I’m generally pretty tolerant of gaffes from all groups of people. Most people tend to have moments when they didn’t think about what they were saying.
But I do take notice of gaffes, because it usually lets loose people’s deep biases that they don’t normally display.
So the latest media gaffe in US that caught my attention, was when a kid made a suggestion to “kill everyone in China” to settle U.S. debt, on Jimmy Kimmel’s show.
For one, I’m not the only one who was offended.
Second, I don’t think Kimmel planned it, but it is disturbing that a child said such a thing, genocide no less.
So the question is, what kind of parents, teachers, media, society is feeding this kind of stuff to a child?
Charles Liu says
Jimmy Kimmel has since issued a tacit apology, saying he didn’t agree with what the kid said. Does anyone think ABC would have even aired it, if the kid blurted out “kill all the Jews”, even thou ABC/Kimmel Show don’t agree with it?
Unlike the overt racism of the past, this is today’s racism – the seemingly benign, acceptable, easily rationalized kind.
Black Pheonix says
And the kid didn’t just blurted it out.
He actually went on to explain that he really meant it, even when all the other kids at the table said “NO”.
This kid is really messed up. Heaven helps the banks that lend that kid money in the future!
But then again, I have read similar kinds of genocidal rant on reddit.com
And then again, this kid is kinda the history of US (in its childhood) in a nutshell, i.e. Native Americans lend land for the colonists to use, and the colonists return the favor by killing the Native Americans.
Zack says
how about they shouldn’t even have fookin’ aired it in the first place?
the only language these savages and their children understand is force and killing as this little kid so aptly demonstrates.
THis is what decades of hollywood propaganda depicting Asians, specifically Chinese, as unPersons results in: having an environment where a kid honestly thinks it’s ok for the US to commit genocide so as to avoid paying back monies.
Looking at the papers coming out of the PEntagon concerning a future ‘war with China’ where they accept the targeting of Chinese cities and civilians as a tactic of war.
ersim says
The six year old is but a reflection of a sick society that endorses and celebrates violence through out its vile colonialist/imperialist history. Shouldn’t have shocked anybody that this six year was very quick to endorse in “killing everybody in China”. Found it ironic that he was sitting next to an Asian girl when he endorsed genocide.
TheMakerzBiz says
Do children, 5 to 6 year olds, even have such a concept as “genocide”? Probably not…
At the end, Kimmel calls it the “Lord of the Flies” edition, which was immensely funny.
ersim says
@TheMakerzBiz
5 to 6 year olds wouldn’t have a concept like genocide, but they know what KILLING means. The last time a saw the “Lord of the Flies”, I don’t remember it to be “immensely funny”. Not a very smart comparison on Kimmel’s part or is it yours???
Black Pheonix says
“Do children, 5 to 6 year olds, even have such a concept as “genocide”? Probably not…”
Which is quite troubling that a society would indoctrinate a 5-6 year old child into thinking suggestion of “genocide” is somehow funny, without a clue as to what the word means.
Of course, the child probably would have no clue what “freedom” means as well. Which is a good clue as to the priority of education in US.
Mister Unknown says
Let’s not jump to conclusions with a sample size of 1. Just because one kid says “kill all Chinese people”, it doesn’t mean kids are actually being “indoctrinated” into something that extreme. I agree that 6-year-olds do not understand the concept of genocide. I would even give Kimmel the benefit of the doubt, for he might not have had anything better to show that night, and he didn’t think much of some immature comment by some 6-year-old.
However, this does say something about the US media for allowing something like this to air. Let’s imagine if the kid says “kill all the Jews” or “kill all the Blacks” instead, what would have been the consequences to Kimmel then, if he allowed it to air?
I don’t think what the kid says or what Kimmel chose to air on his show is really the benchmark of how Americans view the Chinese, it’s the US media reaction (or lack thereof) that sets a certain tone here, and it’s not a positive one.
