Sumgai Or Maybe It's Time To Stop Being Racist?

[vinniekowalski]

I've googled around to see if I can figure out why/how "sumgai" became part of the fountain pen parlance, and there isn't much of an origin story out there.

 

So maybe it's time to lay this slightly racist term to rest? Surely we can come up with better terms to use -- gauntlet thrown, fellow FPN-ers and possible pun enthusiasts*!!!

 

* Pun-ishers? Pun-dercats? Heavyweight Cham-puns of the World?!?!

[pen2paper]

as far as I'm concerned, if it's offensive, it's gone..

that said, it's history was a simple contracted words that were too familiar and hit home.

 

..you walk into a flea market, antique shop, or estate sale and ask if there's any fountain pens?

The person Always replies, "no, some guy just bought the whole box".

that's it.

[shawndp]

I never understood the term to carry any racist content... My understanding of the term is from what I read off the Parker 75 website, run by a person rather well known in Michigan pen circles. If it is good enough for his website, it works for me.

[pen2paper]

I never understood the term to carry any racist content... My understanding of the term is from what I read off the Parker 75 website, run by a person rather well known in Michigan pen circles. If it is good enough for his website, it works for me.

oh! that's right! so understanding the source.. it just was never intended with any negativity..

except some other guy got there before you

[Freddy]

I've googled around to see if I can figure out why/how "sumgai" became part of the fountain pen parlance, and there isn't much of an origin story out there.

 

So maybe it's time to lay this slightly racist term to rest? Surely we can come up with better terms to use -- gauntlet thrown, fellow FPN-ers and possible pun enthusiasts*!!!

 

* Pun-ishers? Pun-dercats? Heavyweight Cham-puns of the World?!?!

 

 

Welcome aboard..Pal..enjoy your time here.....

For your consideration the real history of this term....as told

by Mr. Tom Mullane..........follow the url.....................................

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/113410-what-is-sumgai/?p=1119230

 

Your friend and his..

 

Fred

 

Redactin'... gonna make some 5 Minute Chocolate Mug Cake usin'

 

Tom's recipe for some of the grand kids on the morrow.............................

 

Howabout we change the word 'Racist' to Mamaluke ..is that an institutional or

structural 'Mamaluke'? {freakin'happysmileyfacetimethingie}

Edited May 16, 2016 by Freddy

[vinniekowalski]

Certainly back in the day the vast majority of people using a variety of phrases were not really "intending" to be racist yet these words are no longer in circulation because they have come to be understood as undeniably racist. "Chinaman" used to be just what Asian people were called in America, but in the words of the Walter, "Dude, I believe 'Chinaman' is longer the preferred nomenclature."

 

If I didnt really mean any harm, but still caused harm, isn't that still real injury?

[Fabienne]

English is an exceptionally plastic language. If that is offensive I am sure we can come up with 10,000 other terms which are not offensive at all. Consider that word off my vocabulary.

[jar]

Just out of curiosity, what is the racist implications taken by anyone to sumgai and would those objections also apply to NoNami?

[mhguda]

but I'm curious. Why is it racist? Where does race come into it? By some stretch I could understand sexist, and we sometimes compromise and say sumgal, but why can't we use sumgai? It's certainly not meant to denigrate chickens?

[GardenWeasel]

I will take it into consideration - based on how long the OP stays an active member.

[Bluey]

Racist??

*scratches head*

[FOUR X FOUR]

I must be behind the curve because I don't understand what is racist about the word Sumgai. I have to wonder what your intentions are. Would it be racist of me to say that the Frenchman, Yannick Noah, lit up the fans at Roland Garros.. ? it seems to me that the member who goes by Sumgai likes Japanese culture. Let's look at the Washington Redskins. Not one Indian organization has expressed offense towards this. This is always used as a political issue. Those that hate the USA are offended at the sight of the flag. Does that mean it should be gotten rid of?

Vinnie, there are a lot of members here that like French culture. Is it Racist of them to use any French Vernacular in their profile.

