Media Contact:
Janice Lee
Deputy Executive Director
JaniceL@aaja.org
(415) 346-2051 x110
AAJA asks that news organizations not use editorial cartoonist Mike Lester's Oct. 24 cartoon ("North Korea 'sorry' for testing nukes"), and that they remove the cartoon from their websites.
The cartoon, a caricature of Kim Jong II, was accompanied with a caption quote from the North Korean leader that featured a mock-Asian accent. We at the Asian American Journalists Association find the use of this distorted speech derogatory and demeaning of all people of Asian descent.
It perpetuates the stereotype that Asians are "others" and worthy of ridicule -- the use of those butchered words is the equivalent of buck teeth, slanted eyes and all those other hurtful images and words that need to be buried.
AAJA, representing some 2,000 reporters, editors and others in the media, hope this cartoon will spur newsrooms to have discussions about racial slurs and their removal from news and editorial content. We would be happy to help address questions and concerns relating to the topic.
About AAJA
The Asian American Journalists Association is a non-profit professional and educational organization with approximately 2,000 members today. Founded in 1981, AAJA has been at the forefront of change in the journalism industry. AAJA's mission is to encourage Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) to enter the ranks of journalism, to work for fair and accurate coverage of AAPIs, and to increase the number of AAPI journalists and news managers in the industry. AAJA is an alliance partner in UNITY Journalists of Color, along with the Native American Journalists Association, National Association of Hispanic Journalists, and National Association of Black Journalists. For more information, visit www.aaja.org.