Haha…well, actually I have no idea what ethnicity she is. But read on.
It looks like ESPN did take action on that embarrassing racial slur printed on ESPN mobile web. They fired the person responsible for calling Jeremy Lin or his performance a “chink” on their mobile headline, and they suspended Max Bretos who said the word “chink” verbally (see the clip above).
So why does one get fired while another gets suspended? Well, Bretos is married to an Asian woman, therefore he can’t be racist!
Bretos apologized for his word choice via Twitter Saturday: “Wanted 2 apologize 2 all those I have upset. Not done with any racial reference. Despite intention,phrase was inappropriate in this context.”
“My wife is Asian, would never intentionally say anything to disrespect her and that community,” he said in a follow-up post.
Moral of the story: Marry Tiger Woods or his female equivalent. Then you will get away with anything.
(Thanks, MMJames.)
Related posts:
It goes beyond simply to whom he is married.
Here he is with his biological son.
“So why does one get fired while another gets suspended?”
Verbally mentioning the phrase “chink in the armor” in a full paragraph of words is a little different to writing it out as the headline. Bretos could probably get the benefit of the doubt for his bad choice of words.
But if you make that the title of a visual display, it’s pretty obvious that you’ve given some thought to it and decided to run it anyway. So that’s worse.
‘my wife is asian’ …’therefore it allows me to be racist to ‘that community’
AWESOME .
did you know hapa babies are cuter than ethnic chinese babies btw?
well THEYRE EVEN CUTER WHEN THEIR DAD IS AN ASIAN HATING SPIC and their mom is a self hating asian.
all we needed was Signor Bretos to pull his eyes like the 2008 spanish olympics team and that wouldve put the nail on the coffin.
Uhh, Trolldetector:
“well THEYRE EVEN CUTER WHEN THEIR DAD IS AN ASIAN HATING SP*C and their mom is a self hating asian. ”
Let’s…um…slow down. “Sp*c” is very much a racist term, much like ch*nk, n**ger, etc. Let’s not use such terms.
Eurasian,
Totally understood. There is a difference between speaking and writing. But even then, in the world of internet journalism, stuff gets printed a lot faster. The guy who got fired, Anthony Federico, seems to be using the excuse that it just came out.
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/knicks/jeremy-lin-slur-honest-mistake-fired-espn-editor-anthony-federico-claims-article-1.1025566
(I don’t know think I’ve seen the phrase in headlines “”at least 100 times,” but it’s possible that I just haven’t been following.)
I think they both should’ve been fired. If you look at what happened to Don Imus with his “nappy headed hoes” comment, there are certain lines that ought not to be crossed.
Look at what happened with the word “niggardly.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Controversies_about_the_word_%22niggardly%22#David_Howard_incident
And that’s not even technically a slur. Nor was the guy even talking about anything related to black people!
It’s usually the case that these rice chasers who are with AF who are the most virulent open racists.
I’ve seen this confirmed time & time again to know the general rule by now.
Most of such losers usually are on Stormfront or other White Nationalist sites..
Using some kind of warped logic, they think being with an AF gives them a license to talk shit about Asian men.
And these male Asiaphiles or rice chasers ALWAYS talk shit about AM every chance they get.
But on forums & everywhere these same hypocrites always sing the praises of AF as [fill in stereotype] & talk shit about white women as “greedy, unfeminine etc”
In short, MOST rice chasers go for AF – in a large part – because of they feel they can be more ‘dominant’ & have more ‘power’ over AF (who will worship them just for being white) than a white female who won’t take shit from some beta guy.
Seeing Jeremy Lin, an asian male, succeed in public on such a massive scale, get the glory, and adulation must really eat up & burn these white rice chasers & self hating Asian females inside.
I love it!!!
Of course, these same losers would much prefer to see the likes of William Hung so as to reinforce their beliefs & perpetuate the stereotypes of AM.
They prefer to not acknowledge the existence of Asian males at all.
