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   Racial stereotypes and caricatures do not serve any purpose besides insulting people who are different than those making the remarks. Just as racist images about a particular minority group are offensive to that segment of our population -- including Asians -- so are inaccurate, inflammatory and demeaning terms.

   I have read O'Neal's half-hearted apology for the comments he made about Yao Ming. To me, his apology is reminiscent of a child saying he or she is sorry for something without fully understanding the seriousness of his or her actions. According to O'Neal, "I said it jokingly, so this guy [AsianWeek guest columnist Irwin Tang] was just trying to stir something up that's not there. He's just somebody who doesn't have a sense of humor, like I do." O'Neal went on to say, "That's just the ups and downs of trying to be a comedian."

   O'Neal should realize that racist comments about any individual or group of people are not funny to anyone who is concerned about promoting racial equality and understanding. O'Neal should understand the full impact of his comments toward another racial group, because he was recently awarded a NAACP Young Leaders Award.

    O'Neal needs to learn that not all Asians are in Jackie Chan movies, nor do we all work in laundries. Some of us may even be 7 feet tall and have tremendous basketball skills, as evidenced by Yao Ming's capturing almost a half-million more votes than O'Neal so far in the NBA all-star game ballot voting. And no, Yao's votes did not all come from people living in Mainland China, but from Americans who can fully appreciate the basketball skills of someone who comes from a different background.

    There is one benefit to this whole unfortunate incident. Yao Ming should be applauded for the dignity and maturity that he has displayed, even at his young age of 22, regarding O'Neal's reprehensible remarks. "There are a lot of difficulties in two different cultures understanding each other. . . . I think it's important to have a greater understanding of other cultures. I believe Shaquille O'Neal was joking, but I think that a lot of Asian people don't understand that kind of joke," Yao said.

     I hope that O'Neal and American society as a whole will learn to be more tolerant and sensitive to all racial groups because of this controversy.
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Henry Chang Jr. is a member of the Oakland City Council.

STATEMENT FROM OAKLAND COUNCILMEMBER AT-LARGE HENRY CHANG

CNN commentator Jack Cafferty's characterization of the Chinese people as “basically the same bunch of goons and thugs they have been in the last fifty years” goes beyond what most would consider the limits of free speech. Chinese around the world are justifiably insulted and outraged by Cafferty's racist remarks. For CNN not to take any punitive actions against Cafferty sends a clear message to Chinese that CNN condones Cafferty's statements.

I came to America 56 years ago to study at the University of California, Berkeley. To me America was a land of opportunity, fairness, and tolerance. I am proud to be an American citizen. I am also proud of my homeland, China, and my memories of the years I spent there will always be part of me. Therefore, when Jack Cafferty insults the people of China with his racist comments, he insults me and Chinese from all corners of the world.

I recently told my granddaughter that civilized and mature people do not call others derogatory names. I would have hoped that someone of Cafferty's age would have learned the same lesson many, many years ago. So what conclusions should we draw from Cafferty's description of China and its people? First it is very clear that Cafferty has not been to China recently to witness the remarkable progress that has been made. Second it is also clear that media executives have a double standard of how racist statements are handled. Don Imus was fired for his racist characterization of some female African-American basketball players. Two disc jockeys back east were fired for a racist joke they played over the air on an Asian restaurant owner. What has CNN done to Jack Cafferty over this incident? CNN has done nothing, except to explain that his statements were directed toward the Beijing government and not the Chinese people. Therefore it appears that racist things said about Chinese are acceptable in the media?

In conclusion Chinese need to understand that Cafferty's remarks are just the latest in a long line of racist insults that the media have directed towards them. These insults will continue unless we are vigilant in our outrage towards such racism. America has come a long way in fostering racial tolerance, but we still have quite a ways to go. In conclusion, CNN and Jack Cafferty must be held accountable for perpetuating a racist image and misunderstanding of China and its people.

By Henry Chang Jr.
I was dismayed to read the statements made by Los Angeles Laker center Shaquille O'Neal mocking the Chinese accent of Houston Rockets center Yao Ming.
In remarks aired on Fox Sports Radio in December and reported by AsianWeek early this month, O'Neal was quoted as saying "Tell Yao Ming, 'Ching-chong- yang-wah-ah-soh.' "
Honestly, none of the Asians that I know speak like that. This statement, besides being an insult to all Asians, must be a figment of O'Neal's imagination as well as the narrow-minded stereotype fostered by the media.
As offensive as O'Neal's comments were to me personally, it is only the most recent insult to Asians. Last spring, Abercrombie & Fitch sold T-shirts with a caricature of a Chinese laundry man saying "no tickee, no shirtee." At Halloween, a mask was sold that portrayed an angry Asian with buck teeth. And to make matters worse, Fox Sports Radio's Tony Bruno rebroadcast the O'Neal slur several times on Dec. 16 and 17. On the second day, Bruno informed listeners that O'Neal's comment was "not racist," and then invited them to call with their own jokes making fun of Chinese.