[DISCUSSION] Weeaboo: Hate Speech/Racist Slur or Mild Meme?

[The Opossum]

Is Weeaboo universally offensive? Some people do think so:

Appeal Denied on the grounds that it is a universally offensive term, and that there are other, less offensive ways to say the same thing.

A Weaboo Republic

Don't use "weeaboo," not even in jest. It's an offensive pejorative term. You were born yesterday so I'll let you off with an ominous loom (though I suspect you know better).

Some people think it is a harmless joke of a word that refers to nerds:

Newsflash: the only anime fans who get 'offended' over the term weeaboo or any of its derivatives are just people who can't accept the fact that anime is nothing more than glorified Japanese cartoons, it's not a goddamn slur and the fact that you're trying to equate it to an actual fucking racial slur is astounding.

Honestly, the fact that the mods apparently count 'weeaboo' as an offensive term is one of the dumbest things on this site.

Debate. The Mods have warned people because they said weeaboo once. Should this word be banned from NS? Is Weeaboo a hate speech or not? We will never know, but discuss now please.

[SangMar]

No. It originated as a stand in for “Wannabe Japanese” or “Wapanese” for short on the Something Awful forums (I think) - and just took off from there. It’s not a racial slur or hate speech etc. Primarily because it doesn’t target a characteristic like nationality, religion, skin tone* etc. To reiterate: no, because it doesn’t target Japanese people, it targets non-Japanese who through anime, manga etc have developed an unhealthy fetish for Japanese culture or believe in Japanese superiority - whether through technology, war etc.

*I’m aware that’s poorly phrased, I just can’t think of a better word.

[Nouveau Quebecois]

More importantly, it should be discussed how appaling it is that people can pick up actual warnings for using such an inoffensive and tame "insult", and I use the word "insult" liberally.

[The Cosmic Mainframe]

I don't think it's a slur, or even universally offensive, and in fact the particular report that spawned this thread was essentially over a joke with harmless intent, but if it is used in an insulting manner it absolutely should result in warnings for nicknaming.

[Outer Sparta]

I don't think the term should warrant warnings unless specifically directed as an insult. Context still matters in this case.

[Juristonia]

You'd have to be Stretch Armstrong to have the reach needed to consider weeaboo hate speech or a racist slur.

[Nouveau Quebecois]

A reminder that any word being used as an insult is susceptible to warning because of the act of flaming. The specific word used is irrelevant in this case, and the word "weeaboo" shouldn't have a special response for it.

[Zeritae]

Weeaboo is just a meme.

[Frisbeeteria]

Weeaboo is just a meme.

That's not a defense. "Hitler did nothing wrong" is also a meme, but it's an offensive meme. "Send Nudes" is an Imgur meme that is absolutely forbidden on this site that welcome underage children.

Come up with a better argument.

[Pirate Republicc]

The context of the post also matters i posted that the nation above me looked like a "Weaboo Republic" because they had an anime charecter on their flag as a little joke it got reported by someone and i basically got a kind of warning.

The fact that someone can call Weaboo a slur is ridiculous.


Its not like i said "Disgusting Weabooo" no i just said "Weaboo Republic" so i wasn't actually trying to offend anyone

It was clearly just a meme and shouldn't have undergone moderation

[Necroghastia]

Weeaboo is just a meme.

That's not a defense. "Hitler did nothing wrong" is also a meme, but it's an offensive meme. "Send Nudes" is an Imgur meme that is absolutely forbidden on this site that welcome underage children.

Come up with a better argument.

Weeaboo is a meme term anime fans often use to poke fun at themselves. It's absolutely harmless.

[Aclion]

Come up with a better argument.

Here's one. Every few months someone gets a bee in their bonnet about some random thing and starts handing out warns and bans even in cases were there is no rule violating context, arguing that the thing is flaming in and of itself dispite no actual evidence of this outside their own fevered crudasde.
This is not how you effectively set policy, site policy or otherwise. This is dumb.
It was dumb when it was done with frog noises.
It was dumb when when it was done with the Jyllands-Postenchina flag
It's dumb now.
The moderators doing it are being dumb, and the admins tolerating it are being dumb.

And before you pull out the "this is max barrys private site" card: I very much doubt that Max has specifically instructed his staff to be incompetent.

[Bromagia]

Seems somewhat analogous to wigger or wexican. That is to say, douchey, inflammatory, and a bit racially charged. I don't see anything lost by not being allowed to apply the term to other posters.

Self use or using it for non-posters doesn't seem like an issue.

