Quote - It's all the same to people who AREN'T that group, but BIG difference to those who have the term applied to them.

Yes, that was my whole point. Some Asian people have a problem with the term because - I assume - it reminds them of not so flattering caricatures with buck teeth and flat conic hats and other similar stereotypes. So I see it as a courtesy to them not to use the term myself and also tell people about it who might not yet have realized that it could be problematic.

I should have phrased it better. I certainly don't mean to swing the hammer of political correctness and tell people which terms they may or may not use.

Where I come from oriental usually means Middle-Eastern, not East-Asian. But it's not used much, anymore.

-- I'm not mad at you, just Westphalian.