Why do the Japanese make so much fuss about "gaijin" ?

**kirei_na_me** · Mar 17, 2005, 12:34

Originally Posted by Leroy_Brown

A Japanese person could go to any small U.S. town in the mid-west or the south, take a walk around town, and I will guarantee you he will be stared at.

Not in this southern (very)small town. My husband is just like anyone else. Of course, that might be because his company is here. When his family comes this summer, I'm sure everyone in this town will just assume they're with one of the three Japanese people from the company. I can pretty much guarantee they won't be stared at. We're fortunate that the people around here have been extremely laid back and accepting. Probably not very common.

**Maciamo** · Mar 17, 2005, 13:05

Originally Posted by kirei_na_me

Not in this southern (very)small town. My husband is just like anyone else. Of course, that might be because his company is here. When his family comes this summer, I'm sure everyone in this town will just assume they're with one of the three Japanese people from the company. I can pretty much guarantee they won't be stared at. We're fortunate that the people around here have been extremely laid back and accepting. Probably not very common.

So the division is not just city vs country, but maybe depends just on how common it is for locals to see non-Caucasian people.

**Leroy_Brown** · Mar 18, 2005, 05:14

Originally Posted by kirei_na_me

Not in this southern (very)small town. My husband is just like anyone else. Of course, that might be because his company is here. When his family comes this summer, I'm sure everyone in this town will just assume they're with one of the three Japanese people from the company. I can pretty much guarantee they won't be stared at. We're fortunate that the people around here have been extremely laid back and accepting. Probably not very common.

That would be an exception and not the rule. People in such towns appreciate the jobs that the Japanese companies provide and might try not to offend anyone otherwise the company might leave town.

It's different in a town that's all or almost all white. I went to college in a small town. I once went to a strip bar with a friend, a student from The Gambia in West Africa. People in the bar were staring at HIM more than at the topless dancer!!!!

**Ma Cherie** · Mar 18, 2005, 05:38

Yes, thank very much for pointing that out Maciamo. It's the display of ignorance is what I've been trying to get at. And you asked if the ignorant part of the US bahaves like this. Maybe not to that exent, I would say. But then again, maybe they don't know that they're displaying their ignorance.