TheMakerzBiz says
@ersim
It’s a very smart comparison on Kimmel’s part. In “The Lord of the Flies” a group of children are lost on an island without any adults. Slowly but surely, the young boys devolve from a quasi-society into an orgy of murder and dance. It was a great literary allusion for the absurdity of the young boy’s comment.
I highly recommend you pick up a copy of the book. It is great.
Black Pheonix says
“Slowly but surely, the young boys devolve from a quasi-society into an orgy of murder and dance. It was a great literary allusion given the absurdity of the young boy’s comment.”
One was a fictional story.
But that Absurdity is apparently now reality in US.
TheMakerzBiz says
A reality? The boy made a barbarous comment and the host, Kimmel, called him out on it — “lord of the flies” edition.
No one was murdered or hurt physically — just feelings and emotions.
Black Pheonix says
@TheMakerzBiz
“No one was murdered or hurt physically — just feelings and emotions.”
And you are OK with hurting “feelings” via genocidal threats??
Hurt “feelings” are NOT reality??
TheMakerzBiz says
http://cdn.japandailypress.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/new-trends-in-dealer-advertising-we-must-exterminate-the-japanese-550×260.jpeg
Is it okay to extrapolate this hateful sign that clearly encourages genocide as the “reality” in modern China? Obviously, this genocidal threat hurt millions of Japanese peoples feelings. What a sick reality modern China has become!
The kid made a “threat” now? Wow. I didn’t think he was threatening anyone, more like making an arse out of himself — something kids normally do. It takes a thin skin to be offended by a 5 year old.
Feelings are inherently subjective, so no, they aren’t reality.
Ray says
Why is everybody ignoring Unknown’s comment here. This is the gist of the whole article here! It shows that it is ok to mention killing of Chinese. This is the shocking double standard that is destroying US’s position all over the world. From open discrimination of Muslim to Asian.
The key point is here. Why it is not acceptable to mention killing of Jewish or African American (I am trying to act politically correct) but acceptable to mention killing of Chinese?
When you see them as others!
This is what the Western free press has been doing for the decades with no sign of letting up.
Black Pheonix says
@TheMakerzBiz
Actually that’s an audi (German) dealership in the photo. So, I don’t know why a German car company would allow such slogans.
Ray says
@TheMakerzBiz
Why don’t you quote that blog instead?
https://hiddenharmonies.org/2013/10/a-typical-rumorlie-from-an-usual-expat-suspect-blog/
The reality and big difference is there is no outrage in the US when mention of killing all Chinese is aired in national TV.
Ray says
@TheMakerzBiz
Did you actually know what is written on that sign? There is TWO pre-condition on killing all Japanese. Firstly, it is based on the premise that Japan is invading China again. In this case, the Diaoyu Dao which is also supported by Taiwan and HK.
Secondly, it says when “there are tombs all over China”. It means that it is killing all Japanese who invaded China and many Chinese also died in self-defence.
The move you tried to pull is pretty poor example of “you did it too so it is ok for us to do it” argument. I am sorry to say that it is not even remotely on the same level. Just search for right-wing Japanese protest against China. It is rife with signs of killing Chinese and even killing China. Of course, it is not widely reported in the West so it might as well never happened. Thus embolden these right-wingers to do more.
Ray says
@Black Pheonix
This is some cheap ass free marketing gimmick from a German/Chinese car dealer. It was taken during anti-Japanese products protests were making waves when the Diaoyu disputes heat up.
Basically, the message was “Don’t buy Japanese cars, buy German cars, in this case Audi.”
Black Pheonix says
@TheMakerzBiz
“Feelings are inherently subjective, so no, they aren’t reality.”
Interesting, and that would explain quite a bit about the West. Although, by the same logic, since you don’t consider people’s feelings to be reality, I don’t consider your comments about Kimmel’s “immensely funny” to be all that real.
That’s obviously just your subjective feeling.
And since that’s how you want to confine the subjects, in the future, you need to restrict your comments to reality.