[Washington Resistance Army]

Weeb or any other derivative is not a slur or offensive and the idea that it is either of those things is one of the most laughable things moderation has ever decided on this site. Maybe bring in some younger mods who actually understand internet culture.

[Phydios]

Come up with a better argument.

Here's one. Every few months someone gets a bee in their bonnet about some random thing and starts handing out warns and bans even in cases were there is no rule violating context, arguing that the thing is flaming in and of itself dispite no actual evidence of this outside their own fevered crudasde.
This is not how you effectively set policy, site policy or otherwise. This is dumb.
It was dumb when it was done with frog noises.
It was dumb when when it was done with the Jyllands-Postenchina flag
It's dumb now.
The moderators doing it are being dumb, and the admins tolerating it are being dumb.

And before you pull out the "this is max barrys private site" card: I very much doubt that Max has specifically instructed his staff to be incompetent.

Calling the staff dumb and incompetent is a poor way to argue your case. I am pretty sure that the mods care much more about how a phrase is used than whence it originated. For example, "REEEEEE" is often used to mock autistic people- that is fact, even if it came from Barney the Dinosaur. That's why the mods don't like it.

[Mary Counouthal]

No, anime fans are not a marginalized group with generations worth of oppression.

[Trollzyn the Infinite]

This is the first I'm hearing of this nonsense, and honestly it reminds me of the "Karen is a sexist slur against white women!" bullshit. Equally idiotic. It is not a "pejorative term" or a "universally offensive term". What a crock of shit. All it means is someone obsessed with Japanese culture. Weebs use it more than anyone else because they don't care.

I have absolutely never heard of anyone unironically being offended by being called a weeb/weeaboo. This is a new low for Moderation.

[Nouveau Quebecois]

Seems somewhat analogous to wigger or wexican.

No, it's not.

That is to say, douchey, inflammatory, and a bit racially charged.

No, it's not.

[Nouveau Quebecois]

Weeaboo is just a meme.

That's not a defense. "Hitler did nothing wrong" is also a meme, but it's an offensive meme. "Send Nudes" is an Imgur meme that is absolutely forbidden on this site that welcome underage children.

Come up with a better argument.

What's with the aggressiveness? The rest of the thread is chock-filled with "better arguments" so why don't you address those?

[Nouveau Quebecois]

Calling the staff dumb and incompetent is a poor way to argue your case. I am pretty sure that the mods care much more about how a phrase is used than whence it originated. For example, "REEEEEE" is often used to mock autistic people- that is fact, even if it came from Barney the Dinosaur. That's why the mods don't like it.

Origins of words should be irrelevant in analysing their modern meaning and popular interpretation today, at least on this site. This exact line of thought is used for flag rulings. If the word is used to mock, it should be addressed as a "flaming" violation. Not a "forbidden word" violation.

[Aeritai]

Looking at it, it is a strange ruling considering the person using the term was using it in a F7 thread.

[Diarcesia]

Is Weeaboo universally offensive? Some people do think so:

Appeal Denied on the grounds that it is a universally offensive term, and that there are other, less offensive ways to say the same thing.

Don't use "weeaboo," not even in jest. It's an offensive pejorative term. You were born yesterday so I'll let you off with an ominous loom (though I suspect you know better).

Some people think it is a harmless joke of a word that refers to nerds:

Newsflash: the only anime fans who get 'offended' over the term weeaboo or any of its derivatives are just people who can't accept the fact that anime is nothing more than glorified Japanese cartoons, it's not a goddamn slur and the fact that you're trying to equate it to an actual fucking racial slur is astounding.

Honestly, the fact that the mods apparently count 'weeaboo' as an offensive term is one of the dumbest things on this site.

Debate. The Mods have warned people because they said weeaboo once. Should this word be banned from NS? Is Weeaboo a hate speech or not? We will never know, but discuss now please.

I thought this is ruled on a case by case basis?

With a discussion like this, it's heavily weighed against the argument that "weaboo" is universally offensive. With all that is said, I agree that it can be (and often?) used to flame the recipient.

And this post in particular that earned Farn's rebuke: it seems to be directed to the IC nation and not intended to be a flame.

[Balaslandia]

I call myself a Weeaboo and i watch Anime myself.
its not a Slur.

[Wallenburg]

Quite frankly, especially given the context, this warning is absurd. It's on par with warning someone for posting "Fascist Dictatorship" in the same thread responding to a flag with an iron cross.

[Auze]

I didn't know a nickname for a obsession could be considered a slur. If it is derogatory, then are terms based on "Weeaboo" also pejoratives (example: Koreaboo, Romaboo)?
I guess we can always go back to using "wapanese".