Tuesday, January 20, 2004

Yao Ming Called A Chinaxxx

Yesterday, Turner Broadcaster Steve Kerr described Ming Yao as a "7'6" Chinaman," during the Houston versus Memphis game. 80-20 induced a sincere apology within 3 hours.

(1) At 3:00 p.m. today, 80-20 obtained concrete evidence that Steve Kerr, a TNT broadcaster, described Ming Yao as a "7'6" Chinaman." At 4:15 p.m., 80-20- staff Jing-Li Yu left words with the secretary of TNT CEO, Philip I. Kent, that 80-20 President S. B. Woo wanted to be called regarding the incident.

At 5:45 p.m., TNT Senior VP Jeff Banky and Broadcaster Steve Kerr called S. B. at his home and apologized profusely. They asked him to in turn convey their apologies to the Asian American community. It seemed obvious that Kerr didn't know that Chinaman, unlike Frenchman and Englishman, was a derogatory term. S.B. accepted the apology with the condition that Mr. Kerr also called Ming Yao to apologize. S.B. also requested that Mr. Kerr to publicize, whenever appropriate, the impropriety of using derogatory terms in describing minorities. Mr. Kerr agreed. 80-20 TURNED A NEGATIVE CASE INTO A POSITIVE ONE IN 2 HOURS AND 45 MINUTES.

(2) A couple of months ago, General Wesley Clark also inadvertently used Chinaman together with the term Frenchman in an radio interview. Upon an e-mail from S. B., Gen. Clark called S.B. at his home to apologize. SB was impressed with General Clark's sincerity and his sensitivity towards minority concerns. ANOTHER INSTANCE THAT 80-20 TURNS A NEGATIVE EVENT TO A POSITIVE ONE.

(3) After learning about General Clark's apology, An Army Major e- mailed SB to let him know that a terrain in the Army map of Fort Irwin in the California Mojave Desert is designated "Chinaman's Hat." Upon learning that S. B. requested Julia Wan, a new Board Member to work with the Army to delete the name. A month ago, Brigadier General Joseph Fil, Jr. e-mailed Julia stating "The computerized data base from which they (the maps in question) are produced has already been changed, and no longer contains the Chinaman's Hat moniker. " YET ANOTHER HAPPY CASE HANDLED BY 80-20 ON BEHALF OF OUR COMMUNITY.

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