Posted on 04/19/2008 1:26:34 PM PDT by abb
Thousands of Chinese Americans protested outside CNN's offices in Hollywood this morning, calling for the dismissal of commentator Jack Cafferty, whose recent remarks about Chinese goods and the Beijing government inflamed a community already angry about international condemnations directed at the host country of the upcoming Olympics.
The protesters lined Sunset Boulevard from Cahuenga Boulevard to Wilcox Avenue chanting "Cafferty, Fire," and singing patriotic Chinese songs.
"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 county 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.
"In this occasion Jack was offering his strongly held opinion of the Chinese government, not the Chinese people," a CNN spokesman said in a statement. "It should be noted that over many years, Jack Cafferty has expressed critical comments on many governments, including the U.S. government and its leaders."
David.pierson@latimes.com
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
ping
ping
holy cow, reads like a satire
Maybe they were just warning Mr. Cafferty that there was a fire?
LOL!
“But what if Cafferty said this about other racial groups? I think he would be fired.”
If he said it about Christians, it would go un-noticed.
Or maybe Cafferty himself is on fire? I would volunteer to stomp it out if so.
So, uh, what's "American" about them?
but which side are you on?
Complaining about a “bunch of goons and thugs” and contrasting that with a government that executes people and bills their familiy for the bullets.....hmmmmm....
Huh...chanting “Cafferty, Fire”?
I guess they are living here, working here, spying here, but haven’t got the hang of free speech yet.
I don’t listen to the windbag, Cafferty, but will defend his right to criticize the horrible Chinese government.
Chinese protest CNN for Cafferty remarks
By Jonathan Landreth
April 19, 2008
RELATED:CNN: China comments not meant to offend
The finger pointing continued in the run up to the Beijing Olympics Saturday as hundreds of ethnic Chinese shouted “Liar” in front of CNN’s Los Angeles office, demanding a “sincere apology” from political commentator Jack Cafferty for calling Chinese “goons and thugs.”
“No Chinese Negative News” and “Certainly Not Neutral” read banners held high along with the flags of the United States, China and Taiwan. A crowd of about 500 gathered by 10 a.m. on all four corners of a Sunset Blvd intersection. Police said they were taken by surprise.
The protest came after recent events in Tibet, where anti-Chinese unrest broke out on March 14. Since then, Chinese state-run media has called Nobel Peace Laureate the Dalai Lama a terrorist and accused Western media, which has been barred from open reporting in Tibet, of unbalanced coverage.
Lin Chen, who learned about the protest on popular Chinese-language web portal Sina.com, left his home at 7 a.m. and drove here from San Diego. The native of Tianjin, the port city nearest Beijing, has worked for years as an engineer at Qualcomm.
“I know both worlds, English media and Chinese media. I believe there is an anti-China frenzy in America today,” said Chen, 44, who has raised two pre-teens in the U.S.
“I came not for myself but for my son and daughter. They will live forever in the U.S. and I cannot tolerate this discrimination from a major news organization,” Chen said.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry demanded Tuesday that CNN’s Cafferty apologize for remarks he made last week, in which he called the Chinese “goons and thugs” and said products manufactured in China are “junk.”
“Cafferty used the microphone in his hands to slander China and the Chinese people (and) seriously violated professional ethics of journalism and human conscience,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said Tuesday, the state-run Xinhua news agency said.
Jiang said Cafferty’s remarks “reflected his arrogance, ignorance and hostility towards the Chinese people, ignited indignation of Chinese (at) home and abroad and will be condemned by those who safeguard justice around the world.”
CNN is barred from broadcast in China except into luxury hotels and exclusive residence compounds.
In response CNN issued a statement saying: “We are aware of concerns about Jack Cafferty’s comments related to China in the context of the upcoming Olympics...CNN would like to clarify that it was not Mr. Cafferty’s, nor CNN’s, intent to cause offense to the Chinese people, and [CNN] would apologize to anyone who has interpreted the comments in this way.
