Why do asian americans consider the word "oriental" to be offensive?

The word just means "Eastern", for goodness sake. It's descriptive. Maybe we should adopt British police shorthand: IC1 = Caucasian, IC2 = African/Carribean, IC3 = Asian (ie, indian, pakistani) , Ic4 = Oriental (far Asian, ie Chinese, Japanese, Indochinese).

Then I bet they start complaining that in accepted English usage, "one" as in IC1, denotes a higher and far superior status to 2,3 and 4 and perpetuates racism in that white people are held to be Number One...

It's mostly an issue of semantics. It's not an offensive term in Europe or even Asia itself when used in a historical context, but it's not politically correct to refer to modern east Asians as orientals. This is because the term was heavily used by colonial Europeans and Americans in the 19th century, usually in a pejorative way. The orient was viewed as backwards, poor, full of "funny eyed people" who needed to be corrected to western ways. The term was used so frequently in such a way that it's what many east Asians think of when they hear the word.

You can call an east Asian an oriental. They would be offended, but they probably wouldn't say anything. It's not like calling a black person the N word, but it would still cause offense.

Not all consider the word "oriental" to be offensive. I am Asian American, and I think it's actually cool! Never found it offensive at all. But just to be safe with others, I would just use the word Asian.

Because the word IS NOT from any ASIAN languages but a word from a foreign language called Latin! And it's more than two syllables, which is deemed TOO LONG in an Asian language to describe someone [the most you do is a two or three syllable word plus the word meaning "person", in other words the adjective is two to three syllables long, and not more]. Since it doesn't sound Asian, it's NOT fit to use that word to describe an Asian [of any race or country/region].

I use the terms when it's integral. It helps describe one of a kind Asian characteristics. FOBs are one-of-a-kind from ABCs like me. However non-asians do not trouble to realize the difference.

Because EVERY region has an "orient" and an "occident". For instance, the eastern seabord of North America COULD be called "oriental" and the western seaboard COULD be called "occidental".

because it's a phrase created by Europeans colonist with ethnic stereotypical connotations. It is better to use the term asian or a specific country

Because nowadays, people think its cool to feel victimized.