Dammit, can you stop using the word "Chinaman"?

West Virginia, please tell your people.


West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice
It's 2018. Can we all agree that some phrases are racist and just need to be retired? In West Virginia, both the governor and a state school board official have recently been on record using the term "chinaman."

Yes, people, the word is a slur.

WV governor, state school board VP have used what's considered an anti-Asian slur

Back in February, at a live streamed town hall meeting, Governor Jim Justice was discussing issues that later led into a statewide public school workers strike. He was trying to dissuade teachers from backing a proposed tax increase to fund more substantial pay raises, saying the bill had no chance of passage in the legislature.

"There's not a Chinaman's chance in the whole wide world that will happen," Justice said. "It's not getting out of committee."

May this be your semi-regular reminder that "chinaman" is a racial slur.

Aside from the fact that Justice clearly doesn't know -- or doesn't care -- that he's using a slur, this was just plain unnecessary. How was the governor's point enhanced by slapping the phrase "Chinaman's chance" on top of this statement? Like, "in the whole wide world" wasn't enough hyperbole? Had to throw in that racial slur for good measure, because hey, it sounds funny. Or "silly," as the governor would later claim, two days later.

"I use a lot of silly phrases and stuff like that," Justice said. "If that offended somebody, then I'm sorry."

Why was it necessary to use "Chinaman" in this headline?

"Hall of Famer Yao Ming redefined 'Chinaman' for the NBA and brought the game to hundreds of millions"



Former NBA player Yao Ming was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame on Monday, prompting a multitude of reflections on the towering Chinese All-Star's historic career and legacy. Including this one from the Washington Post, which has me wondering why this particular headline was necessary:

Goodbye and good riddance, Chop Chop Chinaman

Chicago restaurant's racist name sparked a vandalism arrest. Now it is closed.



The Chicago restaurant that made headlines and sparked outrage with its controversial name -- getting one woman arrested for defacing the restaurant's window in protest -- is apparently closed, at least for now.

Chop Chop Chinaman, The Controversial Local Restaurant, Closed For Now

Boystown eatery Chop Chop Chinaman has reportedly been closed for several days, just four months after opening. In addition to using an actual racial slur in its name, the restaurant's logo features an Asian caricature, complete with pointy hat, pulling a rickshaw. This is supposed to be on that ironic racism tip, right?

Owner Larry Lee says he hopes the restaurant's closure will be temporary. I, on the other hand, am I hoping Chop Chop Chinaman's closure will be permanent. Because this shit is racist.

Who the hell calls their restaurant "Chop Chop Chinaman"?

Chicago woman arrested for defacing racist restaurant sign.



In Chicago, a woman was arrested for defacing a restaurant storefront because she felt the restaurant's name and logo were racist. "Chop Chop Chinaman" -- this is the eatery's actual name -- features an illustrated logo of an Asian caricature, complete with pointy hat, pulling a rickshaw.

In red lipstick, Jeannie Harrell offered her critique: "FUCK THIS HATE CRIME SHIT. IT'S 2015."

'Chop Chop Chinaman' Defaced by Insulted Woman, but Restaurant Defends Name

The Cantonese/Szechwan eatery opened in Boystown last month. After passing by the "aggressively racist" restaurant sign one too many times, Harrell, who is Japanese American, decided to let the owners know how she felt about the name. Via lipstick. She figured it wasn't permanent, she'd sent her message, no harm done.

But last week, the cops showed up at her door.

Beware the "Chinamen" learning "how to do computers"

Fox News' Bob Beckel uses racial slur, says the Chinese are the greatest threat to national security



Why would I expect anything but the worst from Fox News? Last week, host Bob Beckel used the slur "Chinamen" -- yes, people, it's a slur -- during a broadcast, in the middle of a xenophobic rant about China.

Bob Beckel Uses Racial Slur On Live Television

On Thursday, during Fox News' The Five, Beckel called China "the single biggest threat to the national security of the United States," launching into a tirade about the imminent threat Chinese hackers. You know. Those hordes of sneaky "chinamen" who come over here and learn "how to do computers" for evil purposes.

Beckel was discussing a New York Times article that said Chinese hackers broke into the computer networks of a U.S. government agency that houses the personal information of all federal employees.

Here's video of Beckel's rant:

Mets coach apologizes for using racial slur

Pitching coach Dan Warthen called interpreter a 'chinaman'



This comes from Stu Woo, sports reporter for the Wall Street Journal, who shares about a recent encounter with the derogatory term "chinaman" uttered in an unlikely place -- the New York Mets locker room.

In the Mets Locker Room, an Old Slur Resurfaces

Woo was in the locker room talking to Jeff Cutler, the 30-year old Japanese American who serves as the interpreter for Japanese-born pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka, when they were approached Mets pitching coach Dan Warthen:

Please stop using the term "Chinaman."

Memo to sportscasters discussing 14-year-old Chinese golf phenom Tianlang Guan -- or anyone of Chinese descent, for that matter: please refrain from using the term "chinaman." I know you think this is okay, like it's the same as calling someone from France and Frenchman. I can see how you would think that. But "chinaman" is considered a derogatory term. I know you had no idea. But now you know.

That's what happened during the sports segment the other night on KLFY, the CBS affiliate in Lafayette, Louisiana, when sports anchor George Faust referred to the golfer as "14-year-old Chinaman Tianlang Guan": Louisiana TV Station Refers To Guan Tianlang As A "Chinaman."

Would you cheer for the San Francisco Chinamen?

This image is actually from a couple of years ago, and I've seen it before, but I can't remember if I've posted it, so here it is.

Created by the National Congress of American Indians, it plainly illustrates the mocking, racist nature of the Cleveland Indians "Chief Wahoo" mascot and other major sports teams using similar Native American imagery in their names and logos.