bigwave comments

They then spit into the sink and leave it there unwashed; there is also no hot water to waste it away with, look at the single cold water faucets. Whatever germs were in there mouths are now in the sink. The next person to wash in the sink is washing in a germ bath. A great "measure to prevent the flu". I have been seeing this and speaking out against for 15 years and few Japanese can seem to understand that this helps spread illness, not prevent it.

Mature class vs. young trash.

SushiSake3: You don't see the contradiction of your own words?

"bigwave - "Japanese use the term "half" purposely as an expression of being "less than whole" or "not entirely" Japanese, therefore less."

Be careful - "not entirely" Japanese" is correct in terms of haffu."

"It actually means mixed blood. Japanese do not make such a direct translation."

OK, so half doesn't mean not whole but half still isn't equal to whole?

Right....got it...I think...not.

Japanese do understand the meaning of "mixed" "pure" and "half" and they know what they mean when they use such words.

Just like they understand when they say "You are not a Japanese so you would not understand."

It is interesting that biglittleman wrote: "Ask your wife what would she call Namie Amuro because they are 1/4. Would she call them haafu? My friends said mixed."

Every Japanese I know one would say she is an "Okinawan".

BTW, you do know how the average "Japanese" views an "Okinawan".

ABTW, I didn't know there is more than one Nami-chan!

Two cents worth; 1/2 is always less than 2/2. 1/2 plus 1/2 is 2/2, so calling the sum "half" is incorrect. It can be understood how so many come to see the use of 1/2 when directed at a child (the sum: 2/2) of two parents of two different races (but the equals fractions 1/2 plus 1/2) as wrong and racist.

The child is a whole person, not 1/2 anything and there in lies the problem. 1/2 is always less than 2/2 and can never be equal to or more than it.

Japanese use the term "half" purposely as an expression of being "less than whole" or "not entirely" Japanese, therefore less.

Japanese may see "being 1/2" as exotic or intriguing but it is still racist. The point is that　they don't (and most can't) see it as such.

OK it was a little more than 2 cents worth.

"I put flame to a fuse and it lit by accident!" What's next? " I pulled the trigger and the gun went off by accident!"

"They gave birth to a boy in November 2007." They could make millions off a documentary about that!

Why are they needed? Is having a sticker on your car indicting you're a new driver or an elderly driver really going to prevent accidents?

That's like a saying wearing a seat belt is going to prevent an accident or wear a lifejacket is going to prevent a ship from hitting an iceberg.

Headline: "High school student drowns during diving practice in Chiba" Comment: "It doesn't say he drowned." Only one thing to say about that: Wow! In the "going from bad to worse" dept: "There are many incidents in which novice divers have activated the CO2 charges on their buoyancy compensators". Any novice diver knows BC's don't have CO2 charges; BC's hook up directly to your air supply(tanks) to provide buoyancy. One learns that your first lesson!

aikisako,

You would be referring to the "conforming nonconformists"...."We're rebels! How can you tell? We look exactly like every other rebel!"

As Pete Townsend said "It's easy to see that you are one of us. Ain't it funny how we all seem to look the same."

Desperate to be different.

Likeitis;

"It is exactly this sort of inaccurate "over-thinking" about the many meanings of a word rather than its intended meaning that this debate does not need."

Noone would ever accuse you of "over-thinking"!

"The term DID NOT come about as some underhanded way of stating a person was less valuable."

So where DOES the term originate from, Likeitis? Please explain its' origins and/or why it is used.

"You are just reading that into it either because you want to or you saw someone else do it."

So, first I was "over-thinking" but now I can't think for myself?

Got it.

"It is completely obvious that the origin of the term only had to do with describing one half of a dual nature."

In my best Nihon-go..."EH?"

One half of a dual nature, what is THAT supposed to mean..BTW..it is completely obvious who and what you are; have you listened to Rush today?

"The easiest way to do that is to come up with a new term and make it popular."

Well, several have been suggested on this thread, not that you would have noticed.

"But if you are suggesting we just ditch the ideas of being multi-racial or made up of different nationalities, its just not going to happen. Everyone should take pride in all aspects of their origins, and never ditch one for the other or seek to cover one up."

Again, "EH?"

Who suggested we shouldn't be proud of our origins or heritage? My children are completely bilingual and are completely aware of all their origins; their cross cultural names remind them of their multiple origins everyday.

Also, many here are suggesting that the discrimination and racism that is so prevalent in Japan needs to be addressed.

"Other people won't let them do it anyway, so may as well make the most of it."

That's right...make the of best being discriminated against....suck it up.

You are a real piece work my friend...don't hurt yourself coming up with a reply.

How about simple math to explain the meaning of 1/2?

1/2 is only 50% of the whole and can never equal the whole, therefore always less valuable.

The true meaning of the word surpasses any innocence(ignorance) behind it's use by Japanese in describing those who do not have 2 Japanese parents.

Every person of mixed parentage or friend there of should make efforts to stop it's usage.

"The interesting thing is that it's only ever the parents who care about the term haafu. The kids themselves never seem to care."

So the children of international couples don't face any type of discrimination here in Japan? And if they did, they wouldn't care?

I love a good argument, but it is tough to have one with someone who states opinions without any supporting facts.

You could start by explaining what a "persecution complex" is and how my comment exhibits it.

Right on elbudamexicano!

Cory, Naive indeed! Did your parents educate you as to what you were in for when you returned to Japan? Before I married, I made sure my wife understood completely what we were in for when we had children; racism at every turn.

As to being tired of the questions, Scrote　is on the right track. When I am asked if my wife is Japanese and my children "hafu", I shoot back; "Hafu? Which half? Right half? Left half? Top, bottom half?" Usually leaves them puzzling and silent.

What you have experienced is the result of Japan's vaulted education system and it's efforts to "internationalize" the country. The truth is there is no education or internationalization happening, only training to become more "Japanese".