Responses to Hate in the Midwest

Boulder, CO – May 2009: Three Boulder middle-school students are suspected of harassment and a bias-motivated crime for calling a 12-year-old girl and threatened to rape and kill her because she is Asian American.  The students, two who are 13 and one who is 10, have been arrested.  The boys allegedly called the girl on her cell phone and used explicit and violent language in their threats.  The boys called back and left two messages after she hung up.  The girl’s parents reported the incident to the police the next day.  The students are being processed through a juvenile detention center. (SOURCE: the denverchannel.com)

Indiana -  The JACL responded to the Veteran’s Administration hospital in Indianapolis where a controversy arose when a framed newspaper front page declaring “Japs Surrender” was removed at the request of an employee who was offended by the headline.  A group of retired marines objected to the removal claiming the removal whitewashed history.  At the request of the VA, JACL Midwest Director Bill Yoshino responded “the use of the term “jap” was common during World War II and in preceding decades as a way to demean a group of people…This does not mean, however, that we need to perpetuate the use of slurs today or in the future.  People, especially the young, who view the headline may come to believe the use of the term is acceptable, and it is not.  In 1942, the security of our nation was threatened by war and the use of racial slurs was employed to dehumanize the enemy.  Tragically, this also led to a failure to distinguish the loyalty of Japanese Americans from the enemy resulting in constitutional failures that brought shame to our nation.”

Minnesota - Racist graffiti was found written on the walls of a school across the street from the hotel where National Youth/Student Council members were staying for their Spring retreat from March 13 to March 15 in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Two youth members on their way to the airport noticed the slurs and notified the Twin Cities JACL Chapter to take photos and initiate a local response.  Midwest Regional Director, Bill Yoshino, has written a letter of concern to the interim school director and asked if there were any actions taken in response to this incident.  The school director has informed us that school was deeply troubled by the graffiti and had it removed immediately.

Missouri - The Midwest Office contacted the Missouri Commission on Human Relations on behalf of a Japanese American who was exposed to racial slurs in the workplace.  The individual is a truck driver whose driving partner repeatedly uttered slurs despite being admonished not to use the words.  The JACL informed the commission about the derivation of Asian racial slurs and the damage that is created when they are used in the workplace.

Iowa - The JACL issued a press release criticizing the Storm Lake School District for launching disciplinary actions and threatening further sanctions on a senior honors student for refusing to take an English proficiency exam despite her academic success.  Lori Phanachone was labeled an English Language Learner (ELL) after declaring Lao as her home language.  The school district did not assess Phanachone’s English proficiency during her enrollment two years ago and has subjected her to an annual exam for ELLs.  The JACL supports efforts to expunge Phanachone’s records as well as to seek clarification of the school district’s procedures for classifying students as ELLs during enrollment.  JACL National Director Floyd Mori stated, “We do not believe the school district acted properly in disciplining Lori Phanachone simply because she designated Lao as her home language out of respect for her heritage.”

Midwest: During the Don Wade and Roma show aired on WLS AM on August 6, 2008, the hosts engaged in racist humor at the expense of Chinese and Chinese Americans laughed about serving dogs at Chinese restaurants and transposing the letter “r” for “l” in pronunciation. 
              “Mocking the culture of others and the manner in which they sincerely attempt to speak the English language is racially offensive,” said JACL Midwest Director William Yoshino in a letter to WLS AM Radio President and General Manager Mike Fowler.  The JACL requested that WLS AM subscribe to higher standards and convey a lesson in human decency to the hosts of the show.

Michigan: The Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) responded to a recent website posting by Rep. Joe Knollenberg (R-MI) where the congressman titled an article, “Protecting our Families From Asian Invaders” The blog title was used to explain Knollenberg’s reaction to a consumer protection bill.
              “The title is sadly reminiscent of racist sentiment that has targeted Asian Americans throughout our history in the United States,” said JACL Midwest Director William Yoshino in a letter to the congressman.  The JACL requested that Congressman Knollenberg issue an apology for the terminology in the original title and exercise caution and diligence to eliminate the use of anti-Asian references in the future.

