Cafferty’s China Comments Spark Protest
When CNN commentator Jack Cafferty called the Chinese "a bunch of goons and thugs" on the air April 9, Chinese-Americans were listening -- and Saturday morning, thousands protested outside Hollywood's CNN building, demanding that he be fired.
When CNN commentator Jack Cafferty called the Chinese “a bunch of goons and thugs” on the air April 9, Chinese-Americans were listening — and Saturday morning, thousands protested outside Hollywood’s CNN building, demanding that he be fired.
Dig, Root, GrowLos Angeles Times:
“We understand free speech,” said Lake Wang, 39, of Thousand Oaks. “But what if Cafferty said this about other racial groups? I think he would be fired. I think he’s jealous of China.”
The anger mirrors the growing sense of nationalism that is taking hold around the world as the Olympics come to China. Much of that anger has been directed at foreign media, which some accuse of painting an unfairly negative image of China.
On the April 9 airing of “The Situation Room,” Cafferty, in a discussion about China, said that goods from that country were “junk,” and referred to the Chinese as “a bunch of goons and thugs.”
CNN later said Cafferty’s comments were directed at the Beijing government.
This year, we’re all on shaky ground, and the need for independent journalism has never been greater. A new administration is openly attacking free press — and the stakes couldn’t be higher.
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