Dear Editor,
I was surprised to learn that the use of the term “Orient”
to refer to a place is controversial. The word is out of date but should not be
seen as tainted by any colonial doctrine. Unlike offensive words, the word
doesn’t inherently demean. It was an ordinary word suited for whatever one
thought about the Orient. In constructing their ethnocentric fiction, the
complainers show their own cultural myopia. They must be ignorant of
African-American history if they are so unclear about what constitutes a slur.
— Kai Xue
senior,
