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We found on the Foreign Ministry website a question that was posed to Jiang Yu regarding Jack Cafferty's China remarks at a Tuesday press briefing and her response:
Q: In covering the Beijing Olympic Torch Relay in San Francisco recently, CNN's commentator Jack Cafferty attacked China, saying that Imported Chinese products are "junk", Chinese people are "basically the same bunch of goons and thugs they've been for the last 50 years." How do you comment on that?A: We are shocked to hear the malicious attacks of CNN commentator Cafferty against the Chinese people and express our strong condemnation. Taking the advantage of the microphone in his hand, Cafferty vilified China and the Chinese people, seriously violated the ethics of journalism and human conscience. His arrogance, ignorance and hatred to the Chinese people have aroused indignation of the Chinese people at home and abroad, and will definitely be denounced by righteous people all over the world. We solemnly request CNN and Cafferty to take back the malicious remarks and apologize to all the Chinese people.
Here's CNN's statement and apology:
We are aware of concerns about Jack Cafferty's comments related to China in the context of the upcoming Olympics, which were broadcast on The Situation Room on April 9, 2008.CNN would like to clarify that it was not Mr. Cafferty's, nor CNN's, intent to cause offense to the Chinese people, and would apologize to anyone who has interpreted the comments in this way.
CNN 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.
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.
Here's a snippet from China Daily's scathing commentary:
It is rare for the world audience to hear such a blatant discrimination against an ethnic group of people with such a derogatory connotation. What Cafferty did was using his privilege as a CNN anchor to insult China and slander all Chinese people. He is pathetic to have wantonly violated professional ethics of journalism and lost his conscience.The United States is known for "melting-pot" culture, and the dangling "American dream" which have inspired people of different colors to emigrate to it. However, the like of Jack Cafferty, sitting before TV screens watched by tens of thousands of audiences in America and elsewhere, and attacking Chinese people, is nothing but showing its rudeness, arrogance, ignorance and hostility towards China.
After years of efforts by some Western media to demonize China has failed, the ink of Cafferty have come to the forefront to directly assault China, which reflects the utter frustration and despair of some wicked men and women.
Previously on Shanghaiist
Oops of the Day 2: Jack Cafferty, CNN commentator
Related links
Xinhua: China demands CNN to apologize for evil attack on Chinese people
China Daily: Commentary: CNN owes China an apology for slandering
CNN: China demands apology from Cafferty
Reuters: CNN tells China it didn't mean to cause offence
NYT: China Demands CNN Apologize for Commentary
China Rises: Anger at CNN and the world
Imagethief: Jack Cafferty brews more trouble for CNN in China
Thread on Anti-Cnn.com
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I come to Shanghaiist for news, reviews, and listings about what's happening in Shanghai - these China v. Tibet v. the World postings are interesting and all, but strictly speaking they're not about Shanghai, and I don't think they should dominate the site.
There's enough "news, reviews, and listings about what's happening in Shanghai", and more than ever before. Don't decide for the rest of us what we should read you jerk. If you don't like something, just read the next story.
From CNN's Response:
"CNN 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."
uhhh... doesn't a debate require at least two sides? In Wolf Blitzer's show, I don't think I saw a pro-China commentator. That said, overall, I don't think we see an overall "balanced" representations of both sides in CNN's commentaries as a whole. -- which is a disgrace.
I think I'm with the Chinese on this one. No wonder the Chinese are pissed at them!
To the native Chinese readers: That said, these types of bloopers, where commentators step out of bounds, happen all the time in the US media. It's all part of free speech. People have the right to their own opinions. People say things about Black people and the NAACP gets pissed, etc... (Rush Limbaugh comes to mind) And the NAACP uses its right to free speech to keep them in line -- and also has an effect of keeping the whole country in line.
So don't take things too seriously with this Cafferty joker... However, had Wolf Blitzer said those things... CNN would have no way out of that one...
That was a great response by CNN and totally on point! Im sick of the Chinese taking people criticizing their government like a personal attack on the people. There is so much anti-west hatred throughout Chinese media and blog sites now that its creating a very bad image for China in general, which is really the last thing you want to be doing before the Olympics when the whole world is observing you.
I am actually encouraged by the blind outrage by the global Chinese community. We can all see the results of the CCP's education and China's domestic conditions. We can also see how mindless and hyper-sensitive the young ones are.
They should remember that their parents and grandparents live with the unhappy memories of mindless "patriotism" that lasted from the late 60s until Mao's death.
Chinaman Mao is a bastard someway but that doesnt mean loving our nation now is harmful...
