Asian-American on TIME's Latino cover

Politico ^ | 2/24/12 | DYLAN BYERS

[Libloather]

Asian-American on TIME's Latino cover
By DYLAN BYERS | 2/24/12 5:40 PM EST

As if Time Magazine wasn't experiencing enough cover controversy already, Michelle Woo at the OC Weekly points out that the latest issue, which was supposed to feature 20 portraits of Latino voters, accidently includes a man who is half-Chinese, half-Irish/Norwegian:

A friend of mine, Michael Schennum, is the short-haired gentleman in the top row, center, behind the letter "M." He is half Chinese and half white Irish and Norwegian. Not Latino. Not even a little bit. Not even one of those Chinese-Mexicans from Mexicali that OC's own Robert Chao Romero likes to write about. At least as far as Schennum knows.

Schennum, who is a staff photographer for The Arizona Republic, wrote on his Facebook page, "They never told me what it was for or [asked] if I was Latino."

A Time spokesperson responds:

Over the course of three days TIME photographed 151 people for the current cover. We took steps to ensure that everyone self-identified as Latino, that they are registered voters and that they would be willing to answer our questions. If there was a misunderstanding with one of our subjects, we apologize.

[Libloather]

That's a shame.

[sthguard]

What next— an issue on patriotism with Obama on the cover?

[fhayek]

Here's a idea. Why don't we look at people as individuals. Each with their own unique hopes and dreams. Each with their own story to tell. Let's stop looking at people as mere voting blocs.

[Paisan]

A quickie on stereotypes:

My wife, who is Chinese, went to the DMV to apply for a Drivers License. The African-American “receptionist” asked her if she was a US citizen.
I said, “Hey, why did you ask my wife if she was a citizen”?
She replied, “Well, she looks Chinese”.
I furiously retorted that the African-American woman in front of her in line was not asked if she was a citizen. And, I added, “She LOOKS African”...

The silence was deafening.

[JoeProBono]

[Albion Wilde]

What next— an issue on patriotism with Obama on the cover?

ROFLMAO!!!

[jmacusa]

You sir have my towering admiration. Bravo. As I’ve said here many times, will we ever arrive at the day when we’re simply AMERICANS or must we be something else first and an American when it’s convenient?

[Talisker]

What next— an issue on patriotism with Obama on the cover?

No, an issue on Blacks with Obama on the cover.

IIRC, he does not qualify under federal law to be classified as a black person. He is half white through his mother, and something like 80% arabic and 20% black through his father, which makes him 10% black, which doesn't qualify.

[<1/1,000,000th%]

Maybe a cover full of donkey butts to show support for Obama.

[sthguard]

Law, schmaw. All you need to be a black Democrat is one drop of blood and one hell of a chip on your shoulder. Witness, for instance, my officemate, who “debunked” a quote attributed to Jefferson on equality (”The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not.”) with “Said the slaveholder.” I wonder what he’d do if I countered “I have a dream” with “Said the adulterer.”