Oriental Theatre in Chicago will get a name change! — Page 2

Find the one person who belongs to the group who agrees your point-of-view. Say "I have a friend or friends who are _____, and they agree with me!" Dismiss or fail to acknowledge everything someone or several people with lived experience is saying about an issue that you don't actually care about or have any real life experience with. This is like cliche bingo!

ScottyDoesn'tKnow2 said: "She takes points people who have studied Asian-American history and sociology but doesn't fully respond to them. This line, "A wave of anti-Oriental discrimination is not sweeping the country." shows her ignorance and lack of knowledge of historical waves of violence against Asian-American communities and the recent upward trajectories of Asian-American discrimination and violence."

You've misinterpreted her meaning. She is referring to the use of the word, not to Asian Americans. This is confirmed in her next sentence when she writes, "Besides, the term has been steadily falling out of circulation since the 1950s"

"She also takes her personal experience as true for all AAPI which to me seems very narrow and uninclusive."

Nope. She is speaking for herself as an Asian American woman. You are making an assumption.

"And WTF does she mean about changing the term will "create trouble for exactly the population they want to defend"."

Some Asian Americans (and also non Asians) utilize the word as a non-threatening, distinguishing descriptor of their business, educational degree, science, product, or skills. To insist on the word's removal would "create trouble" for those people who rely on that distinction.

As only one, very simple example, I may be in the market for an Oriental rug. If the term "Oriental" can no longer be used, it creates an impediment for both the retailer and the consumer.

"Regarding my earlier point about the word itself and how it plants the seeds of "otherness" and "exoticness" and thus becomes dehumanizing and used to paint AAPIs as "non-American""

I can't buy into that as a defendable argument. If you believe that using an adjective that "plants the seeds of 'otherness' and 'exoticness'" shouldn't be used, then you would also have to believe that requesting to be identified as "AAPI", or "Asian-American" should also be abolished, as they both produce the same result - that "otherness" you mention.

"Back to the main topic, the truth is this name change does not affect you in any meaningful way whatsoever."

Ughhh... That tired, old chestnut. Obviously, it does effect me in a way that is meaningful to me.

"It's only a theoretical exercise in principle about "fragile egos" and "morons" and it's part of a bigger fight to stop a certain generational momentum that you see. You don't really care about the word itself outside that context nor do you really care about the name of this ONE theater."

It's important to be able to recognize that some words might be used as slurs, but it's equally as important to be able to recognize when they are NOT. That's where the "context" part comes in (as mentioned in the op-ed I linked to).

Updated On: 11/16/18 at 12:43 PM

Here's what you're supposed to do: Feel however you like and stop coming after others, including other Asians, who don't feel anything like you do. THE Oriental Theater had NOTHING to do with denigration, and let me tell you if I never hear the word "trigger" again, unless someone is talking about Roy Rogers' horse, it will be too soon. Pretty soon, friend, there won't be any words left that anyone can say. In any case, as has been pointed out, they're not changing the name of the theater because of you - they're changing it to the name of some money person.

Let's not forget that the Oriental Theater in Chicago was built on the same site as the Iroquois Theater which, when it caught fire on December 30, 1903, became the spot of America's deadliest accident in any performing arts venue. Over 600 people lost their lives in that blaze, and there are those who believe the Oriental -- and the alley that houses its stage door -- are haunted. Names of theaters will always change and change and change. But I think two points should be remembered in the case of Chicago's Oriental: one, we should always remember the loss that happened in the Windy City 115 years ago; and two, the theater is a place where all of humanity -- good and bad -- is displayed for both educational and entertainment purposes.

Updated On: 11/17/18 at 06:38 PM

They got rid of the Ford logo? That triggers me. :) Maybe Buick was triggered.

Oh, STFU. PC gone wild.

Are we also going to stop calling them Oriental rugs?



It'll never be Geffen Hall... And it'll never be The Nederlander.