Jeremy Lin

[Guest ExChinaExpat]

Most of you have no doubt heard the stories of Jeremy Lin of the New York Knicks, and also heard the story of former ESPN editor Anthony Federico. After I read the headline, I wasn't too surprised to see that someone used it. But, what is most disturbing is Anthony Federico's insistance that he used the term without realizing what he said:

 

"This had nothing to do with me being cute or punny," Anthony Federico told the Daily News. "I'm so sorry that I offended people. I'm so sorry if I offended Jeremy."

 

Now, I am willing to give someone the benefit of the doubt, but not in this case. Anthony Federico is an educated journalist whose training is in words and phrases and knowing the impact they will have upon his audience. He fully intended to be 'cute and punny' by choosing the phrase, and further hopes that some people will be ignorant enough to believe his claims of innocence.

 

 

http://candleforlove.com/forums/index.php?app=forums&module=post&section=post&do=new_post&f=28

[tsap seui]

Stupid is as stupid does. Maybe the guy can get a job seating people and serving cokes, tea, or water in a Chinese restaurant. Nah, wait a minute, that requires brains too.

 

tsap seui

[Yuanyang]

If anything can be misconstrued as offensive it will be. And as a professional writer he knows that.

[DennisLeiqin]

ESPN editor, Anthony Federico, was fired. End of story.

[TLB]

ESPN editor, Anthony Federico, was fired. End of story.

 

Good riddance; discussions of what "ought" to offend people aside, this was just plain stupid.

[DennisLeiqin]

ESPN editor, Anthony Federico, was fired. End of story.

 

Good riddance; discussions of what "ought" to offend people aside, this was just plain stupid.

Chink In The Armor... Double entendre was just too tempting to ignor and pass up.

 

Personally, I think that it was a fitting and funny pun. But, society says that those jabs at any non-white person by someone white cannot be tolerated nor accepted, as it was and has always been us whites who've been the oppressors. Sins of our fathers...sadly, we all cannot just smile and poke fun at each other today. Maybe tomorrow will be different.

Edited February 22, 2012 by DennisLeiqin (see edit history)

[Guest ExChinaExpat]

ESPN editor, Anthony Federico, was fired. End of story.

 

Not quite done until you see the SNL spoof

 

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=snl+jeremy+lin&mid=F8C86DDC001BC8763382F8C86DDC001BC8763382&view=detail&FORM=VIRE3

 

[DennisLeiqin]

ESPN editor, Anthony Federico, was fired. End of story.

 

Not quite done until you see the SNL spoof

 

http://www.bing.com/...tail&FORM=VIRE3

 

Shucks! This video has been removed by the user.

[DennisLeiqin]

ESPN editor, Anthony Federico, was fired. End of story.

 

Not quite done until you see the SNL spoof

 

http://www.bing.com/...tail&FORM=VIRE3

 

Shucks! This video has been removed by the user.

OK, found it on the Huffpo. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/19/jeremy-lin-snl-racist-jokes-linsanity_n_1287649.html?ref=comedy&ir=Comedy

THAT is very funny!

[Guest ExChinaExpat]

We may want it to be over, but it may be only the beginning. The Asian American Journalists Association listed the following guidelines when discussining Jermy Lin:

 

 

THE FACTS

1. Jeremy Lin is Asian American, not Asian (more specifically, Taiwanese American). It's an important distinction and one that should be considered before any references to former NBA players such as Yao Ming and Wang Zhizhi, who were Chinese. Lin's experiences were fundamentally different than people who immigrated to play in the NBA. Lin progressed through the ranks of American basketball from high school to college to the NBA, and to characterize him as a foreigner is both inaccurate and insulting.

 

2. Lin's path to Madison Square Garden: More than 300 division schools passed on him. Harvard University has had only three other graduates go on to the NBA, the most recent one being in the 1950s. No NBA team wanted Lin in the draft after he graduated from Harvard.

 

3. Journalists don't assume that African American players identify with NBA players who emigrated from Africa. The same principle applies with Asian Americans. It's fair to ask Lin whether he looked up to or took pride in the accomplishments of Asian players. He may have. It's unfair and poor journalism to assume he did.

 

4. Lin is not the first Asian American to play in the National Basketball Association. Raymond Townsend, who's of Filipino descent, was a first-round choice of the Golden State Warriors in the 1970s. Rex Walters, who is of Japanese descent, was a first-round draft pick by the New Jersey Nets out of the University of Kansas in 1993 and played seven seasons in the NBA; Walters is now the coach at University of San Francisco. Wat Misaka is believed to have been the first Asian American to play professional basketball in the United States. Misaka, who's of Japanese descent, appeared in three games for the New York Knicks in the 1947-48 season when the Knicks were part of the Basketball Association of America, which merged with the NBA after the 1948-49 season.

 

 

DANGER ZONES

"CHINK": Pejorative; do not use in a context involving an Asian person on someone who is Asian American. Extreme care is needed if using the well-trod phrase "chink in the armor"; be mindful that the context does not involve Asia, Asians or Asian Americans. (The appearance of this phrase with regard to Lin led AAJA MediaWatch to issue statement to ESPN, which subsequently disciplined its employees.)