PS: I bet whoever came up with the headline was WAITING all this time (Jeremy Lin’s 8th game and first loss) for The NY Knicks to lose so he could use that headline.
I actually thought about would anyone use that headline in relation to J Lin – it as I have seen that slogan used before on another subject unrelated to JLin – but the chink word was blanked out
It was in no way an accidental pun.
It had the desired effect
I mean, 9 turnovers warrants the headline “Chink in the armor”!?
It doesn’t even make sense.
This sounds eerily familiar when some calls a white person racist in regards to black people. And the famous line goes…”My best friend is black.”
Ironically in my mind if you have a wife that is not of your own race, in this case Asian/Asian American (I’m not sure), then you should be MORE aware of things that would be considered racially insensitive.
I mean if you are close enough then you would share such intimate details. Right?
Aggro says:
February 20, 2012 at 2:29 pm
It’s usually the case that these rice chasers who are with AF who are the most virulent open racists.
Leaving aside for the moment your use of the racist term “ricechasers” how do you know the racial views or politics of non-Asian males who are dating or married to Asian women?
It seems to me you and others are using this case to reinforce your own racist animosity toward non-Asian males as well as a sexist animosity toward Asian females.
I’ve seen this confirmed time & time again to know the general rule by now.
You are simply using any example to reinforce your racist and prejudicial dogma. You need to learn critical thinking skills.
Most of such losers usually are on Stormfront or other White Nationalist sites..
How do you know this? Wouldn’t so called “White nationalists” be opposed to “race mixing” and White men fathering non-White children.
@Aggro
I actually go on SF and a few other WN site from time to time when I get bored and need a laugh. Not going to lie, there is something about their constant the “sky is falling down” gloom and doom tone that always cracks me up when I have a bad day.
Having said that, these WN on those sites married to AF tend to be few and far in between and most of them are legit mail order brides.
In addition, most of them are beta males who are often scoffed at and deemed hypocrites by the WF posters and the more purist WM for not practicing what they supposedly support.
So I wouldn’t say it’s a pick and choose when it comes to that crowd as nutty as they are.
@ Annasuki,
The whole “I can’t be racist because my (insert relations) is (insert race that was just the target of my offensive joke) has been done time and time again regardless of the races that are involved. One of my dad’s business partners back in the day was a Southern white due married to a black women with 3 mulatto children. Despite this fact, the guy shamelessly dropped the N word around my dad and I for as long as I can remember.
Only goes to show what most posters here already know.
That story about that southern guy is too funny.
What’s up with all these white folks who’re so scared and resentful of other people?
It seems like their pale color may stem from a deep seated fear and inadequacy.
What do you think Wonder Why? I really do Wonder Why some white people are like this, maybe you could explain.
Lol! @ Bigwowo You knew you would get counter comments from trolldetector and Aggro from Max Bretos excuse well I can’t be racist because I am married to an Asian woman (Another WM/AF story highlighted in your blog). Then you have counter arguements from Wonder Why to Aggro yet he seems to ignore and excuse the whole racist comments by the ESPN editor and anchor. I may agree with EA explanation, but Bretos should be suspended by ESPN without pay for a long duration.
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What “armor” was he referring to???
That the Knicks were a great team before Lin showed up? It doesn’t even make sense, which is why I don’t buy the lame excuse.
My wife is Asian, would never intentionally say anything to disrespect her and that community
Shit just keeps getting better and better. What an idiot!
Hey a person I like to follow, Phillip Defranco weights in. Everyone knows the concensus here, but what do you think of his argument.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sr11sA3iHA0&feature=context&context=G218adbdFUAAAAAAAAAA
The Lin part starts around 5:00.
Phil is incorrect, this has nothing to do with “political correctness”.
If you’re a minority it’s almost a fact of life that white people will take underhanded jabs at you in all sorts of ways. Using something cute like “chink in the armor” when referring to Jeremy Lin fits the bill. These editors and writers cannot claim to be unaware that the word “chink” has been historically used to derogate Asians in America and abroad. They aren’t in grade school or high school, and even in grade school and high school children know its meaning.