If you post comments about your “feelings”/emotions, they will be considered SPAM, and removed.
ersim says
The cultural insensitivity within the U.S. “lamestream” media is such that they still call “kill everbody in China” skit from Kimmel a “joke”. A very SICK joke, indeed.
Black Pheonix says
@TheMakerzBiz
“The kid made a “threat” now? Wow. I didn’t think he was threatening anyone, more like making an arse out of himself — something kids normally do.”
“normal” is perhaps how you feel about this, but your feelings are not reality.
Well, the reality is, in US, kids who make threats can be suspended from school, and even detained by police.
http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130502/18364622931/ma-teen-arrested-held-without-bail-posting-supposed-terrorist-threat-facebook.shtml
Reality is a harsh time in jail.
Sigmar says
Intelligent comeback from a mod in the Chinese Defence Forum:
“America owe the most to themselves, so what should we do…? :D”
http://www.chinesedefence.com/forums/world-affairs/6669-us-american-media-kill-everyone-china-4.html
TheMakerzBiz says
@Ray
I know what’s written on the sign — pro-genocide smut with smiling people underneath. Who cares about the preconditions — genocide is WRONG.
Adults making a sign that encourages GENOCIDE is okay because there’s a rocks dispute, but a 5 year old who says a silly comment (not print a professionally printed sign that is 5 meters long) is horrible? Odd. I’d say, if anything, it’s worse then adults express evil. Kids are kids — they still need to learn.
@Black Pheonix
You always accuse me of “spam” which makes it hard to respond and justify what I’ve written. That’s frustrating. It’s difficult to discuss anything with you because I fear reprisal. Please stop doing so. It’s not harmonious whatsoever. I am happy to discuss things calmly, rationally, and intelligently. No spam here.
How do you measure someone’s feelings? There is a petition against the Kimmel show and it compares what the kid said to Nazi Germany’s campaign to eliminate European Jewry. Clearly, this kid’s comments and Nazi Germany are on entirely different levels, but due to an emotional outburst someone felt it was an apt comparison. That’s what I meant by feelings aren’t all that real. The author of the petition may have actually “felt” like a European Jewish person during the Holocaust, I don’t know, but objectively, this TV show bears zero relation to real-life genocides.
Regardless, violent crime and race/hate motivated crime are both DOWN in the USA. The USA is becoming a safer and more harmonious society based on statistics and hard evidence. That’s why “feelings” are not subjective — anyone can feel like an isolated victim at any time, regardless of the aggregate within a society. Just because someone feels like they are a victim of racism does not mean that society as a whole has a problem.
BTW, your link calls into question over-emotional responses by people that skews reality and causes more harm than good, read the first sentence: “I’m going to take a guess and say the national Terrorism Mood Ring is still set to ‘OVERREACT'”.
Just because I found Kimmel’s allusion to be funny does not make it objectively funny (can anything be objectively funny?), and just because you found the kid’s comments offensive does not make them objectively so. We can still discuss it, but neither of us can be absolutely “correct”.
I think it’s funny, you don’t. Oh well. Neither of us is “correct”.
Ray says
@TheMakerzBiz
Like I have said, your understanding of the Chinese language is too shallow. The sign clearly meant killing all Japanese who invaded China. It doesn’t mean genocide or killing all Japanese.
Even Mao said the Japanese people are victim of Japanese imperialism.
Sigh. You are typical of those who try push crimes of genocide on the Chinese. The fact is, the most successful genocide is committed by the English speaking European in invaded countries now called, US, Canada, Australia and NZ. The Chinese civilization never committed such crime in its long recorded history.
If you think the genocide in US, Canada, Australia and NZ is history then I have even more contempt for you. The reality is those genocide is still going on as we speak. You are barking up the wrong horse here.
It is not an accident that a national tv shows used a little kid for its own sick agenda. This nation has serious genocide and racist track record.
