Derogatory term: Wog

Question answered by honorarykid in Scientology

FredricRice asked this question on 9/5/2000:

I've run across Robert A. Heinlein's use of the term "Wog" in his book, "The Number of the Beast." I know that L. Ron Hubbard hated "Chinks" as he called them, and that the Scientology cult uses the derogatory term for anyone who hasn't been suckered into the cult.

Did Hubbard get the term from Heinlein? Or was the racist term merely one od many used in Hubbard's time and Hubbard -- and his insane cult -- merely adopt the use of the term?

Thanks.

honorarykid gave this response on 9/5/2000:

Although I can't say for sure, I very much doubt that Hubbard first heard the term "wog" from Robert Heinlein.

The term predates both men. The term has long been in use as a British epithet (in the same way the term "nigger" is used by some to derogatorily describe black people in the U.S) which was used mainly by navy personnel to describe Orientals, Indians, Africans, and swarthy complexioned Middle-Easterners. Any non-Anglo could be called wog.

Hubbard's father served in the U.S. navy and a youthful L. Ron twice traveled to Guam to visit him aboard naval vessels. Perhaps he crossed paths with some salty-tongued sailors during one of those trips?

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