World Cup Mascots: Borderline Offensive, Oddly Mincing

Source: Fast Company

This is one of the worst articles I've ever read. Talking about stereotypes in mascots. Does this writer not realize that the mascot is unique to the region where it is from?

South Korea and Japan joined to host the 2002 World Cup, which featured the world's first computer-generated mascots. Naturally, these fellas hail from a future where toilet seats do your homework and used panties are available in vending machines.

Really? Did you think OMG! toilets and panties when you see these guys? Where the fuck did that come from?

Apparently, in 1970, Mexico wasn't satisfied almost creating a racial caricature, with those squinty eyes and pudgy body...

Ok how is a Mexican supposed to look? Like Calvin and Hobbes?

so they seized the opportunity during the 1986 World Cup.

Pique is supposed to be a jalapeno pepper, and he sports a ginormous sombrero, ridiculous mustache, sleepy eyes, and ill-fitting clothes. For gross ethnic and cultural stereotypes, he's just a hair behind Speedy Gonzalez, who's been banned in the U.S. but is supposedly popular in Latin America.

I love the ginormous sombrero. How is a character that's like Speedy Gonzalez and loved in Latin American a gross stereotype! The writer just contradicted himself!

Smugly pointing his finger, with his head cocked like a know-it-all, Footix, the mascot of France '98, seems like he's less interested in playing soccer than giving you Americans a lecture about the benefits of a modern socialist state. And he seems happy to assure us: "Alors, if I do not geet more over-time benefeets, I will strike tomorrow!"

Holy shit. He's ranting about culture and the french working unions JUST from looking at a mascot!? Raise of hands. Did any of you think about the French 30 hour work week looking at a ROOSTER!?

Gauchito, Argentina's 1978 mascot, wears a neckerchief and carries a whip, which are apparently typical for Argentine cowboys of yore. He also looks like he's late for a playground meet-up with his partner-in-crime, Pedobear.

Wow! The writer has called the classic Argentinian cowboy a pedofile. This is one of the most insulting things I've ever heard.

You know what loser these mascots aren't offensive, it is you that has a sick sick and racist mind. These mascots are the pride of an entire country and even though some might not be the best, they are not offensive. How can something from it's own country be racist. Is this Political Correctness run amok? YOU are offended when another country depicts themselves in a way YOU view as a stereotype. That's ludicrous.

What's next? We have to use a colour other than black to draw a black guy?

What's the Big Deal With Oriental?

Source: Ohio.com

It happens so often that those of us in the column-writing business can quote the response even before it arrives.

Almost every time we express an opinion — which is, of course, every time we write a column — we get at least one e-mail that says, ''It must have been a slow news day.''

No, it must have been a day when you didn't agree with me. If the topic is inconsequential, why are you taking the time to comment?

But a record number of readers informed me that the second item in a recent five-item column must have been triggered by ''a slow news day.''

If you really want to know, it was triggered by a photo I saw a week earlier in a basketball program that identified a collection of young athletes as ''the East High Orientals.''

Why didn't I write about the topic before? I should have. I have always wondered why a group of educators would continue to sanction that name. Although I don't have a drop of Asian blood in me, I knew the term was incredibly dated and highly offensive to many folks of Asian heritage.

I guess I figured the school eventually would wake up and realize that ''Orientals,'' when used in connection with people, is the modern-day equivalent of ''Negroes.''

At one time, both terms were acceptable. But times change. And institutions should, too — especially schools.

I didn't know Negros was offensive. I thought the other N-word was.

Orientals has never bothered me, I actually kinda liked it growing up. It was a unique exotic place the Orient that I was from. Then it got changed to Asian and it wasn't unique anymore. Why is it an insult if a white person dresses like an Asian or draws an Asian to *gasp* look like an Asian (slanted eyes) or makes a few Asian driving jokes, but we can walk around with dyed blonde hair and have surgery to make our eyes bigger and it's ok? Why?

''There's a connection with Colonialism related with that word, and the word is more often associated with inanimate objects like Oriental rugs. We're not an Oriental rug. We're people.''

Oh please... that would be like saying. "I hate when people refer to people from Canada as Canadians. It is as if they are talking about Canadian maple syrup. We are not syrup, we are people! BE MORE SENSITIVE!!!!"

There are alot of racial or national sports names. The Montreal Canadiens and the Vancouver Canucks. Aren't those derogatory terms? Johnny Canuck is a racist caracature. If Johnny Canucks wore a kimono and has slanted eyes, the Orientals would whine and cry.

Canadians are proud of Johnny Canuck

What about the beloved New York Yankees? Isn't yankee an offensive term for american.
"DAMN Yankees, always thinking they're the best"

What about the Santa Barbara Gauchos? That's a bad Spanish Cowboy.

That's a pretty racist logo, don't you think?

