Bay Area Black Journalists Association Offers Itself As Resource for AsianWeek

March 14, 2007

The following was sent to AsianWeek publisher Ted Fang on March 10, 2007 and cc'ed to AAJA:

Dear Mr. Fang,

The Bay Area Black Journalists Association is the local chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists. Our mission is to advocate for the hiring of more Black journalists in our nations' newsrooms. We are also a member of Unity: Journalists of Color and, consequently, work to encourage media companies to hire more people of color in general and promote them into management positions.

When I first read the article by Kenneth Eng I wondered how it slipped past the copy editor and the editor-in-chief. I started to immediately sit down and write this letter. But, in doing research on AsianWeek I read critical reader comments on your own site and in many other publications. I feared at that time that my letter would be lost in the flurry of emails and other correspondence you were receiving.

I applaud your decision to apologize and sever ties with Mr. Eng. He is entitled to his own opinions but he is clearly filled with hate for all ethnic groups, even his own, as evidenced by his article "Why I Hate Asians."

I am pleased that you have been willing to publicly answer questions about what happened and I commend you for starting a review of AsianWeek's editorial policy. Please feel free to contact BABJA if we can be of any assistance when you have questions involving coverage of the African American community.

Sincerely,

Bob Butler
President, Bay Area Black Journalists Association
Reporter, KCBS Radio
Lecturer, UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism