As Twitchy reported, 2020 presidential candidate Andrew Yang and ousted “Saturday Night Live” comic Shane Gillis might be sitting down together very soon after Yang reached out on hearing of Gillis’s firing, partly over his use of racist words to describe Asians.
I’ve been called chink and gook any number of times in my life. It can be extraordinarily hurtful to feel like you are somehow not part of the only country you have ever known. I have certainly felt that – the churning sense of alienation, anger and marginalization.
— Andrew Yang (@AndrewYang) September 15, 2019
But is Andrew Yang guilty of racism himself? At the third Democratic presidential debate, plenty of ears perked up when he said he knew a lot of doctors. Let’s see what some of the blue-checks had to say.
"I am Asian so I know a lot of doctors." That was just said by Andrew Yang. #DemDebate
— Wajahat Ali (@WajahatAli) September 13, 2019
"I am Asian, so I know a lot of doctors," Yang says. And – yes, I just laughed out loud in the media filing center room!
— Asma Khalid (@asmamk) September 13, 2019
My favorite line so far is from @AndrewYang :
"I am Asian, so I know a lot of doctors."#DemDebate #DemocraticDebates
— Gov. Bobby Jindal (@BobbyJindal) September 13, 2019
Uh, sorry guys, but Vox says that Yang’s use of Asian stereotypes is reinforcing toxic tropes.
Andrew Yang’s use of Asian stereotypes is reinforcing toxic tropes.
His one-liners about “math” and “doctors” ultimately send a troubling message. https://t.co/aIDXQNH1YW
— Vox (@voxdotcom) September 17, 2019
And that troubling message is? Vox reports:
Yang’s statements have spurred mixed reactions from the Asian American community. While some of his supporters told Vox that the jokes are cheeky in-group references that acknowledge Yang’s Asianness, other voters are concerned they reinforce longstanding racist stereotypes about Asian Americans and other minority groups.
“I feel like it’s an in-group kind of comment. He is, himself, an Asian American, so he has the right to mention or allude to that stereotype on his terms,” Yang supporter Mudit Verma told Vox, regarding the candidate’s recurring math references.
University of Maryland American studies professor Janelle Wong is among those who feel differently. “I think he has done so much to counter stereotypes that it undermines a lot of the important work that his campaign is doing,” she told Vox.
Notice of course that it’s the university professor, of course, who finds Yang’s quips problematic.
God DAMN, but Vox is tiresome.
— Stephen Wood (@SlideQuintus) September 17, 2019
So now self deprecation is a problem ?
— Critical Me (@CriticalCaleb) September 17, 2019
or he was making a joke and people should take it as such
— Brian Johnson (@briangerard13) September 17, 2019
Yeah it sure is troubling to see him pigeonholing a group as successful
— Matt Palumbo (@MattPalumbo12) September 17, 2019
The "troubling" part is your inability to take a joke. We used to be able to laugh at our own stereotypes, but now you want people fired over them.
— Jessica Fletcher (@heckyessica) September 17, 2019
I’m asian american and the only people who seem to be offended by these are non Asian americans. Weird.
— ✨jenn✨ ?? (@AndrewYangFacts) September 17, 2019
So troubling, your kids may end up being doctors!!!!!!
— FreeTin (@Cylina) September 17, 2019
NO FUN ALLOWED AT ANY TIME. – the Vox employee handbook, probably.
— Anonymous Rant Bot (@AnonRantBot) September 17, 2019
Sorry, who are you offended on behalf of this time?
— Experimental Human Project (@nawitsnot) September 17, 2019
What’s not troubling to Vox ?
— east coast elitist (@somenycguy) September 17, 2019
https://twitter.com/ChristoChammas/status/1174036586054475776
Its called self deprecation you bunch of fucking losers….I can't wait until you write an article about rappers cant use the n word anymore….but…you wont ever do that will you?????
— PRob (@615CPA) September 17, 2019
Arent you tired of constantly finding things to be pathetically upset about?
— Stephen (@StephenEwens) September 17, 2019
You realize this is exactly why Donald freaking Trump became President, right?
— JoeyMags (@josephmagazine1) September 17, 2019
Seriously? You mean self-deprecating humor didn’t exist before Andrew Yang? What’s your true motive here? It can’t be to bring an important reality to people’s attention. Your tweet is encouraging toxic interpretations to refreshing humor.
— Ziff (@ziffrus) September 17, 2019
"Why can't you be Asian the way I want you to be Asian?"
— BTME (@btme87) September 17, 2019
Related:
Andrew Yang says ousted SNL cast member Shane Gillis has 'reached out' to him and they'll apparently 'be sitting down together soon' https://t.co/IPsNKqA6Hi
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) September 16, 2019
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