More about that steakhouse

[jaehwan]

I just saw this in the Washington Post:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/14/AR2008041402379.html?wpisrc=newsletter

It's the same fight about "Chinks Steaks" that has been going on for a while. Nothing new.

I like the quote though:

Groh said he likes the name because of its tradition, and does not see the need for a change.

Yes, Mr. Groh, that word is part of my tradition too.

[Shadow_Reaper]

I just saw this in the Washington Post:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/14/AR2008041402379.html?wpisrc=newsletter

It's the same fight about "Chinks Steaks" that has been going on for a while. Nothing new.

I like the quote though:



Yes, Mr. Groh, that word is part of my tradition too.

IMO, if all protest doesnt seem to get to that fat fuk, i say take out that restaurant with EXTREME PREJUDICE.

This shows the lack of insensitivity in the community at this day and age is highly unacceptable. Just because he doesn't find it offensive, other ppl do!

[tokyolovestory]

It's sad that when the complaint was first brought up, the entire neighborhood rallied around the restaurant and called it "the worst complaint." That tells you a lot...

[awong]

i remember when this made news on mm.com a few years ago, I guess its back up again...ugh

[aelward]

If someone had a place called "(n-word)'s steaks" just because the founder eas dark-skinned, you know they'd have changed the name or been out of business by now.

I agree with Shadow_Reaper. Where are all the Asian thugs when you need them?

[nightshade]

What we should probably do is get an account with every food review place that rates Chinks--then give it bad ratings, talk about the racist name, and make sure that we mention cockroaches and failed health inspections.

[krnbboyprd]

IT SHOWS US HOW PEOPLE REALLY DO NOT GIVE A SHIT ABOUT ASIAN AMERICANS. AGAIN, THAT WE ARE SUCH A "MODEL CITIZEN" WHAT CAN WE DO WE ARE QUIET PEOPLE WHO ARE PASSIVE AND CAN BE WALKED ALL OVER. NO "F" THAT. I AM SO SICK TO HEAR PEOPLE SAY CHINK OR GOOK AND JAP AND SAY WELL THAT ISN'T THAT BAD, IT'S NOT LIKE SAYING "NIGGER"...too me anything that has a negative meaning is horrible. It does not matter what word is, if it means to put a race of people down then YES it is offensive. To have a restraunt called Chinky steak, thats fucked up. I swear i am going to open up Honky Gal Bi BBQ and see what they have to say about that. Shakes head* Amazing...Only in America..

[Candide]

Where are all the Asian thugs when you need them?

Too busy extorting money from fellow Asians.

[groinpull]

I wanna open a 'Groh's Mother's a Dirty Hoe' waffle house.

[Shadow_Reaper]

If i was in America i wouldn't sit on my hands and do nothing.

I would literally burn that fukin joint down and teach that fat fuk a lesson not to use anti-asian slander in public places.

People are protesting, yeah good for you but is it working? Is the message getting through to that fat cunt? Like i said TAKE OUT THAT RESTAURANT WITH EXTREME PREJUDICE

Asians should stop voicing and start GALVANIZING. Its TIME to act out and show the racist asscaps that we cannot turn a blind eye because protesting is not getting thru to people's heads!

If a racist dickhead like that in Australia would name a restaurant referring to middle easterns, africans or Aborigines involving racist remarks then he or she might want to register for a death certificate early.

[Shadow_Reaper]

If someone had a place called "(n-word)'s steaks" just because the founder eas dark-skinned, you know they'd have changed the name or been out of business by now.

I agree with Shadow_Reaper. Where are all the Asian thugs when you need them?

why asian thugs? Any asians could do it.

[kwak76]

I have to chime in on this one. One of the FOC representative actually made a trip to that restaurant. This restaurant is located in a town where there is very very small minority population. He told me the service was good and the food was good also. He met the owner of the restaurant and they had a talk.

What the FOC representative told me was that "chink" was a nick name to the old owner. According to what the owner said "chink" or the usage of the word was not meant to offend anyone.

The owner of the restaurant has a problem with this protest. He said that people will take pictures of the restaurant and call newspapers and complain about the offensive name. What they should of done is come up to him and speak to him about the issues instead of going about it in back way. The owner has the problem that people are accusing him without knowing the full story.

The owner said that the FOC representative is probably the first one that came in to talk to him like a man about the restaurant name. He told the owner that since this is his business he doesn't have to change the name .

This is where I got into a debate with the FOC representative.
The debate was about the usage of the word. (I get to this later.)

First this town where the restaurant is located. If this restaurant was located in Queens , NY it would not last because of the backlash from the local community. The KEYWORD here is LOCAL.

The local community where "chink restaurant " is located at is mostly 90 % white blue collar. After eating at the restaurant the FOC representative had an hour to kill. The owner of "chink' told him there are two bars in this town. He advise him to stay away from the go-go bar because it is too rough ( Remember Vincent Chin got into fight at a go-go bar.) and told him to go to this Saloon.

The FOC representative went to the other bar. Once he walked in everyone stop to stare. He told me everyone was white and mostly male. Many gave him dirty looks and there was hostile feel to it. Anyway, he went in to get a drink. At the bar was the local bar fly. She was white and started to chat with him. From that point on he was getting harass one way or the other but kept cool. For example he told me that when he was about to eat the pretzel
one of the patron shouted" hey don't you need chop sticks for that."

anyway..he kept cool and walked out alive.

