On Friday morning, Rep. Peter King, not a big fan of Donald Trump, but who is supporting him joined MSNBC's Morning Joe crew and got into some hot water over his use over a Japanese term that is considered derogatory.
While discussing Trump, King said he would campaign for himself and others who share his views on national security, "National defense and homeland security are issues that mean the most to me and there's real issues with him, real problems with his views."
He then stepped into a quagmire by saying. "I don't know if he's thought them through or is just like the guy at the end of the bar who says, 'Aw, screw 'em. Bomb them, kill them, pull out, bring them home. Why pay for the Japs? Why pay for the Koreans?"
He must know that he word "Japs" is considered a racial slur.
The Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) asked Rep. King to apologize, but he refused by actually imitating Trump's position on insensitive remarks, “We’re getting too politically correct. "
In a phone interview Friday, King said he was making a broader point about the divisive state of today's politics. During the call, King repeated the epithet again to a reporter.
I stand by the merits of what I said. I was quoting the guy at the end of the bar who needlessly offends, who makes snaps decisions and doesn't care, who suddenly says, 'The hell with them, the Japs and Koreans,' " King told The Hill.
"I was using it to make a point, and I would make it again," King continued. "If someone wants to say, 'The mick at the end of the bar,’ I wouldn't be offended by it."
When told that the term is highly offensive to the Japanese and Asian-American community, King replied:
“We’re getting too politically correct. Let's not get overly sensitive here.”
