Kenneth Eng's "Why I hate black people."

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Justin24

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Asian paper's 'I Hate Blacks' column assailed
Leslie Fulbright, Chronicle Staff Writer

Tuesday, February 27, 2007

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A San Francisco weekly newspaper that bills itself as "The Voice of Asian America" is facing harsh criticism from that very community for publishing a column Friday titled "Why I Hate Blacks."

In the column, AsianWeek regular contributor Kenneth Eng listed "reasons" to discriminate against African Americans. The piece has been pulled from the newspaper's Web site, but the print edition of the free paper, owned by the politically influential Fang family, was still available in news racks Monday.

Eng called himself an "Asian supremacist" in January in another installment of the column, which runs under the label "God of the Universe."

Prominent Asian Americans immediately condemned Eng's current column.

"The hate is based on ignorance and is very similar to the rationales that the KKK uses against African Americans," said Henry Der, director for 22 years of Chinese for Affirmative Action and the former state administrator for Emeryville's schools.

"What gives me the greatest concern was AsianWeek's judgment in printing such a piece out of context," Der said. "It is so trite and hateful, it doesn't speak well for the publication."

San Francisco NAACP President Amos Brown, who heard about the column from a Chronicle reporter, was speechless at first.

"I can't believe this," Brown then said. "I am surprised the Fangs, who have supposedly been involved in interracial-understanding issues, would publish something like this. I am flabbergasted. We can't afford for these kind of racist flames to be fueled in that kind of setting."

AsianWeek issued a statement regretting "any offense caused by the one opinion piece," and Editor in Chief Samson Wong declined further comment.

Editor at large Ted Fang did not return phone calls seeking comment. Members of his family, who are Chinese American, have owned a number of local publications, including AsianWeek and the Independent. They bought the Examiner in 2000 and sold it in 2004.

Ted Fang's brother James, who is president of the paper, has spent more than a decade on the BART Board of Directors and previously worked as international trade director for former San Francisco Mayor Frank Jordan.

Eng's "reasons" for hating black people include:

-- "Blacks hate us. Every Asian who has ever come across them knows that they take almost every opportunity to hurl racist remarks at us."

-- "Contrary to media depictions, I would argue that blacks are weak-willed. They are the only race that has been enslaved for 300 years."

-- "Blacks are easy to coerce. This is proven by the fact that so many of them, including the Rev. Al Sharpton, tend to be Christians."

Eng, who is in his early 20s, according to material on the Internet promoting his science fiction writing, started at AsianWeek in November after moving from the East Coast. In 2004, for an online magazine called Down in the Dirt, he wrote about experiencing racism as an Asian American student at New York University after he "expressed my negative views on America, religion and African Americans."

Other AsianWeek columns of Eng's -- including "Proof That Whites Inherently Hate Us" and "Why I Hate Asians" -- have resulted in criticism. In the first, he complained about the scarcity of Asian heroes in the media. In the second, he described Asian Americans as apathetic, brown-nosing and lacking in cultural pride.

Eng could not be reached for comment Monday.

Leaders of the Asian Law Caucus, Asian American Justice Center, Chinese for Affirmative Action and other groups and individuals began circulating a petition Friday calling for the paper to apologize, terminate its relationship with Eng, print an editorial refuting the column and review its editorial policy. The leaders' statement, issued in Washington, D.C., called the piece "irresponsible journalism, blatantly racist, replete with stereotypes and deeply hurtful to African Americans."

In its statement, AsianWeek, which has a circulation of 48,505, said it "sincerely regrets any offense caused by the one opinion piece which reflected that author's personal views. We apologize for any harm or hurt this has caused the African American community. AsianWeek has great respect for all that the African American community has done for Asian Pacific Americans."

David Lee of the Chinese American Voters Education Committee said Eng's statement echoes the feelings of some Asian Americans. He said that rather than condemning the paper, black and Asian people should participate in a town hall-style meeting to address tension he said exists between the two communities.

"There is a segment that feels the way Eng does, but the sentiment is underground and not brought to the surface," Lee said. "If you don't have a discussion, then I think it allows these types of views to fester and turn into something much more negative. Rather than refute and bury this, we should be calling for a community dialogue to address this."

The paper said it will announce in this Friday's edition plans to co-sponsor a town hall-style meeting with the Willie L. Brown Jr. Institute on Politics & Public Service.

