USA Today warns against using 'culturally sensitive words' like aloha, hola, shalom

USA Today warns against using 'culturally sensitive words' like aloha, hola, shalom

Hello everyone, or perhaps "hola" if I dare.

Herein is an example of "news" from our source at Fox News... reporting on an article which appears in USA Today (Is it time to stop saying 'aloha' and other culturally sensitive words out of context?) I offer it up so we can see how "the message" is being propagated to the reader... through the traditional media we consume daily.

From the Fox report:

The use of some words 'could be both othering and a microaggression'

Written by David Oliver, an entertainment, lifestyle and wellness reporter who writes about diversity and inclusion, the article argues that the use of words like "aloha," "hola," and "shalom" could be harmful to people of other cultures.

"[J]ust because you can say something doesn't mean it's always appropriate," Oliver warned, writing, "If you're not Hawaiian and you say [aloha], it could come off as mockery."

"The use of certain words requires education, knowledge and the foresight to understand when they should – or shouldn't – come out of your mouth," he continued.

Mind you, this Fox report does not provide anything other than direct regurgitation of the USA Today piece, adding nothing substantive in the way of expansion or criticism. It simply says essentially the same things... which is something thought was more the style of Zero Hedge to do. Now I know all of this bears copyright protections... so how does FOX get away with repackaging another media operations' piece like this? Perhaps they come from the same think-tank, or NGO?

"Intention matters most. Dropping ‘hola’ or ‘shalom’ to someone you know who speaks Spanish or Hebrew, for example, isn't something to worry about. Actively don a fake, exaggerated accent and say those words? Therein lies the problem," he continued.

He wrote that saying "ni hao," a Mandarin greeting, to an Asian-American who is not Chinese "could be both othering and a microaggression."

From USA Today:

On the surface, simple greetings and phrases from other races and cultures may seem fine to sprinkle into our vernacular. Inclusive even.

But did you know that "aloha" doesn't just mean hello or goodbye? "It's a greeting or a farewell, but the meaning is deeper," says Maile Arvin, the director of Pacific Islands Studies at the University of Utah. "One of my Hawaiian language teachers taught it to me as 'Aloha means recognizing yourself in everyone and everything you meet.'"

If you're not Hawaiian and you say it, it could come off as mockery. And that's just one word to think about.

The use of certain words requires education, knowledge and the foresight to understand when they should – or shouldn't – come out of your mouth.

Now I can't tell you how to think, or what to believe in this regard... because everyone should feel free to use language as it feels naturally...

But these "proclaimers of what is" are telling you something that they are not saying outright.

In this case, the author of this piece demonstrates that he believes people seek out offense to react to; taking any utterance that they can possibly characterize in the worst possible context and respond with righteous indignation and virtue over a slight they very likely fabricated within their own mind.

Rather than call upon any listener to offer respect to the notion that people do not go around intentionally offending each other, he offers that the speaker somehow avoid simply speaking and embark on some bizarre soul-searching journey every time we open our mouths. as if the listener of a greeting were somehow on a hypersensitive pedestal that the speaker is beholden to tip toe around.

These folks live to virtue signal, it matters not what their twisted premises foist upon everyone else, innocent or not. They create division almost indiscriminately - as long as they 'look good' in light of their proclamation...

a reply to: Maxmars

What I want to know is, as a white American, what things are those other groups not supposed to say to me to avoid "othering" me?

*crickets*

That's what I thought. This is only a lecture to me about how awful I am for trying to be a part of the world and inclusive and interested in other peoples.

originally posted by: ketsuko
a reply to: Maxmars

What I want to know is, as a white American, what things are those other groups not supposed to say to me to avoid "othering" me?

*crickets*

That's what I thought. This is only a lecture to me about how awful I am for trying to be a part of the world and inclusive and interested in other peoples.

LOL - You beat me to it!
I think those moving into my neighborhood or country should understand that learning our language is a form of respect, something sadly lacking today.

I keep seeing this guy on Youtube, he has a theory and he has been testing it. The results are fascinating, though not surprising.





Why is it NOT classified as appropriation to cross dress and claim pronouns you weren't biologically or ethnically born with?

a reply to: TzarChasm

I 've seen this before. It is very telling about just how racist and insensitive all those people trying to shame others are.

Because of how they view themselves, they view other races and cultures as 'weak' and needing 'protection.' You'd think they would see the irony of their posturing. But no... virtue signaling feelz so good.

Written by David Oliver, an entertainment, lifestyle and wellness reporter who writes about diversity and inclusion, the article argues that the use of words like "aloha," "hola," and "shalom" could be harmful to people of other cultures.

Fortunately, my time experiencing the culture of the US Navy has given me a plethora of alternative words I can use instead. I wouldn't consider them microaggressions, though.

Written by David Oliver, writes about diversity and inclusion

But its ok for example Netflix to appropriate White Euporean mythologies from Eastern Euporean than mixed in with Western "diversity and inclusion"?

