tion. A synonym for a neighborhood or town, but a cliché, as in “intelligence community.’’ By definition, community implies a shared like-mindedness that no reporter can possibly confirm. Avoid such phrases as “Korean community.” In any group there is a diversity of opinion. It would be absurd to quote “white community leaders.” Better to identify leaders and ethnically based groups by name, with possible reference to the size of their membership. Also, while many ethnic groups identify with the majority culture and faith of their home countries, some do not. In the United States, for example, many Arab Americans are Christian, not Muslim.
Like Buddhism, Confucianism is not a religion in the Western sense of the word. There is no deity. It is built around the teachings of Confucius, whose work gained early respect in the West. His “analects” (Greek for miscellany) were translated for the benefit of King Louis IV at Versailles in 1684. They often center on the importance of self-discipline, family and tradition.
DAOISM: See TAOISM.
A colloquial name for people of South Asian ancestry, especially those of India and Pakistan. Pronounced “DAY-see” or “DEH-see,” it is the Hindi word for “from my country.” See BANGLADESH; HINDI; INDIA; PAKISTAN.
Avoid. State that the interview subject speaks limited or otherwise inadequate English and then paraphrase the comments. Pidgin English often invites racial stereotyping. See CHARLIE CHAN; CHINA DOLL; DRAGON LADY; FU MANCHU; INSCRUTABLE; INTERPRETERS; STEREOTYPES; YELLOW PERIL; YELLOW SKIN.
Caution. A cartoon character from the 1930s comic strip “Terry and the Pirates.” Variations of the Dragon Lady were popularized in adventure movies of the 1940s and later. She was portrayed as sexy and evil in Chinese silk gowns with long sleeves, a cigarette holder in her hand. See CHINA DOLL, a reverse image. See also CHARLIE CHAN; EXOTIC; FU MANCHU; INSCRUTABLE; YELLOW PERIL; YELLOW SKIN.
Caution, vague. A group of people who self-identify with one another because of geographical, linguistic, cultural, religious and other ties. In the 19th and 20th centuries, it was common to refer to ethnic groups as “races,” e.g. “the Hungarian race.” See also CAUCASIAN; RACE, biological basis of; RACE, sociological construct of; RACISM, Scientific; YELLOW PERIL; YELLOW SKIN.
ETHNICITY, mention of:
Caution. Ethnicity (the character of a group, such as language) and race (a group distinguished by genetically transmitted physical appearance) should be reported only when ethnicity can be attributed to a reliable source to the story and their relevance can be explained. Some news organizations do not mention race or ethnicity because of the danger of suggesting stereotypes. Race, however, is often necessary to the physical description of a fugitive (“Asian male, mid-30s, 5-foot-6, medium build”). See ASIAN, various uses of; CHARLIE CHAN; CHINA DOLL; DIALECT; DRAGON LADY; EXOTIC; IMMIGRANT; ILLEGAL ALIEN; YELLOW PERIL; YELLOW SKIN.
EXECUTIVE ORDER 9066:
A war measure following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Signed Feb. 19, 1942, by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, it led to the internment in camps of thousands of people of Japanese heritage, two-thirds of whom were U.S. citizens. A divided cabinet recommended the measure to Roosevelt, despite an affirmation by the Office of Naval Intelligence of the loyalty of Japanese Americans. The order was designed to combat sabotage, but Americans of German and Italian heritage were largely exempt. Nazi Germany, fascist Italy and imperial Japan formed the Axis. The Supreme Court repeatedly affirmed the constitutionality of the order, but Congress, in 1983, called it “a grave injustice.” See also ANGEL ISLAND; INTERNMENT; PEARL HARBOR; SEPTEMBER 11, 2001; YELLOW PERIL; YELLOW SKIN.
Avoid. When describing women of Asian and Pacific Islander heritage, it often implies a departure from a white norm. Swedes, for example, are not described in the United States as exotic. See CHARLIE CHAN; CHINA DOLL; DRAGON LADY; FU MANCHU; INSCRUTABLE; ORIENTAL; PACIFIC ISLANDER; YELLOW PERIL;