CNN said in a report on its web site that it is a network that reports the news in an objective and balanced fashion. However, as part of our coverage we also employ commentators who provide robust opinions that generate debate.
On this occasion Jack was offering his strongly held opinion of the Chinese government, not the Chinese people -— a point he subsequently clarified on The Situation Room on April 14.
At the protest Saturday, Ke Ping, a Chinese filmmaker who has lived in the U.S. for 20 years and is a graduate of the UCLA Film School said that as a naturalized American citizen she certainly took advantage of freedom of speech here.
“I encourage more open speech in China,” where she acknowledged such a protest against a news organization would not be allowed to take place.
http://www.kmph.com/Global/story.asp?S=8197414&nav=menu612_2_7
SoCal protesters target CNN over China remarks
Associated Press - April 19, 2008 4:24 PM ET
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Chinese-Americans have staged a protest outside the CNN office in Hollywood. They want the news network to fire commentator Jack Cafferty for making what the protesters call insulting remarks about Chinese people.
Police say 2,000 to 5,000 people gathered outside the CNN building for about 2 1/2 hours this morning. The event was peaceful and no arrests were made.
About two dozen people also demonstrated outside CNN headquarters in Atlanta.
Some Chinese-Americans are upset about comments Cafferty made earlier this month where he called Chinese imports “junk” and said Chinese leaders were “basically the same bunch of goons and thugs they’ve been for the last 50 years.”
Cafferty later said he was discussing China’s government, not its people.
China has been in the spotlight as it prepares to host the summer Olympics. Criticism of its human rights record and unrest in Tibet have received widespread coverage, leading Chinese leaders to accuse Western media of smearing the country.
“Chicom agents in action” ping
For now, I'm on the side of the Chinese protesters. Once they've disposed of Cafferty, I'll switch back.
ROFLMAO!!!
Jack’s best buzz since Des Moines.
I would look at him very closely. He is probably stealing technology secrets. There I said it. And I'm probably right. The Chinese are educated people. They know what cafferty said. Those who are protesting are there for a reason--To undermine the United States when and where ever they can. They pledge allegance to China first.
Oh China my homeland
I rarely do eat.
Dog vendors and sewage
I see in the street.
Oh China my homeland
You beat up Tibet.
And poisonous products
The best weapon yet.
Oh China my homeland
My internets blocked.
I got no more puppy
'Cause he has been wokked.
you sound a little confused. It looks like a perfect example of cognitive dissonance.
We understand free speech,” said Lake Wang, 39
Where did he get that idea? Certainly not from his homeland.
I agree with him on this, but I’m willing to sacrifice him to prove a point.
Han racism is one of the good racisms, don’t you know? If you criticize China, we urge kill you in name of free speech.
The Chinese are seeding all of the countries of the world, as are the islamists. Now all we need is for the Chinese communists to decide that it would be useful for China to become an islamic state.
How do you say: “BITE ME!” in Mandarin?
Cafferty tells the truth? I'm shocked. Just shocked, I tell you.

Jack Cafferty...
Chinese Regime Implicated in Staging Violence in LhasaUPDATED
Since they used President Bush’s inagural first month as the opportunity to try and humiliate him with the forced downing of a US patrol aircraft, I’ve little patience with China. It’s good to see the pro Chinese element in the USA exert itself. Hopefully thorough surveillance is being done on these people and groups. I want to see American Nationals in China protesting Chinese infringement of American intellectual property rights with no reaction from the Chinese Govt.. Yeah right.
Next thing you know, they’ll be wanting foot baths in airports.
There... I fixed it.
I thought the Chinese made good American citizens. But if they are going to start this kind of nonsense, I’m not so sure. A couple of days ago a Tibetan American citizen was given death threats after being falsely accused of attacking an Olympic torch carrier.