What about Vikings or The Aztecs or The Fighting Irish or The Celtics?
Are Scandinavians insulted at Minnesota Vikings football games when thay see the real-life mascot named Ragnar whooping up the crowd?

I went to Western High School. We were the Redman!

So not only was I Indian, but I was a man! That's two things to whine and complain about? But does anyone complain? Noooooo, we took honour in that name that's been around since WWI.


What's next? I can't to into an antique shop and call China, China anymore? I have to call it porcelin or some crap like that?

This names are not racist. Native Indians in fact FIGHTING to save their names so that their history is preserves.

N.D. School Fights to Save "Fighting Sioux" Logo

That brings me to a story about my cousin. He was 12 years old and switching channels and saw a Fighting Sioux hockey game. It interested him enough that he wrote a paper about their history and got an A. So why can't people learn about Orientals? We always argue that we aren't represented right? So we're being represented here. 100 years of history.

I think it's cool that there's a team named Orientals because there is no proof that he use of the name itself is hostile or abusive nor does it creates a hostile or abusive environment.

I ask again, how did Oriental become an offensive term? The word Orient still exists. There's an Orient Travel Ltd. There's an Orient everything. So people from the Orient are called Oriental? What's wrong with that? Orient is a Latin word.

In British English, the term Asian generally refers to people originating from the Indian Subcontinent and its surrounding countries[7]. Oriental is used to describe people of Eastern and Southeast Asian descent, most particularly Chinese and Japanese. This usage reflects historic immigration into the UK, since more than 50% of the non-European population is British Asian, whereas East and Southeast Asians comprise only 5-6% of the non-European population. Of those, the majority are of Chinese descent.

Oriental is not usually considered an offensive term in Britain.

Be proud! If I had a baseball team I'd call them the Woks. My logo would be a BIG Wok and a happy face and two hands. It would look like either Marvin the Martian or Peter Puck.


The commentary would be fun.

"And that's another walk and bring in a run, the Woks are walking everyone"
"And that's a line drive double play, they had no chance on that one, Wok'd right into it.

Save The Noodles!

Source: San Mateo County Times

An effort is under way to preserve a traditional Asian approach to preparing certain noodles that currently goes against state health codes.

State Sen. Leland Yee, D-San Francisco, plans to craft legislation to protect a long-standing method involving the production of fresh rice noodles that stores the food at room temperature for up to eight hours before being served.

State regulations, however, require such food to be refrigerated or kept at or above 140 degrees at all times to prevent harmful bacteria from growing and sickening restaurant patrons.

But that requirement "destroys the characteristic of this particular rice noodle," Yee said during a news conference Friday at the Koi Palace restaurant. The evidence shows that "this product has been produced, sold and eaten for thousands of years, and we have never had a problem with this particular food at all."

The existing codes "can be unnecessarily broad" and culturally insensitive, he added. "Both history and independent tests demonstrate that these noodles are safe, and our laws should allow for their production."

I'm all for saving noodles that are tasty and healthy but laws are laws. Instead of claiming racism and using terms like "culturally insensitive" just provide the government with proof that these noodles are safe and actually taste better under these conditions. There are plenty of exceptions and other foods that are left out for hours. The government can't think of all scenarios so just present factual evidence and they'll turn around.

The state senator's right in that millions of people eat them that way without any problems. He's also a jackass for resorting to the cultural insensitivity card, since it's basically used as a trump card to end all further rational discussion.

They didn't make this law to specifically be racist so give the rhetoric a rest. It's really tacky.

How bout not being so sensitive!

Source: StarTribune

I'm not important enough to warrant a beer summit. But I did get a bottle of water out of the deal.

Last week, as the rest of the country tried to forget the unpleasant confrontation between Harvard Prof. Henry Louis Gates and Cambridge police officer James Crowley, I had my own Gates-Crowley moment.

I went to Fridley to interview the president of a large manufacturing company. I arrived a few minutes before noon and told the receptionist at the front desk I was looking for the president's executive assistant.

"Oh. Are you delivering food?" she asked.

Oh, no, she didn't!

It wasn't the first time I was mistaken for a Chinese food delivery guy. In college, I had arrived at my girlfriend's dorm with dinner and the front desk dude assumed just that. I was embarrassed, to be sure, but let it go. That's the burden of being a Chinese-American with a penchant for baseball caps, jeans and takeout food.

Yet the receptionist's inquiry stunned me. I was wearing a dress shirt, black slacks and black dress shoes. True, I was sporting a backpack and sunglasses, but how many food delivery guys whip out kung pao chicken from a Gap bag?

After realizing her error, the receptionist offered a rather clumsy explanation. "I only asked because [the executive assistant] always orders food," she said.

Nice try, lady. Someone's not getting a Christmas card this year.

Maybe I'm being too harsh. At least she didn't speak extra slowly and offer a tip.

As I drove back to the office, chugging the bottle of water the company had given me, I chuckled to myself. I wasn't too upset. The receptionist seemed way more embarrassed than I was.

