I came across this a while ago, but a good reader sent it in and reminded me about it... a racist, old school blast from the past that is unfortunately still very much in the present. This article examines the "U-Washee" laundromat in Richmond, Indiana -- an establishment completely built on racist Chinese stereotypes:
Keeping whites and colors separate: The "U-Washee."
This is an actual working laundromat decorated with signs featuring all sorts racist yellow-skinned chinaman caricatures, wonton fonts and faux ching chong grammar... and no one really seems to give a damn. Zero outrage. The article seems to suggest that it's an Indiana thing.
Ridiculous, right? You too can wash and dry your clothes amidst the sight of smiling slanted-eyed racist themes. Does the decor actually figure in with the laundromat's business strategy? Do people feel more comfortable cleaning their clothes with pictures of Chinese laundrymen around -- offensive or otherwise? That's racist!
The author of the piece points out that his intention is not to demand or threaten the owner of U-Washee, but to speak up and break the cycle of complacency and help the business move past the anti-Chinese racist stereotypes. I'm curious to know what happened after this was posted last month.
(Thanks, Danny.)
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