I guess Dick doesn't get it but to me calling someone a Chinaman - its as rude as calling Dick a MO

He also added, "Or whatever they eat." CLEARLY offensive, and though many describe as not racist, the remark was. Period.

Are you kidding me? How is "Chinaman" a racial slur? What does slur mean anyway? Dictionary.com defines "slur" as: "to cast aspersions on; calumniate; disparage; depreciate."

In what way does "Chinaman" do any of these things? I am an Englishman...and I'm not offended to be called one.

Everyone is looking to be offended these days. It seems to serve certain political and personal interests to be able to define yourself as "oppressed."

It's time for rational people to say "enough is enough," and refuse to participate in this nonsense!

Give this Englishman a break!!!

Honi Soit Qui Mali Ponce!!!!! That is the slogan of one of England's most famous organizations, The Royal Order of the Garter. it means... Shame to Those Who Think Evil. (It had to do with an innocent man having a woman's garter.)

Those who thought Clampett's appellation for a man from China (China.. man) was a slur are evil.

starts with hyper sensitive social groups promoting isolation and over political correctness.

I, myself, would never say "Chinaman", but only because I would think it sounded silly and archaic. I would have never guessed that anyone considered it a slur.

The difference with Skousen's comment is not the one word. It is the expression, as a whole, that is racist. I don't think it is a slur to say, accurately, that someone is Welch. It is a slur to say that someone, who isn't from Wales, is a Welchman or that someone "welched."

Calling someone from New England a "Yankee" isn't a slur. Shouting "Yankee go home" is an entirely different kettle of fish. Or is that a slur to our finned, aquatic friends?

I think Clampett got it right. He apologized for something he said, that apparently offended some, when he had no idea that it would be offensive.

The next thing you know, it will be offensive to call someone a "Golfer." (Is "Duffer" already off limits?)

Way to go Jethro...Oh wait, Jethro was a Bodine. It was Elli-May and Jed that were Clampett's...

Jim Nantz and CBS needs to be suspended from broadcasting the Masters. I'm an avid golfer but I have to turn down the volume to watch the Masters. With all the pretty music and the birds chirping and Nantz going on and on about how much "tradition" there is I almost want to throw up. You combine that with all the foreign golfers and their goofy outfits (I hope that wasn't racist) and the event is unwatchable.

I can't imagine somebody losing his job for calling a China Man a Chinaman! Political correctness is going nuts.

This is so far out of control it's not funny. You can lose your job for calling someone from China a Chinaman, but it's probably ok to call someone an idiot. Offenders for a word. Give me a break.

It isn't just about the direct interpretation of words. The thing with language is that certain words and phrases also bring years of historical context with them. Sure, one could argue that the term 'Chinaman' simply describes a man from China. Unfortunately, this term has long been used to depreciate and reduce Asians, despite their country of origin. Look into the history, it just might change your mind. Just because it isn't nearly as common today as it was when they were building the railroad, doesn't mean that it is any less offensive.

This is too much. It's almost like the difference between Canada Geese and Canadian Geese. I really don't know which is correct, but I really don't see why it can be offensive either.

Its acceptable to use the Lords name in derogatory terms but calling someone a chinaman is politicly incorrect? This country is so messed up. Is it offensive to call people from Mexico Mexicans?

Dick Harmon needs either to quote accurately or not at all. He's a mile away from what Tiger actually said, which was:

"That little boy is driving it well and he's putting well. He's doing everything it takes to win. So you know what you guys do when ge gets back in here? You pat him on the back and say, 'congratulations' and 'Enjoy it' and tell him not to serve fried chicken next year. Got it?" Walking away, he turns and adds the famoous postscript: "or collard greens, or what ever the hell they serve."

I am of Chinese decent, born and raised here in America and frankly, "Chinaman" does not offend me in the least bit. Maybe "Stinky Chinaman" or something like that might be worth all this rhetoric, but seriously, Chinaman?

Dick - it's Kelly Tilghman, not Tilgham. Who's fact checking your column?

With all due respect, this situation is totally different from the Fred Skousen situation where he was stereotyping who would work on the construction project. Clampett was referring to someone who is in fact from China. This was not a "slur". No offense was intended--none should be taken. Move on.

The term "chinaman" is offensive because of the time period in which it arose, the same as most slurs.

Anyone know where I can find the remark in context? With the brief description, my 20 years in publishing leaves me unable to find offense here. The term is archaic, but hardly derogatory, as presented in this article without the whole picture.

No comment on Bernard Hopkins “white boy” remarks? What about Michael Irvin’s remarks about Tony Romo? I’m not surprised. These comments truly were racially motivated.

Clampett’s comment was not racist. People need to stop looking for ways to get offended.

I suggest we quit saying African-American too. Very offensive. Especially if we add "man" to the end of it.

Boo.

A pox on political correctness!

You can call me any name you want and I could care less - this is a stupid world and so I'm stupid - WHO CARES. There are a lot more serious matters to occupy our time and attention

To Matthew--it's Welsh/Welshman (for shame!).

It does get a bit tricky to discern the difference between the deep channel and the shoals when navigating the waters of political correctness, mostly because we're dealing with unwritten laws here. Take, for example, describing a man from Scotland. If you called him Scotch, he'd possibly be offended (technically it's the beverage), preferring Scottish, or better yet, a Scot. Whether offense is taken depends entirely on the individual, and sometimes what mood he or she is in.

