So the upshot seems to be:
1-If you think a word\phrase may offend some, don’t use it.
2-If you hear\read a word\phrase that you find offensive, give the person the benefit of the doubt–it may very well be a cultural or language norm. If it’s a friend or family member, you can point out the error of their ways, but please do so kindly and in private. If the speaker\writer is a stranger, give the benefit of the doubt but make a mental note (a la @ipsedixit ); or, as I was taught as a child, forgive but don’t forget.
I don’t remember ever seeing a restaurant with the word Oriental in its name.
However, we have a restaurant named Mao’s kitchen. In my view it’s horrifying to name a restaurant after a person who murdered tens of millions of people.
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Harters
(John Hartley - a culinary patriot, cooking and eating in northwest England)
65
A Hunanese restaurant in my local Chinatown serves “Chairman Mao’s Red Braised Pork”. And delicious it is too.
Is this really any different, or better, than using “Genghis Khan” as a name for eating establishments?
Not saying either is good, or bad, but just that we should also remember that sometimes history and context are fluid and what was once decried, is now actually celebrated.
Chinese have fewer family name. It is entirely possible this person has the last name Mao, just like Chan or Lee. However, in the case that the restaurant really named and celebrating Mao tze tung…. then yes I agree with you that it us pretty disgusting.
It looks like the OP has received the information that he needed and the thread, which has been remarkably civil, is now taking a turn. Several posts have been removed and since @LastManStanding has noted that the thread has fulfilled its objective I am going to close this now.
