ESPN Calls Jeremy Lin a “Chink” in Article Headline, Quickly Retracted

By Ernie | Saturday, February 18, 2012 | 16 Comments

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espn jeremy lin chink ESPN Calls Jeremy Lin a Chink in Article Headline, Quickly Retracted

Around two years ago, 8Asians had a TalkAbout post where we discussed whether the phrase “chink in the armor” was offensive to say or not. While it was decided that it depended on the context, it’s safe to say this ESPN headline of “Chink in the Amour” describing Jeremy Lin’s performance against the Hornets definitely fits in the “I’m pretty sure that’s offensive” category. The headline for online publication was quickly retracted an hour later with an apology. Oh, ESPN! Quick to use puns like “Linsanity” when stars rise, quick to use racial epithets when they fall.

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yu888

While clearly in the wrong category, I must admit I am more amused at the stupidity and less angry at the fact that it probably reflects the prevalent attitudes of many in the sports media industry. I suspect this was a coldly calculated move on ESPN’s part top draw more viewers… and it worked.
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http://www.8Asians.com/ jozjozjoz

@yu888 Thanks for your comment, yu888. Looks like your comment got cited on IHT Rendezvous by the New York Times.

http://rendezvous.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/02/18/with-ethnic-slurs-espn-stepped-over-the-foul-line/
Elliott

Update: ESPN fired the writer who wrote the headline and another anchor who’d used the term on air.

http://espn.go.com/espn/story/_/id/7591778/espn-statement-offensive-jeremy-lin-comments
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http://www.erniehsiung.com/ Ernie H.

@Elliott And thanks to some Google research, this is a bio of the writer, taken from his LinkedIn profile which has since been self-deleted:

http://www.mustbenicebook.com/
Biffer

http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/351955/usbased-koreanamerican-songwriter-scored-racist-tweets

Has anyone heard about this?
Elliott

@Biffer Troll on: no one cares. Anybody with half a brain knows racist people exist everywhere: difference is they’re not all writing headlines for the top sports news organizations in the US.
Biffer

@Elliott @Biffer Please stop your ad hominem attacks or I shall have to report you.
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http://thylacine.livejournal.com/ ErikaHarada

@Biffer How is this relevant to the post
http://thylacine.livejournal.com/ ErikaHarada

@jozjozjoz @yu888 Looking at the article, it’s hilarious to me that Eric Fürst apparently doesn’t know how freedom of speech works — “Unfortunately, we have something called freedom of speech in this country…And before you go out and attack me know this that people can speak their minds even if it offends you. You are the one allowing it to bother you. So I disagree with the AJAA and people’s responses on here.”

So AJAA doesn’t have the freedom to say “what the fuck were you thinking, you dumbass?” Freedom of speech goes both ways.
http://www.erniehsiung.com/ Ernie H.

@Biffer @Elliott Elliott’s comment is not a personal attack. That said, I wouldn’t say that no one would care, as this is indirectly related to Jeremy Lin and race baiting. We’ll probably get a post about this up soon.
http://www.8Asians.com/ jozjozjoz

@ErikaHarada@yu888 Also, it’s AAJA (not AJAA).
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