June 2008 - Georgia: A church van was spray painted with racial epithets in a shocking act of vandalism at Evergreen Presbyterian, a Korean church in Suwanee, Georgia. According to reports, the words “chink mobile,” along with a slew of other racial epithets, had been painted on the church van and much of the church property.  Police uncovered swastikas and anarchy symbols spray painted on Evergreen Presbyterian church, in addition to crosses hung upside down and “Jesus is dead” scrawled on the church van. Most of the graffiti was first discovered as churchgoers were making their way to morning service on Sunday.
      “Hurtful racial slurs like ‘chink’are only startling reminders that anti-Asian sentiment still exists, and can manifest in ugly and violent ways," said JACL Midwest Director William Yoshino. "It is also a solemn reminder that, 26 years after the murder of Vincent Chin, a Chinese American, Asian Americans are still seen as one large indistinguishable, perpetually foreign people."

May 2008 - North Carolina: A Durham, North Carolina branch of McDonald's fast food restaurant has come under scrutiny following an in-store window ad that portrays a cartoon chef with slits for eyes advertising the McDonald's "new Asian salad."
          "While the offense was likely unintended, please be aware of the fact that such images are found to be derisive by the Asian American community and much of the general public," said JACL Midwest Director William Yoshino. "The image, much like blackface “Sambos” in the 1930s and 1940s, relies on specific ethnic stereotypes and one-dimensional caricatures to convey humor."

May 2008 - Midwest: A national televised Six Flags ad campaign is drawing unwanted attention after many in the Asian American community accused it of being "an outdated, debilitating stereotype only perpetuates the idea that Asians can’t speak English properly."
The most recent Six Flags television ad features a disembodied Asian man yelling the amusement park’s tagline, “More flags! More fun! Six Flags!” in a mock Asian accent. According to those who went in for the original casting call, Six Flags casting directors were specifically looking for an Asian man who could emulate Charlie Chan or who could “talk like [his] grandfather.”
      "Though we understand the commercial was made for the purpose of humor, there is nothing funny about resorting to degrading jokes that prey on others for a cheap laugh." said JACL Midwest Director William Yoshino. "Surely, there must have been a host of other ways to create a humorous television commercial that did not rely on offensive, outdated stereotypes."

April 2008 - Illinois: Following a Chicago Sun-Times article on an offensive Fukudome t-shirt being sold outside Wrigley Field, the Asian American community is now calling for the Chicago Cubs to take action against the vendors of a racially offensive shirt. The shirt, which reads “Horry Kow” (a mock Asian accented version of Harry Caray’s “Holy Cow”) also features baseball player Kosuke Fukudome’s number on the back and a bear with slanty eyes and oversized glasses on the front. While some claim the shirt is meant to support the recent Cubs’ addition, Fukudome himself claims in the article that he is offended by the shirt, and the Cubs immediately condemned the shirt hours after the Sun-Times story surfaced.
         "Not only do the shirts unwelcomingly mock Fukudome, a new addition to the Chicago Cubs franchise, they demean and belittle all Asian Americans, reducing them to little more than antiquated caricatures," said JACL Midwest Director William Yoshino. "While the vendor of these shirts claims to have made them in jest, this brand of humor is clearly outdated and racist." The JACL has also contacted Moe Wampum Inc, one vendor of the shirts, to cease sale of the offensive merchandise.

December 2007 - Illinois: A television spot airing on FOX from a local Chicago suburban car dealership has ignited the outrage of many local Asian Americans who find the ad offensive and racist. Featuring an exaggerated, fake sumo wrestler with the words “Import Dealer” stamped across his chest, the ad’s antagonist is depicted by a white male costumed in what can only be described as yellowface. Sporting a pseudo-Asian accent, he is seen being chased around by a white car salesman in a Superman outfit. In a letter to South Oak Dodge, JACL Midwest Director William Yoshino says he is “appalled and disappointed that such a blatant use of xenophobia would be exhibited in a television spot on major local networks.” After talks with FOX Chicago, the network has since decided to pull the ads from its broadcast.