CNN is response is like say, oh, China take it easy, Jack fucked us for many times, so let him fuck you for once, dont be serious.
the Jerk Cafferty's subsequently clarification is like say, oh i am fucking with your pussy, i dont have the intension of fuck YOU. sorry, I just wanna have a problem with your pussy, not you. We are good, man.
WTH~
@littleme,
anti-west hatred is caused by your western gov-s and media. Can I fuck your family and then say, oh, dont be so pissed, look, people is watching you, smile!
You are the funnist one ever~!
Theres a lot of dumb comments about how the Chinese are reacting the way they are because of their brainwashed education in China. Then I wonder how they explaiin someone like me who grew up in the west, educated in the west, lived almost all of my life in the west and the only brainwashing I have had in my life was done by the BBC, Channel 4, CNN, Washingtonpost and yet I am coming out strongly on the side of China.
And no, the way I feel is not driven by 'nationalism', its more driven by the blind mindless hatred of the China bashers.
Cafferty's "goons and thugs" remark makes a classic mistake-- assuming way more continuity in government than actually exists.
If we imagine an "Average Level of Gooniness and Thuggishness" for any country, certain time periods will be above it and others will be below it.
So, to say that any country has been at a certain level "for the last 50 years" would require an it to be incredibly stangnant.
Plus, there are different kinds of gooniness, to wit:
1) Torturing and killing intellectuals while vandalizing temples and historical heritage: Very goony.
2) Wanton pollution of rivers and air, resulting in birth defects and global warming: Very goony, but in a different way!
3) And to give the devil its due, helping (some of) the rural poor have a safer, more prosperous life: not so goony! But this goes on at the same time as 2) above. *FNT*
In America, there's a little something called Freedom of Speech.
It doesn't matter if you agree or disagree with what Cafferty said, he has the right to say whatever he damn well feels like, so let it go.
yes, but there is something little in China, how to say it in american way? if he fucks you, fuck him back.
and yes we are fucking him back...
How so? By asking him to apologize?
By putting (heart)China on MSN?
Anyway, all this outrage is only doing one thing: Making Jack Cafferty into an international celebrity. Everyone is going to tune in now when he's on, the see if he makes another idiotic comment, which means the ratings will go up, and you'll be seeing a lot more Jack on CNN.
PS - Jack Cafferty is an asshat.
As I said in the previous thread about this, in no place does Cafferty tie his remarks to the Chinese people. Sorry, it is just not there.
As I also said in the previous thread about this, this does not make what he said any less crude. The outrage that Chinese have over his "insults to the Chinese people" are therefore misplaced.
If you feel unhappy that he has spoken out against your government, then more power to you. But in light of what he actually said, CNN provided the best possible response: "If you took offense over what he did not say, we are sorry about that." The newspaper should not have to directly apologise for something Cafferty did not say.
As for Jiang Yu, I would say she is being far more insidious. She is characterising it as an insult to the Chinese people for domestic consumers. Basically, she is fanning nationalistic flames to no purpose.
So sorry, Chinese nationalists. While what he said was crude, and therefore should have been stated differently. I acknowledge that. But I don't think you have a right to the outrage that you are claiming. Call the man a fool. He is probably. Get over it. And save the outrage for the issues that really matter. Things like this just make you look hypersensitive.
For clarification, my CNN response was a summary of their response and did not come directly from CNN.
@taihanasie
‘chinese are the same bunch of thugs as 50 year’
is this against Chinese or the government?
[Are you blind? ]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]
If he speaks this in front of Chinese, his balls will get broken, i am sure. not by the China goverment but by Chinese.
TO all those who said Jack Cafferty's words were just free speech: how about replace 'Chinese' with 'Black people'or 'jewish' in that sentence???
it is racial discrimination or free speech?
if that is a form of free speech, how about we ask Chinadaily to write 'White American Trash' on its next report?
what is the moral standard? or may CNN doesnot have moral at all? or the west media doesnot respect moral? or your west people have 2 different moral standard???
Can someone please provide a list of those companies who are advertising on CNN? obviously, those companies have the same moral level as CNN.
winterfalling and bamboos, in English, it is common to refer to the government of a nation in terms of the nationality. For example, in the proper context, you might refer to the representatives of the Belgian government as "the Belgians." Perhaps his chosen context was open to misinterpretation, but I assure you that is what he meant and you should interpret it that way.
well, what can i say...
The sentence is:
chinese are the same bunch of thugs as 50 year’
I believe the word "bunch" means a group of people and it emphasizes the people as a group, so even you have some ground to interpret what he said as Chinese government, BUT this excuse is not going to make any sense indeed because millions of Chinese, even American Chinese took it as to humiliate Chinese people and got pissed off... I dont think American Chinese who grew in the US can misunderstand it easily...
