McCain, gooks, and the media.

[ccharles000]

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/hongop.shtml

Thursday, March 2, 2000

By KATIE HONG
SPECIAL TO THE POST-INTELLIGENCER





On his campaign bus recently, Sen. John McCain told reporters, "I hated the gooks. I will hate them as long as I live." Although McCain said he was referring only to his prison guards, there are many reasons why his use of the word "gook" is offensive and alarming.

It is offensive because by using a racial epithet that has historically been used to demean all Asians to describe his captors, McCain failed to make a distinction between his torturers and an entire racial group.

It is alarming because a major candidate for president publicly used a racial epithet, refused to apologize for doing so and remains a legitimate contender.

Contrary to McCain's attempt to narrowly define "gook" to mean only his "sadistic" captors, this term has historically been used to describe all Asians. McCain said that "gook" was the most "polite" term he could find to describe his captors, but because it is simply a pejorative term for Asians, he insulted his captors simply by calling them "Asians" -- a clearly disturbing message. To the Asian American community, the term is akin to the racist word "nigger." A friend of mine, a white male Vietnam veteran, pointed out that veterans, especially Vietnam veterans, know how spiteful the term "gook" is. It has everything to do with labeling someone as "other," the enemy and yellow. McCain sent the message that all Asians are foreigners and remain forever the "other" and the enemy.

Is the media going to bring this up?

[uponit7771]

Obama can do more for the media by bringing back the fairness doctrine. There's NO way Obama would..

..get away with an out of touch racial slur like that.

The more and more I read about McSame the more I'm starting not to care for him personally, I don't loathe him yet like I did with Bush in 00 but he's heading that way.

At least Bush didn't leave his wife cause she gained a little weight.

[gateley]

2. "At least Bush didn't leave his wife cause she gained a little weight."

Laura hasn't given up hope, though.

[gateley]

1. I think they'll give anything a pass that could possible be construed

to question his rep as a hero. So no, I don't think they'll bring it up.

[Robeson]

3. As someone said, McCain's captivity is his 9/11 card. We've seen it already....

...any criticism of McCain will be countered by, "he's a hero, he's a POW."

[my2sense]

4. Perhaps Media Matters

will jump on this. He should NOT get a pass on this.

[papapi]

5. The term is a disgusting racial epitaph and clone mcshame should be.....

called on it and called loudly. He could easily use the term 'my captors'. He doesn't need to try to defend his use, there's no excuse for it. He's as much a bigot as anyone who uses a racial slur. He disgusts me to no end.

[ccharles000]

6. I agree.

[goletian]

7. hes either a racist

or so fucked in the head from bein a pow that hes callin his captors gooks several decades after his experience in nam.

racist or fucked up in the head. pick one, repukes.

[tavalon]

8. Is the media going to bring this up?

No.

It's up to us to spread this far and wide through the internets, you know, the series of tubes that we know how to use so much better than the other side.

[mythyc]

9. When I learned of this a week ago I looked everywhere for a recording

any recording, video, audio, whatever, to make a youtube video out of. The media won't make a peep about it but it would spread like wildfire if we could connect his own voice or better yet image with it and make it go viral. I emailed a range of reporters who were on the "Straight Talk Express" the day McCain made the first comment and none made or knew of recordings. Makes sense, as it appears he said it during a casual conversation rather than during anything remotely approaching an interview.

BUT, later on he released an official apology, only to launch right back into the slurs minutes in. This was made over a telephone call. How could a recording not have been made? I haven't gotten any replies from journalists I've contacted, but had some trouble tracking down sources here. Might there have been even nominal coverage on one of the networks? How does one search for these clips.

If anyone knows a way to get our hands on this, we should do our best. I'll tell you right now there's nothing at all on youtube. I did a variety of searches and minus a juvenile vlogger and that anime cartoon, not a trace....

I would be GLAD to do the search for the recording or a news clip on it if anyone would point me in the right direction(s). The media may give McLame a pass, but let's see how the actual people feel...

[Major Hogwash]

10. No wonder the media is trying to defend McCain's comments of late.

He's a fucking racist!

[ccharles000]

11. I know it is disgusting.

[Zenmaster]

12. That will help our foreign relations.

I'm sure Asian nations will love meeting with McCain.

Its very disturbing that he said this. Trying to play it off as acceptable is even worse.

That's not to say that McCain is a racist. I think of it similar, in some ways, to your old grandpa who hasn't gotten out in years that still refers to blacks as "Coloreds" or Japanese people as "Japs".

Its offensive and he's too out of touch to know better. Which, in some ways, is more disturbing for a potential president than if he actually was racist.

[ccharles000]

13. I agree it is very offensive.