If they apologise sincerely I am inclined to let it slide and don’t see a need to carve out a pound of flesh. However the more that something like this is defended on spurious grounds, just because of some kind of defensive reaction from white people worried that they are being attacked or backed into a corner, I’m afraid the more inflexible minorities will be in exacting social justice.
The indifference and blind eye of the white majorities has always made it possible for their troublemakers to attack minorities.
The one thing that you can take from Phil De Franco’s video is that he acknowledges that racial puns used on Italian or African American players are racist, but the same standards need not apply to Asian Americans.
So if there was an Italian American player and I as a writer decided to get cute and make a headline like “bada bing!”, “oops, there it is” (instead of woaps) or “spic and span”, that’s racist. If there’s a black player and I use the phrase “niggardly play costs the game”, that’s racist also. Because it’s obvious what kind of underhanded jab I’m making.
But then if I write “chink in the armor” when referring to an Asian player, that’s suddenly not racist? Really? Even if the word “chink” is used by every white person that ever decided to beat up and shoot an Asian American for no reason?
Can someone explain Phil De Franco’s double standards to me? Why does he acknowledge the inputs and perspectives of African Americans and Italian Americans but refuses to do the same for Asians?
Dave Zirin makes some good points about ESPN and its chink-in-the-armor “mistake” in his article below.
As he notes, Asian Americans are subject to a form of “casual racism” that wouldn’t be tolerated for other minority groups ultimately because Asian Americans haven’t been able to develop a political movement to combat anti-Asian racism to the same degree that others have created for themselves:
“No one at ESPN would talk or write about a lesbian athlete and unconsciously put forth that the woman in question would have a “finger in the dike.” If an African-American player was thought of as stingy, it’s doubtful that anyone at the World Wide Leader would describe that person as “niggardly.” They would never brand a member of a football team as a “Redskin” (wait, scratch that last one.)
They wouldn’t do it because a mental synapse would spark to life and signal their brain that in 2012, unless you’re speaking at CPAC, that’s just not OK. This collective synapse was forged by mass movements for black and LGBT liberation in this country that have forced a lot of people, particularly white straight men, to have a clue. There simply hasn’t been a similar national struggle built by people of Asian descent.”
Jeremy Lin and ESPN’s ‘Accidental’ Racism
http://www.thenation.com/blog/166382/jeremy-lin-and-espns-accidental-racism
Zirin even calls outs Jay Caspian Kang, an Asian American write at ESPN, for his ignorance about the history of American anti-Asian racism.
^ That is an awesome article – especially the last paragraph. It’s kind of embarassing that a white dude is saying the things that Asian-American writers should be saying – but kudos to him.
Great article, Larry. I’m glad that he’s speaking out, and he raises some excellent points.
I don’t know much about Jay Caspian Kang, but he did have a good article that came out today. It’s here:
http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/7601157/the-headline-tweet-unfair-significance-jeremy-lin
Here are some good excerpts:
Jay Caspian Kang got called out???
He just wrote a pretty solid article here about the whole Lin craze:
http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/7601157/the-headline-tweet-unfair-significance-jeremy-lin
I had to do some long distance travelling so I have to keep this short.
The comparison between Zirin’s work and Mr Kang’s is like night and day. On the one hand we have a writer who succinctly highlights the type of racism Asians face, suggests the reason for the difference in our treatment vis a vis other minorities, and recommends that organise so that we can no longer be ignored. On the other hand we have a guy who, – what? Essentially says that Jeremy Lin is our “Great Yellow Hope” in a rather long and waffling article that mostly dealt with personal feelings???
DEAR FUCKING GOD. That kind of shit is just embarassing.
Nevertheless Mr Zirin’s and Mr Kang’s work has given me some inspiration to write something…
“…acknowledges that racial puns used on Italian or African American players are racist, but the same standards need not apply to Asian Americans”
AA men are always judged differently. Standards don’t apply to us when it really counts, perhaps only in the dating/sexual realm.
