Sadly, it's not uncommon to hear the word "Oriental" still being used by older Americans today. In fact, it's a word that Josh and I have heard our fathers toss around, gently and with ease, on more than one occasion. Fortunately, however, it’s a word that new generations have come to know as “politically incorrect;" its popularity now in a steady decline. In its place, younger Americans have come to utilize the more PC (politically correct) terms “Arab” and “Asian.” But after watching this week's Al Jazeera clip, Josh and I can't help but ask ourselves: are we still propagating the same sterotypes as our fathers, only in a slightly more nuanced way?
For our fathers, “the Orient” perfectly encapsulates the faraway and exotic lands of the Eastern Hemisphere. In effect, it represents an “other world,” comprised of “other [Oriental] people,” who maintain other ways of being. But the connotations of these concepts are so subtle—so subliminal—that our fathers cannot see the detrimental weight they carry for millions of people throughout the world.
The truth is, although Josh and I know the term “Oriental” is offensive, we—much like our fathers—hadn’t really taken the time to consider why or how this might be. And had we not begun this exchange journey with Sara, Maha, and Reach the World, I’m not sure if we ever would have.