#Chinese fire drill full#

That it wasn't malice, but the camaraderie that allows many to joke with each other. So the HR persons ignorance, lead her to make false conclusions - or only see the superficial, and not understand the context, respect and depth behind a joke/quip. Search, discover and share your favorite Fire Drill GIFs. And if there was any commentary towards race, it would have been mocking the origins of the term, and those who used it, instead of the targets of it. Interesting enough, in my experience they usually occurred on the way to or from marching band rehearsal. As a teenager, I was a willing participant to many Chinese fire drills. It was just a joke to mock the stupidity of leaving a non-burning building, and wasting our time. Commissioned by the Colorado Mesa University Wind Symphony. Stopped at a light, the students would jump. Find high-quality stock photos that you wont find anywhere else. In the 50’s it was a game played by teenagers out on a night of joyriding. Search from Chinese Fire Drill stock photos, pictures and royalty-free images from iStock. it continued a pattern that started in the ’40s of associating the word Chinese to anything negative or chaotic. Not exactly the views of white supremacists thinking a race are inferior, or someone trying to attack someone because of their ethnicity. The phrase Chinese fire drill has been part of the American lexicon since the 50’s. So there was obviously no slur on his nationality, or intent to malign. And I'd picked up a little Chinese writing and phrases that I'd asked him on. What does the Chinese fire drill expression mean Definitions by the largest Idiom Dictionary. MY WORDS MY WORDS RECENTS settings log out. GAMES & QUIZZES THESAURUS WORD OF THE DAY FEATURES SHOP Buying Guide M-W Books.

#Chinese fire drill full#

a state of great confusion or disorder See the full definition.

He knew I wasn't a fan of handicapping Asians (or anyone) based on race. Definition of the Chinese fire drill in the Idioms Dictionary. The meaning of CHINESE FIRE DRILL is a state of great confusion or disorder. And we'd talked about quotas in University admittance and hiring. I'd pointed out a few times that he was more American than me, as he was 3rd generation, and I was only 1st and 2nd. The problem that the HR person didn't know (and most of the busy-bodies that stick their noses in this kind of stuff don't know), is the context around something being said.īruce and I had many conversations about all kinds of things - including race/culture. But my friend stood up for me, 'we're friends, it was just a joke'. The HR lady behind us gasped and started to make a stink, 'I can't believe you said that'. I retorted because that means this is just a Chinese Fire Drill.As I was descending the many flights of stairs with a friend Bruce, I quipped, 'thank goodness you're here Bruce'.

We were going down the stairway in one of my companies all too frequent wastes of time, known as a fire-drill. Of course, if they can't take a joke, then they don't impress me either.