Originally posted by tohoku
Because none of the other ones you mention have been used as a term of abuse. It's like using the term 'Yid' and saying there's nothing wrong with them, they're just shorter forms.
tohoku
YMMV
The failure of this argument is that just about any word used to describe someone or some group can be manipulated into "sounding" hateful.
Yid and Jap are good examples.
I submit that it is the intentions of the speaker which should be used to judge the words he uses and not the words used to judge the intentions.
My grandfather used to tell me how he loved the Jap guy who used to live 2 houses down from him in the 50's. He thought he was a great guy, and he called him Jap. To him it was not offensive and to his friend it was not offensive and he was not using it with ANY offensive intent. He really liked the guy and enjoyed spending time with him...
Don't get him started on the Krauts, though...
There are NO bad words as George Carlin used to say. Just bad thoughts, bad intentions and bad ideas.
So, I'll respect peoples wishes if they don't like Jap. But I really think it is silly and this PC stuff has gone way out of control.