You say... China sucks, and ppl get pissed, and you say, hey I mean china, ceramic ware!!!
What the fuck is that? does that make any sense? You mean what you mean, but point is what it sounds!!!
OMG, and this guy is a killer...WTF...
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/958702/posts
I'd say it's also political gospel in China to make no distinction between the people and the government, because when that breaks down, people begin to start to ask hard questions of the government and the status quo become untenable.
And while Cafferty's statement is obviously not friendly, the spin in the Chinese media was basically to suggest that Cafferty had inflicted an attack on "all the Chinese people" and not just the state. This is highly revealing of the Chinese government's overriding interest that the people believe the government and they, the people are one and the same inseparable entity, because once viewed as separate the people, will perceive the government as an externality that can be judged, criticized, questioned, held accountable, compelled to act, etc.
And in that case, forgotten instances from the recent past will come to the fore. The excesses of the cultural revolution, the privations of the great leap forward, the loss of vast amounts of private property, 1989, the deprivation of education, deadly pollution etc. And someone will have to answer for the policies that created these situations. Monetary compensation for families targeting during the cultural revolution for starters?
When the dream ends -- and it will end -- these issues will be paramount in China's political transformation.
there is something in what you said here...we are having a hard time here coz the CIP is growing crazy, the stock market is bearish, lots of graduates can not find jobs to feed themselves, yeah, could be the case that the government is using the chance to disattract people's attention but as I said, at this point, if we chinese don;t support the government, who will? and we know if the CPC lost its power, China will very possibly fucked up.
The gov with many problems has led us onto the right track finally and we are making progress with great steps... We dont have a option here in China since CPC is the only game player...but we dont wanna end the whole game when it plays well... Some ppl wants to see CPC disappear, but not us...
"if that is a form of free speech, how about we ask Chinadaily to write 'White American Trash' on its next report? "
Too bad, Jeff Foxworthy and Larry the Cable Guy have beaten you to it and they are much funnier than China Daily could ever be. All CD and Xinhua would do is fuck up their jokes with bad Chinglish and no real punchline.
CD's headline "All White peoples have the bigger noses like...the really big nose white people".
"I have had in my life was done by the BBC, Channel 4, CNN, Washingtonpost and yet I am coming out strongly on the side of China."
There are more than a handful of panda lickers in all countries, but more so in countries far away from China with no history of experiencing China's power plays.
China is full of goons and thugs producing lead and poisoned junk.
**if that is a form of free speech, how about we ask Chinadaily to write 'White American Trash' on its next report?**
Um, have you ever read the China Daily forums? You wouldn't need to ask them to do anything, because that's what the forum is all about. Nationalism, racism and Chinese superiority. It's great for a laugh.
My favorite in that forum was a guy who wrote a huge post about how the personal computer was invented in China because of the abacus. I'm eagerly awaiting the next post which will be something like "The Space Shuttle was invented in China because of fireworks."
**what is the moral standard? or may CNN doesnot have moral at all? or the west media doesnot respect moral? or your west people have 2 different moral standard???**
Look, I can say the same thing about China Daily. It's perfectly fine for a Chinese person to say the worst racist comments they can imagine in the forum, but any rebuttal that even hints of anything slightly disagreeable to China is instantly deleted. So where is the moral standard there? I could easily say that the China Daily forum condones racism, as long as it's not directed against the Chinese. Do they have no morals or is there 2 different moral standards?
but the real problem here is that CNN has a reputation of being fair and balanced, china daily doesn't, any educated chinese people knows that the official chinese media is crap and not trust worthy. but that doesn't mean there is not true freedom of speech in china. there are a lot of forum that are not facilitated by the chinese government, you guys won't be able to find them because you can't find them. don't use china daily as an example because they are not the real official chinese news source, there are chinese underground new sources and there are the old fashion talking in the street. it's not right but it doesn't mean we don't have real news.
sega8800, that was Cafferty is known to be an inflammatory editorialist -- not a source of objective news. Please understand this distinction.
Personally, I think CNN sucks because their news is only about half real news and the rest is entertainment GARBAGE. BBC is slightly better, but not much.
Winterfalling, you are interpreting what Cafferty said in your own way. What Callipers says is correct about how people refer to governments in the West. It is quite common to see, for example, cases like: The Iranians are pursuing nuclear technology. Would you say that that sentence really means "Iranian Mohammed on the streets and all of his family are pursuing nuclear technology?" Of course it doesn't.