But then I told the story to friends and colleagues. I expected them to laugh and sympathize. Instead they offered several explanations, everything except what seemed obvious to me.

Yeah it's only obvious to you cause you're damn sensitive.

And why were you embarassed? You got something against delivery workers that you feel EMBARASSED to be called one? Many people start out working in Chinese restaurants. Entire families are supported by one delivery guy job. You should be ashamed.

Last I checked secretaries are quite busy and they're not going to notice everything. Let's say her boss ordered Chinese food, so she's just asking if this is food. If the delivery guy walked in and she mistakened him for the journalist, do you think he would be as upset as you?

Secretaries deal with hundreds of people a day plus a bazillion phone lines. So she thought you were someone you're not.. boohoo. She apologized for it. If it were me, I would have just ignored it, but instead you made a person feel bad for a mistake, hope you're proud of yourself.

This whining is newsworthy? Some newspaper editor accepted this? This isn't journalism. This is something a little blog like mine would write about!

Not everything is racist you know.

Have you ever been called Jackie Chan?

Source: IndyStar

The Lawrence police chief called it a moment of "cultural insensitivity." An advocate for refugees called it an ugly example of a far too common problem -- law enforcement's failure to interact effectively with those who have come to America to escape persecution.

What prompted such reactions was a decision by a Lawrence police officer to call an unidentified Asian male Jackie Chan instead of John Doe. That decision was "racially insensitive," Lawrence Police Chief Paul Whitehead acknowledged Monday.

Because Yu Dongyue smelled of alcohol and wouldn't speak to officers, he was arrested on suspicion of public intoxication. Lawrence officer Ralph Bridgeforth filled out a list of Yu Dongyue's property at the jail processing center, noting he had no ID. Usually in such cases, a suspect would be called John Doe, but Bridgeforth entered another name: Jackie Chan. Yu Dongyue was booked under that name as well.

.....more

It this really a big deal? Doesn't calling someone Jackie Chan make the search easier since we're looking for an Asian guy? I've called people Jackie Chan before! Have you ever been called Jackie Chan?

We need better names than John Doe.

Jamaica: Myth about Japanese women

Interesting viewpoint of a Japanese women in Jamaica

Source: Weh Miss Chin Seh?

Ok, I'm going to write a little bit embarrassing myth about Japanese women. It is said that "Japanese women are poplular among Jamaican men". And because of this myth, even when I was in Japan, whenever I said "I'm interested in Jamaica", it was interpreted as "I'm interested in Jamaican men". And of course it happens in Jamaica, too. But how true of this myth? Are Japanese women are really popular among Jamaican men? -No, I don't think so.

Calling "Miss Chin!" on a road is just a sign that someone is recognizing a Asian woman's presence. It's the same as calling "Browning!" or "Mammy!" or "Beautyful!". There is no deep meaning in it. This is not a come on.

When someone says "Come ya!" on a road, the person is just calling you to talk. Generally, Jamaican people are more open to communications with strangers. They are curious. Especially the people who sit on a streetside all day are bored. They just want to talk with somebody. This is not a come on, either.

Then, what about a man who says "Mi like yu" on a road. How long has the person known you? Two seconds? How could you go with a person whom you barely know?

A man who comes up and says "You come here for big anaconda,eh?" Do you find him appealing? He is just mocking you. So whenever someone says this to me, I stare at his crotch, put my hand on my hip and say "Im dead or wha? Mi no see notten between yu leg! Though mi see dem big one inna Japan" and walk away. This anaconda talk is not a come on. It's funny though.

.....more

I think she's handling it quite well. They are so laidback in Jamaica. Maybe she could loosen up a bit and take one of these nice men on their offer :)

"You come here for big anaconda, eh?" Smoooooth :)

Prince Phillip's remark is not racist

Some people have emailed this to me. Get your head out of your arse! It's not racist.

Source: New York Times

But in addition to delivering a gift to the Obamas, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, delivered a faux pas as well when the two couples first met. (Although that is the sort of gift he often gives to the British media.)

The queen marveled at how the president managed to stay awake from the jet lag. President Obama detailed his schedule from the morning, mentioning that he had "meetings with the Chinese, the Russians, David Cameron. And I'm proud to say I did not nod off in one of the meetings."

Prince Philip, already chortling in the background, blurted: "Can you tell the difference between them?"

The president, trying to smooth over the awkward comment from a man known to make such gaffes, offered diplomatically, "It's all a blur, of course, of course."

Why would he be refering to whether you can tell the difference between David Cameron, Russian and Chinese? They are totally different and have nothing to do with each other. Obviously he was making a joke about how Obama was able to stay awake in either of the meetings cause they were all boringly the same? The 'them' are the meetings, not the people.

Not everything is racist ok people? It's a bad joke but I understood it right away.