CNN Jack Cafferty's comments on Chinese

[iankobe]

On the April 9, 2008 broadcast of CNN's "Situation Room", when asked to comment on the United States' relationship with China, Cafferty responded: "Well, I don't know if China is any different, but our relationship with China is certainly different. We're in hock to the Chinese up to our eyeballs because of the war in Iraq, for one thing. They're holding hundreds of billions of dollars worth of our paper. We also are running hundred of billions of dollars worth of trade deficits with them, as we continue to import their junk with the lead paint on them and the poisoned pet food and export, you know, jobs to places where you can pay workers a dollar a month to turn out the stuff that we're buying from Wal-Mart. So I think our relationship with China has certainly changed. I think they're basically the same bunch of goons and thugs they've been for the last 50 years".The Legal Immigrant Association started an online petition calling for a formal apology, indicating that Mr. Cafferty's rant was anti-Chinese in every way, and has had the effect of exacerbating negative attitudes held by Americans toward Chinese and Chinese Americans. On the April 14, 2008 broadcast of CNN's "Situation Room", Jack Cafferty commented on his remarks by saying the following "Last week, during a discussion of the controversy surrounding China's hosting of the Olympic Games, I said that the Chinese are basically the same bunch of goons and thugs they have been for the last 50 years. I was referring to the Chinese government, and not to Chinese people or to Chinese-Americans." CNN issued an apology on April 14, to "anyone who has interpreted the comments" to be causing offense.
*Wikipedia.com


Video references:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=qPAVBaQzp3w
http://youtube.com/watch?v=esubtXxnuIc


Cafferty on Chinese Products: http://youtube.com/watch?v=9YEW3tDFTf8

I, myself am a Chinese. After reading, watching and hearing about what this commentator had to say what my people are, I felt really insulted and angry. This guy has no idea whatsoever he's talking about, and what he's about to face.

Comments and thoughts are welcomed.

 

[Junpappy]

I don't know how I ended up this way, but I'm almost completely indifferent about racial insults/stereotyping as long as its only verbal. Maybe I'm ignorant and rely too strongly on other people's abilities to realize that there is no validity of slanderous remarks made by anyone on tv or any form of media. I honestly can't give a **** what people like him have to say, no matter how offensive it may be, and I'm not sure why you're so bothered by it when you yourself claim he has no idea whatsoever he's talking about. My only problem with this is that it spreads misconceptions amongst those who are too ignorant to realize the truth.

 

[Kitten]

To be honest though, the Chinese government have been oppressive and tyrannic for the past 50 years. I think he made the honest mistake of not specifying that he meant Chinese government the first time round. I also think it's pretty obvious that's what he did mean though, as he made the comment about wages in China, which would be a comment critical of Chinese government, not the Chinese people (it would infact be somewhat sympathetic toward them). If he was genuinely being racist, then sure he's a bad guy, but just brush it off. Who cares what Jack Cafferty thinks. I'm an American living in England and I get this kind of **** all the time.

 

[Black Waltz]

Kitten essentially pointed out all the points that I was going to make.

Off topic: My parents are Taiwanese immigrants, does that make me Chinese technically?

 

[Crimson King]

You went to CNN and didn't expect some racial remarks every now and then?

Who cares? CNN has never had much credibility for me, anyway.

 

[GoldShadow]

I agree with Kitten.

 

[iankobe]

I truly understand that we don't have to care about what a commentator has to say. The problem is, what if he was talking about your country's government? How would you feel? I'm pretty sure you would feel the same way.

As of now, I'm feeling just whatever and wanted to share my thoughts with ya'll.

 

[Crimson King]

Uh, my country's government IS run by goons and thugs.

 

[Kitten]

Nope, like I said, I get this **** all the time. I don't support having gone to war etc., so I recognise that my government warrants criticism. The kind of wages and working hours in China for many are pretty inhumane from what I know (do correct me if I'm wrong), and either the Chinese government hasn't set acceptable standards for wages and hours or they just don't enforce them. The whole killing peaceful protesters and censoring information all over the place thing is pretty bad. Surely you should be angry at your government too, for oppressing your people?

 

[KevinM]

Uh, my country's government IS run by goons and thugs.

Are you tellin me the United States government isn't perfect?

 

[omfgomfg]

i am 100% chinese

 

[Crimson King]

Are you tellin me the United States government isn't perfect?

Sarcasm or not, I can readily admit our governments thuggish nature. To say China is any different with its history of human abuses is just idiotic.

 

[adumbrodeus]

"Situation Room", when asked to comment on the United States' relationship with China, Cafferty responded: "Well, I don't know if China is any different, but our relationship with China is certainly different. We're in hock to the Chinese up to our eyeballs because of the war in Iraq, for one thing. They're holding hundreds of billions of dollars worth of our paper. We also are running hundred of billions of dollars worth of trade deficits with them, as we continue to import their junk with the lead paint on them and the poisoned pet food and export, you know, jobs to places where you can pay workers a dollar a month to turn out the stuff that we're buying from Wal-Mart. So I think our relationship with China has certainly changed. I think they're basically the same bunch of goons and thugs they've been for the last 50 years".

So, what precisely did he say?

He's annoyed that we're involved with a particular country to the degree we are(the goons and thugs part suggests that it's because of their oppressive government style). He's annoyed at the trade deficit, he's annoyed a the poor safety standards that resulted in us getting dangerous products, he's annoyed at outsourcing, he's annoyed at them controlling a lot of our national debt.

These are all legitimate complaints, complaints against the Chinese government. None of them attack individual Chinese people, and they especially are not directed at Americans of Chinese descent.


That wasn't racist, it was directed in opposition to the government of China and saying that we should not be involved with them to the degree that we are.

I truly understand that we don't have to care about what a commentator has to say. The problem is, what if he was talking about your country's government? How would you feel? I'm pretty sure you would feel the same way.

As of now, I'm feeling just whatever and wanted to share my thoughts with ya'll.

I find fault with the American government all the time.

Generally, the more I care about a country the more I comment on it's issues.

As of right now, China's government is an absolute gem[/sarcasm] and ignoring that fact helps nobody, just like pretending that the Arroyo administration in the Philippines is not completely corrupt helps nobody, and pretending that the current US administration is not incompetent helps nobody.

All countries I care about, that's why I'm concerned enough to find out these things.

Loving a country doesn't mean just acting like it doesn't have any issues, it means illustrating the issues and trying to create change.



This guy may not care about China, but he brought up legitimate points about US and Chinese policy, rather then killing the messenger, maybe we should try to do something about it.

 

[Kitten]

i am 100% chinese

That's great.