Greetings such as “aloha” and “shalom” are “culturally sensitive,” and their use can “come off as mockery,” according to an article in USA Today demanding people “consider the cultural implications” before using such phrases.
In an article recently published by USA Today titled “Is it time to stop saying ‘aloha' and other culturally sensitive words out of context?”, journalist David Oliver argues, “Just because you can say something doesn't mean it's always appropriate.”
Insisting that “aloha” has a “deeper meaning” than just saying “hello” or “goodbye,” the writer states, “If you're not Hawaiian and you say it, it could come off as mockery.”
He claims, “The use of certain words requires education, knowledge and the foresight to understand when they should—or shouldn't—come out of your mouth.”
According to Oliver, saying the greetings “hola” or “shalom” using a “fake, exaggerated accent” when speaking to a Spanish or Hebrew individual is a problem, just as “saying ‘ni hao' to someone Asian American who isn't Chinese” could be “both othering and a microaggression.”
He also suggests that we consider “the larger cultural considerations” concerning the use of such terms and insists that “everyone needs context before speaking another culture's language besides their own.”
The author encourages readers to “think before you speak” and gives action items to “help keep your language in check.”
The first step is to “make an effort to befriend people from other cultures” to “get a better feel for what's appropriate this way.”
Then “ask yourself why you are saying the term,” “consider the cultural implications before you do,” and “remember the weight of words.”
Additionally, the author cautions readers to “avoid terms you don't know about.”
In the end, the most important thing to do is “educate, educate, educate.”
“Whether it's the history of colonialism in Hawaii or other significant historical facts, knowledge helps fight ignorance,” Oliver writes.
He further recommends that “if you feel uncomfortable saying something, don't say it at all without further research or consideration.”
“It will save you—and everyone—some grief,” he concludes.
In response, Rep. Greg Murphy (R-NC) took aim at the article and called its argument “nonsense.”
“So I guess if we travel to France, it would then be wrong to say ‘Merci' as a word of thanks,” the congressman wrote.
“When will this nonsense stop?” he asked.
The story was released just as “woke” language edicts continue to be a part of the public sphere, as the political-correctness police pressure us to change the way we talk.
In December, Breitbart News published an article about an inventory of “harmful” words to be “eliminated” from use by Stanford University, which included terms and phrases such as “American,” “Karen,” “prisoner,” and even “hip hip hooray.”
Previously, retired Navy SEAL and author Jocko Willink warned against totalitarianism within the context of increasing censorship, saying, “It starts with banning words.”