 

Some regards

Allan😃😃😃

[FarmBoy]

Reminds me of a scrap dealer that would come by our old shop. Everyone called him Whitey. One day someone commented that it was raceist to call Whitey, Whitey given the strong ethnic presence in the industrial park we were located in. I drew short straw and went and asked the 80 yr old man if we could call him by another name. After a few stories about name calling he produced a drivers license. I suspect you can guess his given name.

 

How exactly is Sumgai a racist term. I am interested in cleaning up my language when off the farm.

[zaddick]

While this thread is mildly entertaining, check out this link for 50 words that sound rude, but are not...

 

http://mentalfloss.com/article/58036/50-words-sound-rude-actually-arent

 

So don't be a clatterfart and check it out.

[FarmBoy]

Ever heard of Google?

 

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=sumgai

[FOUR X FOUR]

Certainly back in the day the vast majority of people using a variety of phrases were not really "intending" to be racist yet these words are no longer in circulation because they have come to be understood as undeniably racist. "Chinaman" used to be just what Asian people were called in America, but in the words of the Walter, "Dude, I believe 'Chinaman' is longer the preferred nomenclature."

If I didnt really mean any harm, but still caused harm, isn't that still real injury?

I am troubled by your username. It cause me great distress and I am soundly offended by it.

In the merits of friendship, I challenge you to change it.

[carlos.q]

I don't understand why the term "sumgai" could be considered racist.

[ArchiMark]

I don't understand why the term "sumgai" could be considered racist.

 

I assume that the troll, vinniekowalski, is referring to the idea that 'sumgai' is meant to be a humorous Asian sounding reference and play off of the English words 'some guy'......

 

Think there's a lot more important issues going on in the world these days than to start a kerfuffle over this.....

 

[PaganArcher]

Certainly back in the day the vast majority of people using a variety of phrases were not really "intending" to be racist yet these words are no longer in circulation because they have come to be understood as undeniably racist. "Chinaman" used to be just what Asian people were called in America, but in the words of the Walter, "Dude, I believe 'Chinaman' is longer the preferred nomenclature."

 

If I didnt really mean any harm, but still caused harm, isn't that still real injury?

As the term has no origin in a racial context, it is in fact, not racist at all.

 

"If I didnt really mean any harm, but still caused harm, isn't that still real injury?"

 

This holds true in most cases, and among the Norse would have demanded weregild, or man-price in form of a fine, as would most other offenses.

 

Speaking only for myself, I find "social justice warriors," whiners, and folks with thin hides to be offensive. Especially those who cry "discrimination" or "racism" without an inquiry into the origins of what they perceive to be offensive, as is the current trend of society. Does this mean I should begin invoking weregild any time I'm offended by someone?

 

The short answer is no. This is because 1) there is no point as it simply turns me into that which I detest and 2) it's not something I could enforce peacefully. If it were, I would have a nice collection of expensive pens, land, and a few dozen head of cattle.

 

 

I mean no offense to you personally, but this isn't facebook, twitter, etc.. This is a place built by fountain pen enthusiasts for that purpose, not as a soapbox for perceived social issues stemming from terminology originating within the hobby community, sans racial implications.

[Baalberithim]

I must be behind the curve because I don't understand what is racist about the word Sumgai. I have to wonder what your intentions are. Would it be racist of me to say that the Frenchman, Yannick Noah, lit up the fans at Roland Garros.. ? it seems to me that the member who goes by Sumgai likes Japanese culture. Let's look at the Washington Redskins. Not one Indian organization has expressed offense towards this. This is always used as a political issue. Those that hate the USA are offended at the sight of the flag. Does that mean it should be gotten rid of?

Vinnie, there are a lot of members here that like French culture. Is it Racist of them to use any French Vernacular in their profile.

 

Some regards

Allan😃😃😃

While I find Op's complaint frivolous, it'seems worth noting that Native American groups have been complaining that the Redskins are offensive for quite some time now.

 

On mobile and bad at bbcode, but hopefully you caneed copy and paste:

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_Redskins_name_controversy