PSA: Asians don't find slant eye/ching-chong funny

Mixed Race America would like to make a Public Service Announcement to the blogosophere. Many of you, if not all of you, have Asian and Asian American friends, colleagues, neighbors, and perhaps even family members. You've seen us at your son's music recitals. We shop at your grocery stores. We pump your gas, examine your x-rays, teach your children, and cut your hair. You've come to our home for a bbq. You've sat next to us at a concert. You've played golf/basketball/tennis/football/soccer with us/our kids/our brothers/our sisters.

So we just want to be clear about something:

Pulling your eyes into a slant or saying "Ching-Chong Chinaman" is NEVER funny. And while we're at it, that Monty Python song that you like so much? You know, the one that goes, "I like Chinese. They only come down to your knees"--yeah, that one. We know how you think that song is HILARIOUS, and you tell us that the Pythons are COMPLIMENTING Chinese people. But you know what? To us it sounds like MAKING FUN of Chinese people--and whether we are Japanese or Thai or Korean or Indian or Vietnamese or even CHINESE, we don't think it's funny.

Yes, we have a healthy sense of humor. There are A LOT of things we think are funny. We love other Python skits and songs (who doesn't laugh at the line "It's only a flesh wound.") We know how to take a joke and how to tell a joke.

But here's what we don't find funny:

*Miley Cyrus and her friends doing the slant-eyed in a photograph

*Amy Sedaris signing her books with "Ching-Chong" and adding a picture of a racist buck-toothed, slanted eyed face

[Tip of the hat to Angry Asian Man]

So please, people of the Blogsphere. If you want to continue to be invited over to your neighbor's annual Fourth of July cookout. If you don't want to embarrass yourself in front of your daughter's best friend's parents. If you don't want to make an ass of yourself in front of your "Asian American" friend. Then by all means DO NOT EVER SAY CHING CHONG OR MAKE THE SLANT EYE OR IN ANY WAY THINK IT'S FUNNY TO TELL RACIST ASIAN JOKES (and I'd add really any racist jokes--your Asian friends won't find Mexican jokes funny either) TO YOUR ASIAN/ASIAN AMERICAN FRIENDS.