or not once the film came out.

Aw, thanks. I won't lie, my heart fell into my stomach in an 'oh god, what have I done' way. With liese's comment I said, "Oh no, THAT's what I've done," and careened off to research.

I hate making mistakes like this, but I know myself well enough to know my intent and ability to adapt. So, yes, I feel bad for not knowing, but now I do and won't make the mistake again.

I'm, frankly, still smarting over the most racist mistake I've ever made and that one dates back to 1995. While living in Denmark, I got a letter from my mom, Niki, who sent me a bunch of articles and cartoons from home. She was thrilled to be sharing the experience with me and sent one of those single panel cartoons, probably because it include the word, "Danish."

It featured a couple of Viking giants chatting. One has two tiny people clutched in his grasp. "I went out and got us some Danish for breakfast," he says.

I chuckled because it was cutely drawn and made a play on words. Puns are Niki's favorite things.

In an unbelievably insensitive gesture, I showed it to my housemates without a second thought. Isn't this cute?

Right. Let's joke about being brutalized as a nation.

It still hurts my heart to think of what they must have thought of me. And Americans who think such things are funny.

Eh, it's not just Americans who do stuff like that, knowingly and unknowingly. Not by a long shot.

Absolutely true, but the only behavior (and knowledge), over which I have control, is mine.

I don't mind offending people who hurt others within my sight or influence, but an entire race of people? That's not me to the degree that I can help it.

I made pasta tonight! It was fun and pretty easy to do and tasty!

I saw your husband's boasts!

T and I had an odd dinner: the onion, ham and gruyere tart/pizza thing, spanikopita, chicken and veggie gyoza. TJ's random hunger shopping. Never got around to making cookies, but it isn't as if I am going much of anywhere tomorrow. Other than dropping the car off.