All too often it's not the "slurred" who takes offense, but some 3rd-party observer, a self-ordained member of the PC Police seldom present when the original "slur" was cast. Isn't this approach merely a thinly-veiled form of elitism or one-ups-man-ship, where the one in the "PC know" is demonstrating his or her superior knowledge of how to speak of others by pointing out the offenders' slip-ups?

I suppose it would be asking too much that we take seriously Brigham Young's purported observation: "he who takes offense when no offense was intended is a fool, and he who takes offense when offense was intended is usually a fool."

What are you supposed to call someone from China? For real? Does anyone know? You can say "He is Chinese" just like you can say "She is American." But how do you say "He is a _______" like you would say "She is AN American." Just curious.

If someone takes offense when it's not intended he is a fool. If someone takes offense when it is intended he is a greater fool.
Society today has developed a remarkable sense of political correctness, so much that a slur cast intentionally or untintentionally sends the whole corps of p.c. police and news outlets scrambling for justice and appologies from the insensitive offenders, often before the the offense has even reached the subject addressed by the remark.
I would think it more offensive or at the very least embarrassing for me to be asked by a news reporter to comment on something that was said about me. "Are you offended?" "Have you demanded and appology?" "What are you going to do next?" "How will you cope with this?" Would that parasitic line of questioning be offensive though? Disgusting is more like it. Leaches gross me out.
There are times when someone may need to be called out for their comments. Most of the time though non-public instruction from a supervisor would suffice.
Sensitivity training should most often be directed at the oversensitive and the majority of sensationalist new media.

Call me naive, but I seriously had no idea "chinaman" was racist when describing a man from China. I dare to bet 95% of the population didn't realize that. It can become racist depending on the context, but I'm sure the guy who said it was using it as if it were interchangeable with "man from china", but just shortened it.

PC Stins! That is all.

Political correctness is going to destroy freedom of speech for anyone who has the misfortune of being white and male.

I've heard of high schools threatened with lawsuits because the kids did a "slave for a day" auction to raise money for the school. The threat was made because slave was a "racist term."

Soon we won't be able to call people from Mexico Mexicans, because it's going to be a derogatory term.

It's time for people to move past this nonsense. Obviously, you shouldn't go around calling people the n-word because that's just a word that is meant to degrade and hurt people who are black. But this Chinaman thing? Not even close.

And by the way, it is Canada Goose, and for some dumb reason it really matters to five or six people in the world who let you know if you get it wrong. I'm not one of them, but I thought I'd pass the word on in case you encounter one of them.

Silliness - it's interesting how certain groups are OK when it comes to slamming - like any idiot in America can call a member of the LDS church anything they want and get away with it - no shouts for their jobs - no special treatment - no demanding apologies - it's so out of control - America needs a good revolution...

Clampett could have just said "Chinese." Who in their right mind would call someone "Mexicoman" or "Americaman", whether those term are offensive or not? He could've said "Chinese golfer", "man from China", etc. "Chinaman" had derogatory meaning in history, and it doesn't have to be used again.

And thus we all see ANOTHER result of attending 4 very crucial years in someones life in a bubble down in Provo. No diversity or open mindedness. I don't blame this man, I blame the institution he was at, namely BYU.

I did not hear how he used it but if he said chinaman just as a reference as to where he was from it is over the top to make him apologize let alone dismiss him. But if he was slandering he should apologize but first mistake give some slack. The same could be said about how people use your name in addressing you.

To Figures. I'm LDS, from PA, went the The School Up North (wouldn't have been caught dead at TDS) and I dare anyone in Utah to claim that they went to a diverse university. What an asinine comment to make in this forum.

Yes, Chinaman may have an historically negative connotation and is an archaic word, but PC needs to stop. As an earlier poster implied this is just a means for the progressive left to curtail speech and control the masses because we obviously don't know what's good for ourselves - they do.

When exactly was "Chinaman" a deragatory term? I'm not trying to be facetious I would really like to know.
I mean I can understand a lot of the other words I have heard to describe Oriental People but Chinaman?

What other noun would you use? If I said "there were three Americans, a Mexican, a Brit and a Chinese" would that be correct grammar? Or would you be waiting for me to say a Chinese What?

No Dick...Clampett should not learn from Skousen. Skousen did not go to Chow directly and apologize and I believe he said something like, "I didn't even realize Norm was Chinese?" Not to mention his reference was said in deroguetory terms. There is a difference.

Quite touchy. Quite. Too bad. I do not think that the episode is a full scale boo-boo. In fact, I think it ranks up there with... well... I don't know.

My step-father used to use the word. Not derogatorily, but as a matter of fact. He knew Chinese up in Park City and he just related what he knew.

Gee, with all of the problems in the world, from child abuses to hunger, this is what we spend our time on?

Oh well.

This is frustrating -- it would really help to know what Clampett said -- the whole quote.

The problem in the world today is that some people seek offense when non was intended. It's not so much the words that we should be concerned with, but with the emotion and context that the words were spoke in. That having been said let us all be ashamed that we live in a society that stones an innocent man who spoke without meaning offense.