RE: Riceboy sighting...

[Khan Klatt <khan@mediaaccess.com>]

We've hashed this over time and time and time and time again.

The consensus is this:

a) People who use the term are not rascist.
b) It is not a racial insult.
c) It does draw upon stereotypes, yes, but then so do a lot of things.
d) The term applies strictly to anyone who drives a Japanese car.
e) Yes, we are applying a stereotype to a car.
f) I'm sorry if your sensibilities were offended
g) I am unwilling to refer to that kind of car in any other term other
than "rice". That is my right as free speech, and will continue to do so
at this, or any time in the future.

I am technically an Asian American myself (you don't get the name "Khan"
typically otherwise), and think that having a hissy over the term
"riceboy" or "riceburner" is mental energy best spent considering how to
tastefully get HP out of your car.

If you want to call german cars "weinerburners" or call Volvo's
"iceberg-mobiles", or French cars "baguette-buggies", by all means do so.
It is a FACT that Germany is known for their sausage, that Sweden is a
northern European country with significant ice and snow, and that France
is the origin of French bread that they call baguettes.

In my opinion, it is not offensive to use those terms. Those who make it a
point to be offended by them are truly spending too much time trying to
find something to be offended about.

Yet it is important to note that riceboys are NOT anyone who drives a car
manufactured in Asia. it does not refer to any Asian American. Because it
seems to be a phenomenon that primarily exhibits itself in Hondas and
Acuras, that is why the term Riceboy is used-- but to be fair, a riceboy
is anyone who drives a car that has been "riced out", which means they
could be driving a Jetta, a Mercedes, a Volvo, a Camaro, or a Mustang. It
has nothing to do with nationality or national superiority and everything
to do with how tacky a car looks.

-Khan

On Fri, 28 Apr 2000, Chadwick, John/COR/INV wrote:

> Oh boy, here we go.
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Andrea [mailto:app8@po.cwru.edu]
> Sent: April 28, 2000 7:16 AM
> To: jettaglx@igtc.com
> Subject: Re: Riceboy sighting...
> 
> 
> I just wanted to say that I think it is very rude to refer to certain
> people as riceboys.  I mean I don't like those cars either, and myself
> drive a BMW, but there is no need to be derogatory just because you think
> German cars are superior.
> 
> 
> 
> At 11:49 PM 4/27/00 -0700, you wrote:
> >
> ><http://www.audiworld.com/forum/m/s4/60790.phtml>
> >
> >Shoot, I'd trade in my S4 for one of those too.
> >
> >-Khan
> >
> >
> >
> 
>