Asian leaders call for new terminology

The University's Asian American Student Alliance continued to denounce the term "Oriental" Wednesday, enlisting the help of the Mayor's Asian American Advisory Board and a visiting professor to push for the term "Asian/Pacific American." In a press conference attended by fifteen University students and community members at the Greenfield Intercultural Center, Ji-Yeon Yuhfill of the AASA, Tsiwen Law of the Mayor's Asian American Advisory Board and Ronald Takaki, a professor of Ethnic Studies at University of California at Berkeley said the term "Oriental" is offensive, derogatory and racist. Representatives of the AASA also criticized the University for not renaming the Oriental Studies Department or including Asian American studies in the department. Yuhfill said the terminology affects all Asians at the University and the issue should not be ignored. "We hope that they'll realize this is a public concern and not a concern of just a few persons," the History graduate student said. Takaki, who came to the University for a two-day visit as part of Black History Month, also said the term "Oriental" should be discarded. The word, which means east, was applied to Asians because they lived east of London. He said to refer to a diverse culture by its location is demeaning. Takaki said the term Oriental destroys the morale of many Asians because it makes them feel as if they are outsiders. "It's not just that we dislike the term," Takaki said. "It is harmful psychologically for us." He said the phrase "Asian American" should not be hyphenated because that implies that the Asians are not Americans. "No, that's not the way it works," Takaki said, "We're not schizophrenic, we're Americans." Debbie Wei, a member of Asian Americans United, Inc., said people have been slow to make this change. "Philadelphia is a little slow on the uptake [of the term]," Wei said. "Penn is even slower." She also said that just as women do not want to be called "girls" or "ladies", Asian don't want to be referred to as "Orientals." "The group that's being named has the most at stake," Wei said. "All this griping seems childish." She added that people who are not affected by the terminology can say that the names do not matter. Nalini Samuel, chair of the United Minorities Council, supported the use of "Asian/Pacific Americans." "I think it will take a few years to catch on," Samuel said. "But I think the Administration will be receptive to it."

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