Ray says
@TheMakerzBiz
I don’t know whether it is intellectual deficiency on your part or simply plain dishonesty. I clearly raised the point that Japanese right wingers use despicable sign all the time. How can you simply ignored what I’ve said and simply go out to condemn a few sorry assed Audi salesperson who tried to make a cheap marketing shot. Your failure to condemn the company but simply narrow it down as Chinese support of genocide is nothing short of despicable.
Did those salesperson got any support from any big corporation or government in China? How can this be equal to a national US TV station who clearly sanctioned this sort of nonsense. Nobody except you is concentrating on the little boy. You are the only one trying to pass it off as a bad move by a 5 year old. This is not the focus of our condemnation but rather the US public silence on this matter.
TheMakerzBiz says
@Ray
Audi told the company to take down the sign immediately and not to protest at work again. Why should I criticise the company when then company took it down? I blame the people who encourage MURDER, in this case, professionally employed adults who have extreme looks of adulation about them whilst beneath a sign that calls for murder and mayhem.
http://japandailypress.com/audi-reprimands-chinese-dealership-with-sign-calling-for-murder-of-japanese-2112884/
I am not a native speaker of Chinese, so yes, my understanding is not perfect, but still, the sign talks about murder of the Japanese people, and because there are zero human settlements on the Diaoyudao, it leads me to wonder who the sign is about — where in Chinese territory are there permanently housed Japanese imperialists? If it’s asking to murder all the members of the Japanese military during the 1930s-40s, then most probably died of natural causes already, which makes the sign absurd. Please, give me a more explanation for the sign. Like I said, I am not a native Chinese speaker, and I definitely can misinterpret things. I would appreciate help :).
US public silence? ABC publicly apologised: http://www.deadline.com/2013/10/jimmy-kimmel-live-china-abc-apology/
You want to talk about the genocides in the settler countries of the British Empire? Sure, that’s genocide, and it goes on today in the form of education disparity, mineral and oil exploration, and inadequate response to substance abuse. Don’t you live in one of those settler countries, though? Kind of hypocritical of you I’d say, especially when you can go live in China and not be participant to genocide of native peoples (from a Han perspective only, of course, there is an immense body of literature that disagrees with your thesis, and several groups that feel like a cultural genocide is going on). Just my take.
I’m not putting genocide on all the Chinese people, so please refrain from projecting that I am “typical”, projection on this board is spam. I clearly showed, however, that within China there is a public thirst that is pro-genocide/murder, and this point of view probably derives from the same places you blame this American kid’s comments on — teachers, media, society. Of course I don’t mean that all Chinese are to blame.
So the question is, what kind of parents, teachers, media, society is feeding this kind of stuff to a professional employed adults?
N.M.Cheung says
I agree the heading projecting what one kid said to teachers and education system is incorrect. It’s obvious when “Chinese ” is substituted by “Jews” or “Blacks” it’s politically incorrect and would have never been broadcasted or joked about. The surprise thing is the reaction of Chinese American community forced an apology from ABC and Kimmel which I think is great. It shows we are no longer can be taken for granted. It is a serious issue and should not be swept away by using “Lord of the Fly” humor as an excuse.
Black Pheonix says
@TheMakerzBiz
“I’m not putting genocide on all the Chinese people, so please refrain from projecting that I am “typical”, projection on this board is spam. I clearly showed, however, that within China there is a public thirst that is pro-genocide/murder, and this point of view probably derives from the same places you blame this American kid’s comments on — teachers, media, society. Of course I don’t mean that all Chinese are to blame.
So the question is, what kind of parents, teachers, media, society is feeding this kind of stuff to a professional employed adults?”
Difference is demonstrated by your own comments:
No one here is justifying the signs in an Audi car dealer as “NORMAL”.
In contrast, you justified and downplayed the kid’s genocide comment as “something kids normally do”.
“You always accuse me of “spam” which makes it hard to respond and justify what I’ve written. That’s frustrating. It’s difficult to discuss anything with you because I fear reprisal. Please stop doing so. It’s not harmonious whatsoever. I am happy to discuss things calmly, rationally, and intelligently. No spam here.”