Another Asian crybaby making his point as to why his ugly brothers suck in the eyes of women.
http://nextgenerasianchurch.com/2012/02/09/jeremy-lin-asian-american-male-sexuality/
I’m not over it myself because of reasons I still struggle with, but I have been told many times that shitting on other Asian men is quite passe. And I know that is the truth.
One day when I can master the condescension towards my other brothers because of what I think they represent, is the day I would have achieved true power.
Until that day I can only try, and learn and grow, and hope that others do not fall into the same baited trap too. This is one of those things that you would never get into if you never had a good reason. This is one of those things where its our own natures hurting us.
@raguel. Its to do with insecurity over the perceived asian male image due to obviously the western racist media and apolitical attitude most asians have.
assuming youre talking about asian americans as opposed to asians, or even more specifically , Chinese. asian american image, or western born east asians for that matter dont have clear role models, so those that do succeed despite, automatically look down on others as ‘ inferior. ‘ because often that success was individual and not team based from support network of asians.
also theres that whole sun yat sen thing about chinese being like sand. unlike other ethnic groups we dont always stick up for/support each other. when someone does make a stand theres always crabs in a bucket mentality by the sellouts. so they drag any real progress made back into the pits all because sellouts need to save face. because after all, the nail that sticks out gets knocked back down, right?
so in their right mind why would any individual asian consistently speak out against discrimination?
with all that going on, its just blogs like this to blog our support for each other.
solid consistent asian american representation is like a poisoned chalice. but its going at least its finally in the right direction with jeremy lin. hopefully he wont be the token asian, but even if he is,hopefully its more than a flash in the pan.
the dollcollector says:
February 26, 2012 at 3:47 pm
@raguel. Its to do with insecurity over the perceived asian male image due to obviously the western racist media and apolitical attitude most asians have.
Don’t you mean “the zionist media”?
…jeremy lin. hopefully he wont be the token asian, but even if he is,hopefully its more than a flash in the pan.
What’s with the racist slur – “flash in the pan”? Don’t you know that’s an insult to people who live in the wild and have the legs and horns of a goat and play pan pipes?
First the Jews and now Pan. You just can’t stop hating can you.
This website has the worst commenters ever and this thread is proof. Thank Hitler you have me to offset all the trolls, pickup artists, whiny Asians, creepy race-mixing white losers, jew lovers, jew haters (I’m the only decent one here), and assorted other degenerates.
Which category of degenerate am I in?
“I’m not over it myself because of reasons I still struggle with, but I have been told many times that shitting on other Asian men is quite passe. And I know that is the truth”.
Ha! Contrary, it’s quite fashionable to shit on Asian men as many of our own kind have encouraged it , let alone racist pricks who have been doing it over and over again where any criticism and rebuttal is basically crying wolf.
“This website has the worst commenters ever and this thread is proof. Thank Hitler you have me to offset all the trolls, pickup artists, whiny Asians, creepy race-mixing white losers, jew lovers, jew haters (I’m the only decent one here), and assorted other degenerates”.
Europeans are a lot more superior than PC Americans. This I would agree on. Besides, you guys showed your superiority by kicking out the Jews from your lands.
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@Chr
Shame Byron doesnt bother kicking the obsessed Jew off this blog , they’d be a lot less trolling
Zionist Jews always try to act reasonable and “above” racial struggles until it is their own, or Israel, that is attacked.
@Hitler , yes and its funny that zionist jews have no qualms of open season infiltrating every other culture. With that kind of crap you would have thought real jews would have done something about it, considering their power is so consolidated but no. They play along too. Why? For such an advanced and studious race of ‘the humanities’ you would have thought they would have spoken out. But no, it seems they are just as sheepish. Intellectual sheep, but sheep nonetheless.
In the meantime ethnics and everyone else are feeding on scraps playing the blame game and round and round it goes.
Noone cares.
I Hate Jeremy Lin, Linsanity, the New York Knicks, and his comparisons to Tim Tebow!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyiMZIHyGdI&feature=related
Could he be one of the posters here?