ACTION ALERT: Racist T-Shirt Sold by Wrigleyville Merchandise Stand

(For those who have clicked through from our Action Alert email and wish to send an automatic email from your MS Outlook or similar Email Application please- by CLICK HERE)

April 18, 2008
Myron Dean Quon, Esq.
AAI Legal Director
myron (at) aaichicago.org
(773) 271-0899

Richard A. Chapman/Sun-Times

A merchandise stand across from Wrigley Field is selling anti-Asian T-shirts that ridicule the Cub's Kosuke Fukudome. As reported by the Chicago Sun-Times: "On the front of the shirt is the traditional Cubs cartoon bear face but with slanted eyes and wearing oversized Harry Caray-style glasses. It's accompanied by the words ''Horry Kow,'' scrawled in cartoonish ''Japanese'' script. Fukudome's name and number are on the back." (Click to read the entire story. Please add your voice to the story's Comments section, to ensure that the public understands that this t-shirt is offensive to Asian Americans.)

These offensive stereotypes of Asian Americans have no place in Chicago. Slanted eyes, mocking accents, "yellow-face" and other demeaning representations have been used historically to dehumanize Asian Americans. When immigrants first began arriving from China and Japan, the use of these stereotypes became a convenient expression of contempt and hate. Bigots and racists used these terms to exploit the fictitious Yellow Peril. Similar imagery continues to support anti-Asian sentiment, including during the decline of the US automotive industry twenty-five years ago and the current rise of China as a global power.

Please fight this racist and offensive sentiment. The following message can be sent to the Kripal Zala, Director/Community Liaison of Asian Affairs for the Chicago Human Relations Commission, and the owners of the Cubs: (please copy and paste below in your email or CLICK HERE to generate an auto-email in MS Outlook or similar mail program) (we have removed the @ sign in the email address below to prevent spam, please correct the email address)

To: kripal.zala (at) cityofchicago.org
Cc: ctc-customerservice (at) tribune.com
Bcc: empower (at) aaichicago.org

Subject: Racist Anti-Asian Fukudome T-Shirt

Dear Mr. Zala:

I have learned that a Wrigleyville merchandise stand is selling a t-shirt which mocks the Cub's Kosuke Fukudome (slanted eyes and "Horry Kow" written in fake Asian script). This t-shirt's grotesque mockery of Asian people is offensive and harmful. I ask that the Chicago Human Relations Commission fully investigate this matter. Because this t-shirt is so offensive, Wrigley Field should require Cubs games attendees to cover up this t-shirt or else be barred from admission.

Thank You.