And , ask me if I give a rat's a__ what USA Today "says" .
Is it a law ? NO
Is it an ordnance ? NO
Is there moral implications ? NO .

So , forget em .

a reply to: vNex92

If you're talking about The Witcher, they did it to Tolkien too. He's Western European canon literature.

Nothing European counts as culture.

originally posted by: Maxmars
a reply to: TzarChasm

I 've seen this before. It is very telling about just how racist and insensitive all those people trying to shame others are.

Because of how they view themselves, they view other races and cultures as 'weak' and needing 'protection.' You'd think they would see the irony of their posturing. But no... virtue signaling feelz so good.

But they don't think that, they are merely reacting. They can't even explain why he's wrong, just that it's uncomfortable, precisely because their evaluation was programmed by someone who also couldn't explain it well, a bunch of people who are bad at philosophy but really good at bullying society into regurgitating the script anyway. It's like a virus, a contagious non sequitur that behaves like fascism but pretends to be social etiquette.

a reply to: Maxmars

I had to look up the word microaggression because I have never heard it before!

The idea that it can be intentional or unintentional seems to encompass just about everything under the sun! So...it seems silly to me!

I lived in Hawaii for a long time (10+ years) and saying aloha is about as common as any word I can imagine! I think in all those years, I never saw anyone, ever, take offense to it being said by anyone (no matter their color, gender, race, origin, etc...)!

What a strange world it is becoming these days!

I suppose my wearing of Hawaiian shirts is offensive.

Know what?

I don't give a f**k.

Shazbot.... Frack... Smeg...

I don't think they understand that English is actually made of words from many languages.

My family was from Russia through Germany then Scotland with Cherokee mixed in. Supposedly a relative was half brother to Davy Crockett.

Exactly what language am I supposed to use now.

Wat up bro? What's going down mofo?

My stepdad was full-blooded Hawaiian. He immediately set out to teach me the language and culture. When we went to a Chinese restuarant and the server brought this red-headed, pasty white Irish teenager silverware, he made her take them back and bring me chopsticks. lol
There was not a racist bone in his body; he was one of the greatest people I've ever known, and was happy to share the very best 'his' culture had to offer.

It wasn't that many years ago when this 'culture division' began. The first exposure I had was some famous black star claiming whites shouldn't be allowed to wear dreadlocks of hoop earrings because it was 'cultural appropriation'. I can't help but think of that every time I see a POC with bleached blond hair.

It all seems to be based in selfishness, so what's the point in trying to teach children to share?

a reply to: nugget1

Exactly. Look at entertainment. You can't "whitewash" anything because that's racist, but Hamilton was super-awesome and revolutionary.

Now, I have nothing against Hamilton, but if it's artistic and A-OK to reimagine all the Founders as BIPOC, then you ought to be able to whitewash people as well.

When you get a degree in race relations or gender studies and etcetera you have to do something that proves your professional worth.

And Not everyone can be diplomat or community organizer.

So the rest have to author articles about how people shouldn't order chimichangas without first asking an Arizonan if it's "ok" first.

The question is why do the rest of us take these people seriously?

Pannu Kakku.

That is a very cultural sensitive thing.

so no punching your best friend in the nose at a bar coz it will offend the aussies?

what about foods/?

no more pate'? just cold meat loaf? sounds cheaper.

tandoori chicken is what now?

hey jill,
what's a taco?

new england clam chowder?

pad thai?

oh! tom yum!

what's a pepperoni pizza now, goomba?

kids can't handle what's out there now and these idiots want to complicate life more for them?

a reply to: Maxmars

Let me give you guys a little insight into what I’ve experienced as an Asian American.

I’ve been asked “where you from” more times than I can even count.
I’ve been greeted with Konnichiwa, and many other languages that I don’t speak by white folks.
I’ve been part of a game I don’t want to play, called Guess where shes from.
I’ve had people touch my hair, oh the hair touching really bothers me and I’m about to snap some fingers
I’ve had people tell me they love orientals
I’ve had people ask me how to make egg rolls
I’ve had people tell me I’m the whitest Asian they have ever seen
I’ve had people say I speak so well, so well spoken, how do I not have an accent
I’ve had people ask who the Asian is, my mom or dad.

A lot of those things are just people being curious, nosey, maybe a little aggressive at times.
The problem is that it happens at so much that someone not living it probably has no idea and thinks
WHAT’S the big deal.

Firstly, they are annoying. Secondly, there are a lot of assumptions made just based on ones looks.
I’ve only listed the harmless ones, but ever Asian person in my family has dealt with some very scary incidents too.
Thirdly, you would not believe how many times it is just the random stranger that say these things.

I completely agree with this article. People say weird stuff without even knowing what it means or the cultural context.
I don’t have a problem with an article saying maybe that’s not a great thing.