[kwak76]

Why did I mention the town? Because the local community will not do anything to "chink restaurant ". If you want to hurt a business one way to do it is through it's pockets.

At the same time this town is hick town with a bunch red necks that live there. They wouldn't understand or care about how offensive chink is to Asians. It's the last thing on their minds.

You can mention Asian thugs and this and that but it means nothing. Unless that is you have a viable Asian population that can protest by boycotting the restaurant and writing letters to local representative.


Now why did the FOC representative shook hands with the owner and told him that it's his business and he can keep the word "chink". This is separate argument regarding the use of the word. I got into debate with him over lunch on this one.

He told me "chink" the way the business owner is using it is not meant to offend. It's just is.

For example I decided to open a store and name it after my father. My father first name is "Hoe Dong " (Korean name ) . I want to cut it short and use only Hoe .

I open a nail salon business for example and call it "Hoe Salon ". Now for most people it be OK. However, what does Hoe mean to other people. Hoe can mean tool for gardening or no offense to my father but Hoe can also mean "whore " or "slut". A feminist might come along and have issues with my business name. I tell her I named it after my father and you don't know the situation.

That's what's happening with "chink". The FOC representative really thinks it's how you use the word and the intent behind it that can be offensive . He doesn't think Chink restaurant was meant to offend.

To this point I agree but I also disagree because the way he describe that town to me . People in that town are racist by how they treated him when he walked into that bar. By having a restaurant named "chink" they think "chink" is harmless and can be use any way they like.

There is also a reason why people don't open business with name like "shit restaurant " or "fuck record store." Because those words are general seen as offensive. Words just by itself can be offensive. I was surprise that the FOC guy couldn't see that. We were going back on forth on this one.

Solution to this problem. Well...I really think to get rid of that name you have to have local population deal with it. I feel really bad for any local Asians that live there which is like .05 in that town.

Making it a national issue just brings more exposure and business to chinks in good way and bad way. White people will go to that town to try out "chinks " because they heard about it. Honestly I can't think of any solution.

[jaehwan]

First this town where the restaurant is located. If this restaurant was located in Queens , NY it would not last because of the backlash from the local community. The KEYWORD here is LOCAL.

Good point. If there aren't any local Asian people to persuade the guy to change, he probably won't. It's much more compelling to deal with individuals than media reports. He probably thinks we're being irrational. If more local Asian people would appeal to him in person, he might change his tune. It doesn't sound like there are a lot of locals though.

Keep in mind, of course, that we need to resort to the local approach because of the fact that we are an underrepresented minority. If we were a big minority with lots of cultural power, it wouldn't matter whether or not we had local people in the area.

I open a nail salon business for example and call it "Hoe Salon ". Now for most people it be OK. However, what does Hoe mean to other people. Hoe can mean tool for gardening or no offense to my father but Hoe can also mean "whore " or "slut". A feminist might come along and have issues with my business name. I tell her I named it after my father and you don't know the situation.

I believe the proper spelling is "ho," but someone with a more up to date urban dictionary can probably give better advice.

[aelward]

I believe the proper spelling is "ho," but someone with a more up to date urban dictionary can probably give better advice.

According to Jeopardy, "hoe" would not be the correct spelling :P

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KoPFkjF-Bdo

[aelward]

The FOC rep definitely needs a slap upside his head. Because now the owner of the steakhouse will say "well, the FOC said it was OK."

[SamuraiJack]

Both intent AND effect matter... for the case of Shaq saying "ching chong", he didn't intend to be racist, but his effect probably caused millions of youth to think that it's okay.

In this case, the intent is there, if not by the owner, then by the people who gave him the nickname. If the name of the restaurant had been "A Chink in the Armor", or something strange like that, then it would be okay, because everyone can see the word usage.

Honestly, I think the FOC guy probably got all chummy with the owner and forgot his position. Either that, or he didn't know his position beforehand.

Let's give the owner a new nickname: Retard

This way he can choose a new name for the restaurant: Retard's Steaks.

[vsoy]

It was my understanding that the person was nicknamed "Chink" because he had "slanty eyes like a chink"

http://chapters.aaja.org/Philadelphia/csteaks.html

The name comes from business founder, Sam "Chink" Sherman, who died in 1997. Sherman, whom some neighbors called the mayor of Wissinoming, got the nickname from neighborhood boys when he was 6 years old because of his "slanty" eyes, according to his widow, Mildred Sherman.

So while, yes, the restaurant was named after the original owner, the nickname plays on stereotype. I suppose it was Mr. Sherman's prerogative to keep the nickname if he didn't mind, but it doesn't sit right for a place of business.

[DONKEY]

you cannot count on the majority to accept any changes, even the smallest ones at first.
they play old footage and run stories on TV now about civil rights movement of the past. they never give respect to current day civil rights movements. also they dont show the whole picture. white america was outraged when minorities demanded equal rights, they had their own huge opposition rallies and demonstrations. they don't show this on TV and act like it is just in the past. the people at those opposition marches are the ones who raised the white people living here today.