Fukudome doesn't find racist T-shirts in Wrigleyville funny

Alvin Lin
April 18, 2008

Article: "Kosuke Fukudome didn’t have to wait long for the ugly American part of his welcome to Wrigleyville.

A Fukudome T-shirt with a racist image is the hottest-selling item at a
souvenir stand that sells unlicensed Cubs-related merchandise across
Addison Street from the ballpark, according to Mark Kolbusz, who’s in
his fourth season operating the stand.

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."

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Alvin Lin

Blogger

Alvin Lin was born in Taipei, Taiwan and hails from New England. He blogs about Asian American pop culture, film, music, literature and politics, as well as relevant news around the world. He also writes for Imprint Talk. Alvin has degrees from Cornell and MIT.

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Comments

Comments

Elaine wrote on Fri, 04/18/2008 - 10:38pm
The APA community has been abuzz with that today here in Chicago. I work for an APA advocacy group, and trust me, judging from the email and call-in responses we've been getting today, there are no Uncle Tom Asians here.Now the issue is getting official Cubs management to take a stand against these unlicensed vendors.
Alvin wrote on Fri, 04/18/2008 - 10:41pm
What is disappointing is just like with the Abercrombie t-shirts, an Asian was involved in the design of this one too...
Zack wrote on Sat, 04/19/2008 - 9:06am
this is kinda sad that everyone is taking this so seriously... its not that racist. its just preying on stardard stereotypes of asians. its not like it says yurosima on the front with the bears face melting off or something. grow up and find better things to cry about.
boo wrote on Sat, 04/19/2008 - 9:35am
it's not that racist? standard stereotype of asians? are you fucking kidding me? what do we need to have people in white hooded gowns holding a "no chinks" sign in order for that to be considered racist? you zack is probably screwed up in the head. if you consider that every time asian americans speak up about something, that it's because they need to grow up, then you should probably re-evaluate your own mindset. this was how asian americans were portrayed back in the 40s and 50s when people wanted asians OUT. and to draw upon this portrayal again is saying something. i suggest that YOU grow up, and educate yourself before you condemn others for speaking out about a completely false, and offensive representation.
Jarret wrote on Sat, 04/19/2008 - 10:36am
I don't really see it as racist. Poor taste, but not racist. Kinda like "White Men can't Jump."
Senior Seattle wrote on Sat, 04/19/2008 - 2:17pm
Racist? If an Asian did design this wouldn't it be like an African American saying "Nigg'a please?"Plus pushing something that may (was) racist 50-60-70 years ago does not mean that it retains the same mean spirited meaning that it did then. Words, images and our culture at large is continously evolving into something different. I agree with Jarret, it is no racist just poor taste (funny poor taste, but still poor taste).Also, calling someone "Uncle Tom" because they don't put up a fight over something is just as bad. For one Uncle Tom really controlled Tom Sawyer and was a father figure to him, not some lame duck slave doing what he was told. And second I think that term is used as a dirogitory (sp?) statement when people don't get a response they view is appropriate. Who cares if people want to assimilate into society or shrug off questionable behavior it's their right not yours.
Alvin wrote on Sat, 04/19/2008 - 3:24pm
Well I for one am glad that some White people chimed in that it wasn't racist to them. It relieves me to hear that racism no longer exists on the planet, since they say so.
olivia wrote on Sat, 04/19/2008 - 10:01pm
derogatory. i don't really know if i can listen to your opinion because i think that if you can't even spell the word "derogatory" right, you probably don't know what it means. hey, just speaking frankly.also, it's fine if some people don't think that it's racist. whatever. it's their opinion and they're entitled to it. but, it's like taking plain truth and arguing otherwise in broad daylight. abercrombie is not racist, i'm sure, just like how this drawing is not derogatory. some people are also entitled their opinion to say that it is racist, because images like that is saying, "hey everyone, remember your neighbourhood chink - yes, they all look like that."this is like arguing that max's article is written in poor taste, and not racist. i don't see the difference.
KT wrote on Sat, 04/19/2008 - 11:32pm
I think the shirt is fucking HILARIOUS! I live in CA but I will buy one...hahaha
100 yrs wrote on Sat, 04/19/2008 - 11:37pm
With the name Fukudome it coulda been alot worse! I think it's funny!!!! GO CUBBIES!!!!
olivia wrote on Sun, 04/20/2008 - 12:01pm
... and that is why asian americans are still experiencing various hate crimes today and facing all kinds of anti-chinese sentiments. go us.
sylvie wrote on Mon, 04/21/2008 - 11:51am
Senior Seattle, I think you're confusing Tom Sawyer with Huck Finn and confusing the slave character Jim with the Uncle Tom character from, wait for it, Uncle Tom's Cabin.Your notion that to assimilate is to ignore blatantly racist depictions of Asians is faulty on multiple levels; not just because you're encouraging the passivity of minority Americans but also because you're assuming that they need to be assimilated in the first place.And yes, I do think racist imagery from 50+ years ago carries the same "spirit" today. Would you casually wear a t-shirt with a noose on the front and a black baseball player's name and number emblazoned on the back?
Harry wrote on Tue, 04/22/2008 - 10:34pm
The Cubs have forced the souvenir stand to stop selling the shirts, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
Ryan wrote on Sun, 05/04/2008 - 11:15am
Who cares if it's racist or not? Who ever said we have "inalienable right not to be offended" If someone doesn't like me I'd rather have them show it to my face so I know where they stand rather than they keep it bottled up only to bring it up in private with their racist buddies.
boo wrote on Sun, 05/04/2008 - 9:01pm
... i think drawing something racist on a shirt, and wearing it around in public, is showing enough. what would you rather have people do? walk up to you and call you names? that's a good solution. we live in a society now where we can openly "take it out" on each other if we don't like what's said. an eye for an eye. that solves everything right? the point is to get people to understand WHY things like this should not be tolerated, and not beating the sh*t out of each other.