"What this controversy points out is the lack of community leadership in addressing the critical and difficult issues of race relations, particularly between Asian Pacific Americans and African Americans," the paper's statement said.

San Francisco writer Claire Light, one of several bloggers who wrote about the column over the weekend, said the newspaper in general -- and especially Eng's column -- makes her embarrassed to be Asian. She said that "most Asian Americans have never even heard of AsianWeek, much less agree with its editorial decision making."

Der said the column was offensive not only to African Americans but to everyone -- and especially because it was published during Black History Month.

"It is pretty despicable that the piece would do that at this time," he said. "If we are to talk about race and issues, then there should be a thoughtful presentation of the diverse views on this topic. If they had done that, however offensive, we would at least understand it in the context in the larger community."

Ling-chi Wang, retired chairman of the ethnic studies department at UC Berkeley, said there is an urgent need for Asian Americans to be aware of the history of this country and know that Asian American gains have come largely as a result of the efforts of black people.

"Personal experiences cannot be generalized," Wang said. "It is really sad to see the racism sentiment being expressed so publicly. I can't believe Ted Fang would allow such a column to go to print. It is really offensive and damaging and is not one that contributes to a better understanding of diversity.

"I was very disappointed to see it published, and I'm glad there are people protesting."

E-mail Leslie Fulbright at lfulbright@sfchronicle.com.
 
before reading all this, is there an opinion you are eager to share with us or a question you are willing to ask Justin? Or are you just aiming at making us read this without giving our opinions or just to start a hot thread?
 
I just wanted to point this out to everyone. Tha racism is everywhere still. Even in San Francisco of all places.
 
meh. It's called freedom of speech. I highly doubt asians are all going to be african american hating now. Its one guy's opinion and thats it.

I think everyone just needs to embrace their stereotypical bullshit aimed at them, and laugh at it, rather then start hyperventilating and pointing fingers.
 
That was some article. Quite frankly, I'd be more pissed if I were Asian-American because this article really knocks them down a peg. Clearly, this article speaks for just one Asian-American and not Asian-Americans as a whole.
Blacks, on the other shouldn't give one thought to what this person has published. Afterall, they've seen worse. They're constantly bombarded with this bullshit. Just ask Michael Richards.

So Justin is doing us a favor by pointing out that, in case you haven't heard, there's racism in the US.
What's your take on all this Justin, since you were the one who dug this article up? Why are we supposed to give a shit about this article when we see bullshit like this on a regular basis? Just curious. You really didn't give an answer except to say you wanted to show us that there's racism all over.
 
I read the article this morning in the SF chronicle and just wanted to point out that anyone of any race can be a racist.
 
Alrighty, thanks for that insightful answer.

Seriously though, I guess what we've learned is that even the Asian-Americans are capable of being just as ignorant as any other race. Who would've thunk?
 
MrPryck2U said:
Alrighty, thanks for that insightful answer.

Seriously though, I guess what we've learned is that even the Asian-Americans are capable of being just as ignorant as any other race. Who would've thunk?

This got me to laugh at loud. It was exactly my thoughts.
 
In the year 2020 there will be 40 million more men than women...we better hope to God the Fang family and they're ilk are not running things under a Chinese Nationalist Regime.
 
Harry Vest, what reality are you a part of? In 2007, women outnumber the men 51 percent to 49 percent. It's been like this for a while now. What makes you think the tide is going to turn within the next 13 years?
 
I think he was referring, based on editor Fang's cited ethnic background, to the skewed sex ratio in China specifically (1.13 males per female, compared to a global average of 1.01, or 0.97 in the US) due to the prevalence of sex-selective abortion and infanticide. Although both practices are illegal in China (not that that's always enforced) and so far as I know the "real" Chinese Nationalist party, the Kuomintang of Taiwan, aren't advocates of them either, so what sex ratios under a hypothetical global "Chinese Nationalist regime" have to do with anything, thread topic included, isn't clear to me either.
 
I agree, it's a given that anyone can be a racist.

