WASHINGTON – Two words will no longer appear in federal law, after President Barack Obama signed legislation banning the use of the terms “negro” and “oriental”.
President Barack Obama has signed a bill eliminating all known uses of the term “oriental” and “negro” from federal law.
The bill, which was sponsored by Congresswoman Grace Meng (D-NY), was passed by the House of Representatives unanimously on Feb. 29 and again by the Senate on May 9. It was co-sponsored by 76 members of Congress, including all 51 members of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus.
Sen. Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), who sponsored the bill in the Senate, said in a statement that she was “proud to have seen this effort through.”
“After months of advocacy in both chambers of Congress, derogatory terms in federal law will finally be updated to reflect our country’s diversity,” she said. “Mahalo to President Obama for his quick action.”
“Oriental” had still existed in Title 42 of the U.S. Code, which was written in the 1970s. It will be replaced with “Asian Americans.”
In a statement, Congresswoman Meng expressed relief that “at long last this insulting and outdated term will be gone for good.”
“Many Americans may not be aware that the word ‘Oriental’ is derogatory,” she said. “But it is an insulting term that needed to be removed from the books, and I am extremely pleased that my legislation to do that is now the law of the land.”
Replacing “negro” in law code will be the phrase “African American”. The word “oriental” will be replaced by “Asian American”.
Meng’s effort was meant to “modernize terms relating to minorities,” she said. It was first passed by the House in early December as an amendment to the North American Energy Security and Infrastructure Act. It passed through the House after unanimous vote in late February.
On May 9, the bill was passed, again unanimously, by the Senate.
“The term ‘oriental’ has no place in federal law and at long last this insulting and outdated term will be gone for good,” Meng said in a statement. “No longer will any law of the United States refer to Asian Americans in such an offensive way, and I applaud and thank President Obama for signing my bill to get rid of this antiquated term.”
Who gives a chit about these breed of foreigners anyway ?
–send them back and take care of our own. TRUMP 2016!!!!
The most amazing part of the legislation is that it passed both the House and Senate unanimously. Don’t blame the Black Pres for this one!
And just imagine the uproar if they all weren’t politically correct. Most people in government are chicken shit, when it comes to speaking their mind.
They vote, all of them, D and R, to cover their GD political ass. And we the people pay for this BS.
Unanimous? Steve King must have been out sick.
the funny thing is that us old enough to remember knows that neither negro nor oriental was derogatory in any way back when they were commonly used. decades of hard work from politically correct talking heads have however gotten this prophesy to self fulfill – first by making the terms archaic and now officially offensive.
its unfortunate – especially re: the term negro – since the word “african american” is far more specific and not applicable to most blacks living in this world. trust me, it gets really confusing when we refer to locals as “african americans” while visiting in ghana.
Now ain’t that the truth !!!!
And those of us old enough to remember should also remember that times change. And, much to our disliking at times, so should we. 50 years ago we didn’t have the internet or web sites where we could air our views. And it was a more settled, idyllic life but all was not great.
This will solve a lot of problems. You can change the names but it does nothing to change the truth.
Enlighten us old great one. What do you mean?
Just more P.C. Crap. They are what they are.
Being Politically Correct is when you refer to someone using a wheel chair as being disabled…….instead of a cripple.
Wonder how the old guy feels about that term when it is used to describe him?
So which do you personally prefer LVS? Disabled Senior or Crippled Old Codger?
Naw, LVS likes to say it like it is… the hell with how people feel about it or it hurts their little feelings.
So in LVS’s case, he could be referred to as:
Stupid Old Coot
Ignorant Old Geezer
Ancient Dumbass
Broken down Dimwit
Geriatric Moron
Decrepit Nitwit
Senile Cretin
The list is endless
What happened to all the comments that were here?
African -phillipenis-American socialist.
TRUMP TRUMP TRUMP TRUMP !!! All the rest are BULL/HOG CHIT LIARS.
Cockadoodledoo!!
Juzz call me WHITEY ! – I donst care and the muzz can kizz my azz.
What are they going to do when that groundbreaking rug legislation passes next year?
I don’t want to be left out, so I would like the term, German American, to be added to any and all official documents, dictionaries, and encyclopedias.
In your case the term to reference would be trailer trash.
or Nazi
Or kraut
You 2 are so pathetic, trailer trash would be a step up for you 2.
Oh please, have you forgotten about the, Master Race, lol.