Thank you for the fine article by Noaki Schwartz concerning the racial slur “Japs” (Jan. 18). The word has always been a derogatory term and hurtful to virtually all people of Japanese descent.
Mayor Tom Reid of Highland Beach may not realize it, but he is being racist when he, a non-Asian, tells a Japanese person that “Jap” is an innocuous term.
No group of people should have to suffer the indignity of being referred to by a word or phrase they consider insulting. And only members of that group are qualified to determine what they consider to be insulting.
While I do not advocate laws that would restrict the use of derogatory racial terms, I believe common sense and simple compassion should lead us to avoiding the use of emotionally charged, debasing words to describe a group.
“Jap” is never an abbreviation for Japanese.
Allan Taylor Delray Beach
