Chinese Couch Calls People Bad Names

[AnaKhouri]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18228652/

An outdated Chinese-to-English computer translation program resulted in a rather, um, egregious error on a couch label.

The label in question lists the couch’s color as “N—— brown”.

Apparently, when using the program, the couch’s Chinese manufacturer was not aware of the word’s significance. OK, it’s shocking. But honestly, I wouldn’t expect someone from China to know all the racial slurs used in North America; I certainly don’t know all the racial slurs used in China.

However…

Moore is consulting with a lawyer and wants compensation. Last week, she filed a report with the Ontario Human Rights Commission.

I’m not sure why this lady should get money or why it violates her human rights. The company has apologized and is correcting the error. Why is that not enough?

Am I completely not getting it?

[Dreamstalker]

I don't get it either. So a computer screwed up, big deal.

“someone needs to apologize to all people of color,” Moore said. “I had friends over from St. Lucia yesterday and they wouldn’t sit on the couch.”

Oy

While I agree with making sure the software is updated, a general apology is a bit much, seeing as only she noticed out of...how many couches sold?

I fail to see why they can't just remove the label (if it's visible, which I doubt), or mark out the word in question.

[edible_hat]

This reminds me that every now and then people try to sue the Coon Cheese company for being racist. It always gets rejected ont he grounds that Coon was the family name of the company's founders.

[Nyoibo]

Quoth AnaKhouri

I’m not sure why this lady should get money or why it violates her human rights. The company has apologized and is correcting the error. Why is that not enough?

Am I completely not getting it?

You fail to see the mentality behind this, I'm offended = I'm gonna get PAID!

To be fair, the N word doesn't have the same impact or meaning outside of the US, a lot of people don't know it's meaning or history, combine that with it's overabundant abuse in rap music and it becomes meaningless, I didn't even know what the word meant until I was in the US and innocently started "eanie meanie miney mo"

[Dreamstalker]

Snopes has some more info.

I once heard that it was supposed to be "NIGER (as in the country) brown".