Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource "Voices That Must Be Heard" Articles Description An account of the resource The Independent Press Association (IPA) translates articles from the ethnic press (when necessary) and distributes them via web and fax newsletter to mainstream and ethnic press, government offices, nonprofits, and interested individuals. Voices That Must be Heard was designed by the Independent Press Association staff in New York City in response to the horrifying events of September 11. After Sept. 11th, Voices focused on the South Asian, Arab and Middle Eastern communities in New York. Since February 2002, the project has expanded, selecting articles from the broad range of ethnic and community newspapers throughout the city. Here, the Archive has preserved the Voices collection from its inception until November 2002. VTMBH Article VTMBH Article: Edition 41 VTMBH Article: Article Order 2 VTMBH Article: Title Asian organizations fight against discrimination: Costume maker recalls Kung Fu mask VTMBH Article: Author Xiaoqing Rong VTMBH Article: Publication Sing Tao Daily VTMBH Article: Original Language Chinese VTMBH Article: Translator Xiaoqing Rong VTMBH Article: Section news VTMBH Article: Blurb Asian organizations accused San Diego-based costume maker Disguise, Inc., of discrimination because of their Kung Fu-style mask, which the company put on the market this September in time for Halloween. After protests, Disguise apologized and recalled the masks. VTMBH Article: Keywords VTMBH Article: Body Asian organizations accused San Diego-based costume maker Disguise, Inc., of discrimination because their Kung Fu-style mask, which Disguise, Inc. put on the market this September in time for Halloween. The mask was sold with a set of Kung Fu clothes, and depicted a bucktoothed, slant-eyed Kung Fu figure, with a Chinese character on its headband that read defeated. It was named Kung Fool and was sold for $25 to $34 at Walmart, Party City and Target stores nationwide. Strong reaction from Asian organizations and the media prompted Disguise to issue a recall and promised to buy back those masks already sold to customers. The Organization of Chinese Americans (OCA), National Asian Pacific American Legal Consortium and the National Asian Students Alliance all published statements criticizing Disguise for racism against Asians. They said that the mask perpetuates racism and dehumanizes the entire community. In a protest statement, Christine Chen, executive director of the OCA, said, Disguise claims they produce high quality, innovative products. What they do is far from what they say. Asian American customers are not interested in this product at all. Asian Americans have $250 billion consuming power. To single out this community isnt wise even from a commercial perspective. Spokesman Chris Wahl issued a formal apology on behalf of Disguise Inc., which is one of the nations leading costume manufacturers. The company said its original intention was to present the Kung Fu figure humorously, and didnt mean to offend any racial group. But the Asian community was pissed off. Internet users posted notes in protest on BBS and the issue was widely discussed in chat rooms. The Asian news website yellowworld.org also organized a sign-to-protest campaign. Elber Oh, founder of yellowworld.org said, Asian Americans dont want to be the plaything of Halloween. An Asian Internet user, who posted a note on BBS, said that he was very hurt when he saw the mask. I was shocked. The mask brought back the bitter memory of when I was called alien at school. Decades have passed, and society is still biased [against Asians]. Fortunately, the Asian community is not as it was. We are strong enough to fight back, he said. VTMBH Article: Line Breaks 1 VTMBH Article: Date 2002-10-18 VTMBH Article: Thumb VTMBH Article: Article File VTMBH Article: Hit Count 139 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Asian organizations fight against discrimination: Costume maker recalls Kung Fu mask 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. unknown Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. article Original Name The original name of this item. Asian organizations accused San Diego-based costume maker Disguise, Inc., of discrimination because Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-10-18