AAJA: Asian American Journalists Association


AAJA Responds to Daily News' Editorial on Restaurant Name

Jan. 28, 2004

(AAJA sent the following letter to the Philadelphia Daily News in response to a Jan. 13 editorial on "Chinks Steaks")

As members of the Asian American Journalists Association, representing some 2,000 people ranging from reporters to executives in the industry, we write to object to the Daily News' Jan. 13 editorial on "Chinks Steaks."

"Chink" is a racial slur, plain and simple. That some Asian Americans in the community found the name objectionable only serves to underscore the fact - not to "manufacture" racial strife, as your editorial contended.

The Daily News' editorial board neglected its duty to show leadership in the community. Instead of providing a voice of reason on the power of language and words or helping to mediate a resolution, the paper summarily dismissed the concern as a "silly waste of people's time and energy." That is unconscionable.

The editorial defended the restaurant name by citing its longstanding use and other commercial names that smack of insensitivity. That is the equivalent of saying, "We've got status quo on our side." That is wrong.

So is the presumption that where there's no bad intention, there's no harm done. "Chink" has been used since the 19th century as an epithet to jeer, intimidate, mock and denigrate Chinese and once accompanied the rhetoric used to pass discriminatory laws against them. By clumsy extension, the slur was, and continues to be applied to any people of Asian descent. It elicits a strong, emotional response - as many racial epithets tend to do. That the slur is part of a landmark restaurant's name does not minimize the discomfort, anger or pain with which it stings Asian Americans.

We implore the paper to be more responsible and more open to different points of view.

Sincerely,

Mae Cheng
AAJA President

Abe Kwok
AAJA Vice President for Print
   The Asian American    Journalists Association    (AAJA) was founded in    1981 by a few Asian    American and Pacific    Islander (AAPI) journalists.    Within the next few years,    AAJA began hosting panel    discussions for members.


   AAJA joins UNITY:    Journalists of Color in    Atlanta, Georgia for its first    conference focusing on    people of color and diversity    in the newsroom.

   AAJA was honored with the    Medal for Distinguished    Service in Journalism by the    University of Missouri for its    contributions to the industry.

   AAJA named the    championship trophy for    its annual photo competition    after the late New York    Times photojournalist Dith    Pran. The names of each    recipient are engraved on    the trophy.

   The organization marks its    25th year anniversary    hosting celebrations in New    York, Texas and Los    Angeles to kick off a $2    million endowment    campaign for programs.

   AAJA presented the 2008    Media Champion Award by    the Asian Community    Mental Health Services for    "challenging misinformation    and stereotypes in media    coverage around the    Virginia Tech tragedy and    helping to present mental    distress as a human and    commonplace experience."