Naturally, there is ambiguity there. Cafferty did not express himself with clarity, that is sure. But it is incorrect to look at what he said and say: You see, it is clear that he was insulting the Chinese people. And it makes no difference if you substitute something like "African Americans" in there or not. The reason is that minorities are never used symantically to refer to countries and their governments. The names of nationalities are. They are used not just to refer to governments either.
When Paul Revere rode through the countryside yelling, "The British are coming", do you think he was referring to the British people? No. He was referring to the army, and using the name of the nationality to do it. Would it have been clearer had he said, "The British army is coming?" Yes. But he did not have to because the people in Massachusetts knew what he meant.
Therefore, my comment that CNN responded appropriately is still valid. Between the lines, CNN's apology says, "Cafferty did not mean to insult the Chinese people, and we're sorry if you came to that interpretation."
Sega, what you are not taking into account is that what a newspaper publishes in a news story is different from the comments of a political commentator who works for a media company. Political commentators are often used FOR their partiality, and there are news shows where two sides of an opinion duke it out. This is common.
But this was not a news show that was claiming inpartiality. It was a news briefing, and the comments of just one commentator at that briefing. Yes, it was crude, but it was not the magazine's opinion, no matter what you interpret him to be saying. Now had he said something really racist, I think CNN would have apologised more forcefully anyways. But I don't really think they had to for all of these reasons in this situation.
for two upstairs neighbors, I am sorry that I miss understood that commentator is different from news broadcasters. It was my fault to not knowing that. I apologies.
"My favorite in that forum was a guy who wrote a huge post about how the personal computer was invented in China because of the abacus. I'm eagerly awaiting the next post which will be something like "The Space Shuttle was invented in China because of fireworks.""
And China didn't invent the abacus, the Mesopotamians did.
A totally cynical response from the China government. Rightly or wrongly, the commentator was clearly criticising the China Government (the Communist Party of the past fifty years) and the Communist Party want to turn it into an insult of Chinese people to try to try to persuade Chinese people to attack a straw man rather than their own corrupt government.
Supporting the corrupt and totalitarian government of China that is oppressing Chinese people every day would be a far worse insult to the Chinese people.
I don't think the Chinese government was the first one to jump out and criticize the comment, it was the Chinese Americans that was enrage by this comment first.
taihanasie
The American has always been a bunch of arrogrant shiet forcing others to adapt its own standard !!
Can you guess if i am implying to the US gov't or the general US population ???
YOU GUYS...
I dont care what the bastard meant when he spoke, the point is how what he said is taken... We dont know what he meant in his brain, we take it as the way as general public...
Do we have to discuss how bad my chinglish is when all the Chinese got pissed? It is ridiculous. he said something that substaitially hurt people and proved to be harmful.
GO to watch south park, there is guy said, i got aids and i wanna every child to have aids.
What do you take it as?
everybody takes it as HIV virus but what he meant is assistants.
You blame they have unhealthy minds or the speaker's ingorance???
I am really tiring seeing people who twisting the truths and putting up ridiculious execuses in hoping to defend for the jack ass for his stupid act!!
People ! just admit it ! he insulted the entire chinese society ! we felt it clearly !
Another sad thing to see is we are seeing the hatrate growing amonsgt the chinese society towards the WEST ! I have many friends from the WEST and they are all very nice and friendly people ! This is the last thing i want to see happening !!!! Jackass not only hurted the entire chinese population but has done huge damage to the world !!!
"'chinese are the same bunch of thugs as 50 year’
is this against Chinese or the government?
[Are you blind? ]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]"
Sorry but your quote is a quote of how the Chinese Government have re-interpreted what was said to try to drum up nationalist sentiment, that's precisely the point. If you watch the video (which is freely available on YouTube) you'll will be able to hear what was actually said. That's not to say that I agree with what he said but it's so dissapointing that Chinese people are falling for the CCPs strategy of making it a nationalist issue.
"TO all those who said Jack Cafferty's words were just free speech: how about replace 'Chinese' with 'Black people'or 'jewish' in that sentence???"
The problem is that he didn't say that sentence did he? That sentence is one provided by the Chinese Government. Even if he had, he just be one dickhead with views you disagreed with, so what?
The sentence is:
chinese are the same bunch of thugs as 50 year’
Hello... no that's not the sentence is it? That sentence only appears in the CCP press conference. Watch the actual footage.
to the defenders !!
execuse me !! you are fucken ridculious !!
end of story !
Mister
execuse me !! you are fucken ridculious !!
end of story !
I've learnt that arguing with the igorants is wasting of time !!