I actually got into quite a heated debate a bit back, and had to restrain myself from getting angry and shouting. I work for a Police Force, and ever since the McPherson Report into the Stephen Lawrence enquiry, all police employees have to have race and diversity training. One of the guys delivering my course made the statement 'only white people are racist'. He completely denied that anyone of any other race could be racist. In fact, he actually went as far as to say that ALL white people are racist. And this is a guy who is paid to train people in tolerance and acceptance :slant:
 
bammo2 said:
One of the guys delivering my course made the statement 'only white people are racist'. He completely denied that anyone of any other race could be racist. In fact, he actually went as far as to say that ALL white people are racist. And this is a guy who is paid to train people in tolerance and acceptance :slant:

:shocked:
 
There are people who believe that racism has to be intertwined with power and that therefore only white people can be racist, because they own the power structure. I think that's bs, racism is hating a group and making judgements based on their color. A friend of mine had a black boyfriend and had to deal with a lot of negative attitude about her being white. But then another girlfriend received no attitude from white people about her dating a black guy.
 
^ I've heard this before. I think white racism is different, because of the added power dynamic. But that would only be true in "white-dominant" nations (USA, Canada, Europe). You can't equate that with "only whites are racist" though, that's just stupid.

Sounds to me like this guy Eng is just an attention whore trying to make a name for himself with his "Why I hate X" columns...I'm sure "Why I hate Latinos" is on the agenda. An idiot of no consequence, I'd say.
 
Angela Harlem said:
It's a great example of how idiotic racism is. It's brilliant, actually. The fact that there is no point, is really the point.

I'd like to retract this statement. Apparently there is a very pressing issue in this article which has gone unnoticed by everyone. Well, everyone except Warner Todd Huston.
huston.jpg


http://www.renewamerica.us/columns/huston/070228

Read. Enjoy. Weep.
:(
 
AP


SAN FRANCISCO —
The editor of a weekly newspaper calling itself "The Voice of Asian America" on Wednesday apologized to community leaders and fired a columnist who wrote a piece titled "Why I Hate Blacks."

"At AsianWeek we take full responsibility for the mistake we made, apologize for the publication of the piece, and assure it will not happen again," said Ted Fang, AsianWeek's editor-at-large. "Promotion of hate speech of any kind cannot and will not be tolerated."

A statement on the newspaper's Web site said Kenneth Eng, 22, had been fired.

In the piece, which appeared in Feb. 23 edition of the San Francisco-based newspaper, Eng explained why he supports discrimination against blacks, saying "they are the only race that has been enslaved for 300 years."

Eng has described himself as an "Asian Supremacist." Among the columns he wrote for AsianWeek, a paper with a circulation of 48,505, are pieces titled "Proof That Whites Inherently Hate Us" and "Why I Hate Asians."

Fang refused to explain why Eng wasn't censured after the publication of the first two pieces despite repeated questions from reporters.

"For 27 years, AsianWeek has prided itself on promoting interracial, intercultural pride and harmony," said Fang, whose family owns AsianWeek and the Independent, a local paper. "We fell down on the job."

More than a dozen politicians, community activists and religious leaders spoke out against the racist column.

"Speech that promotes hate has no place in San Francisco or anywhere in our country," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, said in a statement. "Eng's words were not only offensive to African Americans, but to all Americans."

Asian leaders denounced the feelings expressed in the piece, saying they are not representative of the larger Asian population, which has often been the target of discrimination.

"As minorities, we've all experienced hurt," said the Rev. Jeff Louie, senior pastor of San Francisco's Sunset Church. "It's how they chose to respond to negative experiences that sets people apart."

Other members of groups that have been singled out by racism called for greater unity.

"I know, as a Muslim, what it is to be hated, to be tormented," said Souleiman Ghali, president of the Islamic Society of San Francisco. "We need to come together as a community and stand together against hate, because hate against one group is hate against all of us."

Black civic and religious authorities pointed out the recent slur didn't happen in a vacuum, but as part of continued prejudice against blacks.

"Eng's comments expose the racial tension — often hidden, but still very much present — in communities across America," NAACP President Bruce S. Gordon said in a statement. "These types of remarks widen the racial divide and further promote negative stereotypes."

Others pointed out that in San Francisco blacks often lack access to good schools, affordable housing and crime-free neighborhoods.

That neglect has caused a steady decline in the city's black population, said the Rev. Arnold Townsend, San Francisco's elections commissioner and assistant pastor at Rhema Word Christian Fellowship Church.

"They've been run out of town," Townsend said, adding that Eng said what he did because "he thought he could get away with it in this town."
 
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