Sorry, but I don’t think China has a right to invade Tibet, kill off the Tibetans, and take over their country. And I don’t think they have a right to poison us with their food and medical products.
Cafferty is an anti-American thug and his work product is junk. Schadenfreude if he loses his job over this!
Exactly. If they love China so much, send their scawny little butts back to their beloved homeland. What are they doing in the US if they’re claiming we’re jealous of China?
I can’t stand the ungrateful little louts who come here and then criticize the US while claiming this great love for their homeland. Just go back, ya’ bums. You’re not welcome here, anyway, with that attitude.
This is what the left’s multi-culti garbage “accomplishes.” It teaches that integration isn’t wholly right. I’m sorry, but if I move to France by my own will, the last thing I’m doing is talking about how the French are just jealous of America. What kind of two-faced, hypocritical idiot would that make me?
What a freaking loser. Be done with him.
I wish that the reporter would have bothered to list exactly what "patriotic" Chinese songs were sung.
I don’t like all these Chinese here who are recent immigrants who seem very concerned about China being insulted. This is fifth column type garbage
Note that perceived “offenses” or “insults” against Islam are labelled as “racist,” as though adherence to Islam is a racial characteristic. The logic of this escapes me.
I can’t eat shrimp in Chinese restaurant ever since I read how the Chinese will sometimes raise them in very unsanitary conditions. Actually I have always loved Chinese cuisine but am through with it. Too greasy and I’m on a zero grease diet http://www.drmcdougall.com/
Jack Cafferty's not our enemy, he's just our ideological opponent. After all, we play by the same rules and will rise or fall as a nation. China, on the other hand ...
Shrimp are bottom feeders. This means they literally eat crap.
Actually, I take it a bit more serious than that. It is my considered opinion that the Drive-By Media (Networks, Hollywood, Newspapers, etc) have over the past half century or so done more damage to our Republic than any foreign enemy ever did or could.
I want the bastards to die a suffering death.
Metaphorically speaking, of course.
Outside CNN Building, Protestors Decry Commentator’s Remarks
From CITY NEWS SERVICE
As many as 5,000 protestors crowded the sidewalks outside CNNs Hollywood studios Saturday to protest comments made by one of the news networks commentators that have angered people from China.
Los Angeles Police said there were no arrests and the crowd complied with all orders, but was apparently not organized by any group.
They did not have any city permit, but they had some megaphones, said LAPD Sgt. David Torres. About 20 officers were diverted from other duties to help with crowd and traffic control, he said.
The crowd was estimated by Torres as between 2,000 and 5,000 demonstrators.
They were very cooperative, there was a lot of chanting, signs, and a few bullhorns, he said. They remained on the sidewalks as we directed.
Protestors appeared unannounced on Sunset Boulevard, just west of Vine Street, at about 9 a.m. and began leaving at noon. Officers at the police station, just around the corner, were surprised by the impromptu event.
CNN commentator Jack Cafferty angered the Chinese government, and many of its citizens, on April 9 when he said Americans continue to import their junk with lead paint on them and the poison pet food and said I think theyre basically the same group of goons and thugs theyve been for the last 50 years.
He later apologized to anyone who didnt realize that he was referring to the Beijing government, not the people of China.
Since then, death threats have been sent to western reporters in China, and the foreign ministry has called in CNNs bureau chief to issue a formal rebuke. Government Internet censors have continued to block CNN and other western news agencies Web sites when they report on Tibet or Olympic torch protests.
We used to get near zero immigration from Mainland China
I don't get a very friendly vibe from the recent Chinese immigrants I've encountered. And I can usually tell if they are from the mainland
WE should not be allowing so many to immigrate here and work in hi tech industries. Too much spying
I've heard tales of some Silicon Valley firms won't hire you if you are American. And these companies are owned by Chinese and Indians. Only hire their own or other Asians. So a Hindus and Pakis will be working for a Chinese owned company
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