"I dont care what the bastard meant when he spoke, the point is how what he said is taken... We dont know what he meant in his brain, we take it as the way as general public..."
We are clearly descending into complete irrationality now. You are now saying that even if someone doesn't say something, if you choose to imagine that he said it then that makes it true. This is clearly nonsense.
"to the defenders !!
execuse me !! you are fucken ridculious !!
end of story !"
I am not a defender, I live in Hong Kong and had never even heard of the guy before today so I have no reason to defend him. I disagree with some of the things he said but I do think it would be useful if we actually discussed what he said and suggested that you could refer to the original footage to see that for yourself. Why do you find that so upsetting?
Actually Tommylee, "Americans always shove feces down other peoples' throats. They are the same feces shovers that they have always been." spoken by someone who in context is referring to the government does not indicate the American people.
Listen, I am not saying Cafferty is some kind of upright guy. But the inconvenient truth is that what he said can only be interpreted as a slight on the Chinese people by someone who really really wants to interpret it that way.
The word "Chinese" does not even appear in the "goons and thugs" sentence. The paragraph is in reference to the government. This is clear in context. So get over it.
taihanasie
seeing postings like yours makes me sick !
i started to understand why more and more chinese are anger over this issue, not only JackAss started it, but those who like you on the internet trying to denying the fact, twisting the truths does contribute majority of the anger and frustructions !!
American likes imposing double standards to other countries ! they are just bunch of blindless arrogrants !
They in this sentense, can you guess what i am implying ?!
by the way, please stop talking about freedom of speech !! i am fade up of the WEST relating this every freaking issues you tag to our country !
quote：
---------
According to a transcript posted on the CNN website, the famously curmudgeonly Cafferty said: “We continue to import their junk with the lead paint on them and the poisoned pet food and export, you know, jobs to places where you can pay workers a dollar a month to turn out the stuff that we’re buying from Wal-Mart.
“So I think our relationship with China has certainly changed,” he continued. “I think they’re basically the same bunch of goons and thugs they’ve been for the last 50 years.”
-----------------
here is what he said indeed, this is the part i got from timesonline.com
Yeah, he did not say Chinese. I asked an American Chinese who did not know the whole thing until I tell him just now. and he said he can not believe the guy said that... so do we still have to discuss what he was really saying?...
99 out of 100 take it as to Chinese people...
winterfalling;
Well at least you have read what the guy actually said rather than your previous posts which were based on something he didn't even say, so something useful has come out of the discussion. I still don't agree with your interpretation, the references to 'China' rather than 'the Chinese' and 'the last 50 years' seem to clearly indicate that he is referring to the Communist Party, but if you have read the real transcript and still think that he insulted the Chinese people then I guess we have to agree to disagree.
Regardless of our different interpretations of what was said there is a deeper issue, however. I'm from the UK originally (although I have been living in Hong Kog for the last 12 years) and if you read our newspapers you will regularly read articles and opinion pieces expressing very strong opinions about other countries. In particular, there are often articles attacking America, American culture, people, politics, describing America as evil etc. America is criticised in the UK far, far more often than China, for example. Some of the articles/opinions are rational and well thought out and some are ridiculous but the process is normal as America is a strong power and therefore comes under particular scrutiny. If the American government started demanding that UK journalists who wrote articles critical of America apologise then the British people would be outraged, regardless of whether they agreed with the opinions expressed by the journalist or not.
What concerns people is that the China government wants China to be part of the international community but then seems to want to say that they don't want to be part of the normal process of debate and criticism that comes with that. As China becomes more powerful and successful it will, inevitably, come in more more and more attention and criticism, just like any other powerful or successful country. If every time a journalist says something offensive about China the China Government is going to demand an apology then it will really make itself look ridiculous.
The Olympic games are a crucible for this. If the Games were being held in the US or UK this year you can bet that there would be protests and demonstrations about the Iraq war, for example. Regardless of your opinions about the Iraq War this process is normal and healthy. If China wants to host the games then it has to accept that it will put China in the spotlight both in terms of showcasing positive aspects such as its economic growth and development but also in terms of criticism, both right and wrong, justified and unjustified. If China can't accept this then it shouldn't have agreed to host the games.
Beautifully spoken MisterD! Right on point!
GET OUT OF CHINA
stop pushing the wheelchair girl !
mister D,
WELL, ONE TIP for you
learn the chinese charater
read chinese newspaper, books, magazines,
watch chinese tv,
your comments about china is not based on the fact of chinese press.
we do have freedom of speech and freedom of assembly here. but one needs to read chinese to know it.
We are turning off commenting for this post. Thanks.