Orientals work like dogs?

In a surprise comment about the shopping on statutory holidays debate in Toronto City Hall this week, Coun. Rob Ford said:

“Those Oriental people work like dogs. They work their hearts out. They are workers non-stop. They sleep beside their machines. That’s why they are successful in life.”

Ford went on: “I’m telling you, Oriental people, they’re slowly taking over.… They’re hard, hard workers.”

A professor told CBC that it’s time for elected officials in Ontario to retire the term “Oriental” because it’s outdated and offensive.

Anthony Chan, a former broadcaster who works as a Canadian studies professor at the University of Washington, said he understands the term “Oriental” continues to be part of some people’s lexicon but the acceptable, and more accurate, term to use these days is “Asian.”

Oriental refers to the Orient, which has been used to refer to the Far East. Historically, the Orient was a term used in Western culture to refer to Asia.

I agree to an extent that the term “Oriental” might have some imperialistic taste in it (the term was created in the 15th century — according to Merriam-Webster dictionary — during the peak of European colonialism and has been considered an European egocentric way of describing their supremacy over non-European peoples). However, my question is, on the other side of the token, what about the term “the West”? Should we also stop using it?

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