 

DRIVING: This is part of the sport of basketball, but resist the temptation to refer to an "Asian who knows how to drive."

 

EYE SHAPE: This is irrelevant. Do not make such references if discussing Lin's vision.

 

FOOD: Is there a compelling reason to draw a connection between Lin and fortune cookies, takeout boxes or similar imagery? In the majority of news coverage, the answer will be no.

 

MARTIAL ARTS: You're writing about a basketball player. Don't conflate his skills with judo, karate, tae kwon do, etc. Do not refer to Lin as "Grasshopper" or similar names associated with martial-arts stereotypes.

 

"ME LOVE YOU LIN TIME": Avoid. This is a lazy pun on the athlete's name and alludes to the broken English of a Hollywood caricature from the 1980s.

 

"YELLOW MAMBA": This nickname that some have used for Lin plays off the "Black Mamba" nickname used by NBA star Kobe Bryant. It should be avoided. Asian immigrants in the United States in the 19th and 20th centuries were subjected to discriminatory treatment resulting from a fear of a "Yellow Peril" that was touted in the media, which led to legislation such as the Chinese Exclusion Act.

 

They didn't say anything about using little tiny finger cots as condoms. But, maybe that too will be added to the list soon.

Edited February 24, 2012 by JiangsuExpat (see edit history)

[DennisLeiqin]

We may want it to be over, but it may be only the beginning. The Asian American Journalists Association listed the following guidelines when discussining Jermy Lin:

 

 

THE FACTS

1. Jeremy Lin is Asian American, not Asian (more specifically, Taiwanese American). It's an important distinction and one that should be considered before any references to former NBA players such as Yao Ming and Wang Zhizhi, who were Chinese. Lin's experiences were fundamentally different than people who immigrated to play in the NBA. Lin progressed through the ranks of American basketball from high school to college to the NBA, and to characterize him as a foreigner is both inaccurate and insulting.

 

2. Lin's path to Madison Square Garden: More than 300 division schools passed on him. Harvard University has had only three other graduates go on to the NBA, the most recent one being in the 1950s. No NBA team wanted Lin in the draft after he graduated from Harvard.

 

3. Journalists don't assume that African American players identify with NBA players who emigrated from Africa. The same principle applies with Asian Americans. It's fair to ask Lin whether he looked up to or took pride in the accomplishments of Asian players. He may have. It's unfair and poor journalism to assume he did.

 

4. Lin is not the first Asian American to play in the National Basketball Association. Raymond Townsend, who's of Filipino descent, was a first-round choice of the Golden State Warriors in the 1970s. Rex Walters, who is of Japanese descent, was a first-round draft pick by the New Jersey Nets out of the University of Kansas in 1993 and played seven seasons in the NBA; Walters is now the coach at University of San Francisco. Wat Misaka is believed to have been the first Asian American to play professional basketball in the United States. Misaka, who's of Japanese descent, appeared in three games for the New York Knicks in the 1947-48 season when the Knicks were part of the Basketball Association of America, which merged with the NBA after the 1948-49 season.

 

 

DANGER ZONES

"CHINK": Pejorative; do not use in a context involving an Asian person on someone who is Asian American. Extreme care is needed if using the well-trod phrase "chink in the armor"; be mindful that the context does not involve Asia, Asians or Asian Americans. (The appearance of this phrase with regard to Lin led AAJA MediaWatch to issue statement to ESPN, which subsequently disciplined its employees.)

 

DRIVING: This is part of the sport of basketball, but resist the temptation to refer to an "Asian who knows how to drive."

 

EYE SHAPE: This is irrelevant. Do not make such references if discussing Lin's vision.

 

FOOD: Is there a compelling reason to draw a connection between Lin and fortune cookies, takeout boxes or similar imagery? In the majority of news coverage, the answer will be no.

 

MARTIAL ARTS: You're writing about a basketball player. Don't conflate his skills with judo, karate, tae kwon do, etc. Do not refer to Lin as "Grasshopper" or similar names associated with martial-arts stereotypes.

 

"ME LOVE YOU LIN TIME": Avoid. This is a lazy pun on the athlete's name and alludes to the broken English of a Hollywood caricature from the 1980s.

 

"YELLOW MAMBA": This nickname that some have used for Lin plays off the "Black Mamba" nickname used by NBA star Kobe Bryant. It should be avoided. Asian immigrants in the United States in the 19th and 20th centuries were subjected to discriminatory treatment resulting from a fear of a "Yellow Peril" that was touted in the media, which led to legislation such as the Chinese Exclusion Act.

 

They didn't say anything about using little tiny finger cots as condoms. But, maybe that too will be added to the list soon.

Who are THEY that write this? I am guessing that this was interpreted from a Chinese post?

 

Sounds a bit of sour grapes towards the west, as they've missed the simple point that Lin is Asian. Period. And, that there are few to nil Asians who've excelled in the NBA. And for any Asian, especially a 4th string bench warmer whose coming out show outplayed and outscored Kobe Bryant 38 to 34. To come out of literal obscurity to consistantly show that he belongs with the elite NBA point guards is completely without precedent. THAT is complete LINsanity that will continue to spread throughout the Asian world as long a Mr. Lin continues his unprecedented play.

Edited February 24, 2012 by DennisLeiqin (see edit history)