Am I the only person in Argentina that finds the term "chinito" offensive?

[Fiscal]

Why do they refer to every Asian person here as "chinito" regardless of where they come from? That'd be like Americans calling anyone in Latin America "Mexican."

 

[camberiu]

Welcome to Argentina, where any Asian is a Chino, Paraguayans are Paraguas, Peruvians are Perucas, Bolivians Bolacas and Brazilians are Brazucas.
Also the word Quilombo, which here means mess and chaos, was taken from the name given to the communities of runaway slaves here in South America.
Enjoy your time here.

 

[Fiscal]

But don't you dare use the word "American" to refer to someone from the US, now that is offensive!

 

[Idois]

Why do they refer to every Asian person here as "chinito" regardless of where they come from? That'd be like Americans calling anyone in Latin America "Mexican."

Makes me think of this scene from a movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding.

 

[Wryter47]

This a perhaps boring but not unimportant factoid: People of the USA can be called Americans with greater proof-texts than people from other countries in this hemisphere because no other country than the USA has the name "America" as part of its official desciption. Many other countries
are part of the Americas but none of them has that word in its name. It's the United States of Mexico, for instance, or the Republic of Argentina, but only one country has Americans. I may not like it but it's true.

 

[Idois]

Welcome to Argentina, where any Asian is a Chino, Paraguayans are Paraguas, Peruvians are Perucas, Bolivians Bolacas and Brazilians are Brazucas.
Also the word Quilombo, which here means mess and chaos, was taken from the name given to the communities of runaway slaves here in South America.
Enjoy your time here.

They also refer to Bolivianos as Bolitas.
And you forgot the Chilotas and Yoruguas!

Albert Einstein said:
"... Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former..."

 

[nikad]

The term "Chinito" is not only used for Asians. Argentine are not politically correct. As with any of these adjectives, they are not negative or racist per se, it depends on the context and the speaker. A person called American does not feel offended but others around them might act offended based on political views and not racist issues. Just like in the US an African American person would not feel offended when a best friend calls him N.

 

[RichardP]

Don't forget all Middle Easterners are Turcos and all people from India are hindues.

 

[Idois]

... As with any of these adjectives, they are not negative or racist per se, it depends on the context and the speaker. A person called American does not feel offended but others around them might act offended based on political views and not racist issues. ...

If we look at it from psycho-linguistic (and as you mentioned, through historical and contextual filters), it is very clear why Argentines use these terms and how (and when, in which context) these terms evolved (and why are they still present today).
I invite you to look into it if you are really interested.
Hint: Not meaning harm or not knowing better are not the reasons.

 

[Idois]

... Just like in the US an African American person would not feel offended when a best friend calls him N.

Out of curiosity:
Would you find it offensive is a fellow Argentine called you Sudaca?
What if a Peruvian called you Sudaca?