You are not interested in “calm, rational” discussions. You have demonstrated that by justifying genocide comment as “NORMAL”.
Your attempt at digging out a car dealership marketing gimmick is obviously aimed as part of your argument to justify genocide comment as “NORMAL”.
Well, I’m here to tell you, it’s NOT “normal”, nor allowed in this forum to condone or justify genocidal threat.
I should have banned you a while back, but I let you have your say to excuse the kid’s comment as “NORMAL”.
But now you had your say, I’m here to tell you, that you are done.
For your continual justification of genocidal threats as “NORMAL”, you are banned.
Black Pheonix says
@N.M.Cheung
In case you don’t realize it, the Title was a bit of a sarcasm on what many China bloggers have written in the past about China.
The audi car dealer story for example, was heavily projected by many China bloggers about “Chinese nationalism”.
As “TheMakerzBiz” has demonstrated with his own words, he would excuse the American kid’s comment as “NORMAL”.
And he has even suggested that Chinese people are “thin skinned to be offended by a 5 year old.”
Now, I’m pretty sure many in US share his “feeling” about this one.
So, that alone also makes an interesting point about what they are teaching kids in US, via such attitudes (What is TheMakerzBiz’s example teaching kids in US??)
Justify bad behavior as “normal”? Then mock others as “thin skinned”??
I think TheMakerzBiz just proved my point precisely.
Ray says
@TheMakerzBiz
I have clearly explain that the language used in the banner is more of an exaggeration and is made on the condition that the Japanese invaded China again. Genocide usually occurred when one side is so militarily superior that it was committed when there is no chance of retaliation. In the banner example it was clearly stated in the 1st of the 4 verse that many Chinese lives will be lost. On the 3rd verse, it says that grass no longer grows in China! What kind of genocist wants it own country and people to die? TheMakerzBiz then feinted ignorance and shifted the goal post again by stating those people encourage murder but refused to acknowledge Japanese right-wingers doing it frequently with no repercussion whatsoever. He then help support my point by showing that those salesperson were reprimanded. So there is a big difference here.
As for enlightening you. I highly suspect the person writing the 4 rhythmatic verse got his inspiration from Yue Fei’s 满江红 . Here’s the historical context, the Jin dynasty sacked the Northern Song capital, committed countless murder and rape. Kidnapped the whole extended royal family and large number of people to be used as slaves. Incidents such as these were to be committed repeatedly. That’s why the verse not only advocate sadness, anger, return of the kidnapped people but also cannibalism of the enemy. Believe it or not, this poetry is actually compulsory reading in all greater China education system at the elementary level! However, the teacher will certainly explain that it is poetic exaggeration.
If you think an apology like that from ABC means all is well and dandy with US mainstream press, you are more ignorant than I thought. Simply look at the comment section on that article. You see the majority of the comments totally oblivious to the seriousness of the whole scenario. If Kimmel would have used “killed all the Jews or Blacks” as a joke, he would have lost his job and black listed forever in the industry. We are telling you that this double standard is not acceptable to us here but you continue to spam the thread by insinuating that it is normal for Chinese bloggers to advocate genocide and murder. We don’t think that is acceptable that’s why Chinese internet are moderated. Those statement would never be allowed on any public publication or government.
ersim says
The anti-Chinese sentiment within the U.S. seems to be culturally and historically acceptable for them to be casual about it. What I see and hear about the Chinese in the U.S. since the 19th century has been very negative. I guess in their warped and distorted minds is ok to “joke” about their suffering. Something very similar to the indigenous peoples within the U.S.
cici_tang says
Hello, there were over 60 asian american organizations, mainly chinese american organizations, accused Harvard of discrimination recently. The official website of the Harvard complaint is http://www.asianamericancoalition.org
There are lots of media covered this, including CNN, WSJ, Foxnews, NYT, Washington Post.