"Just Sayin" Eliminated from ISU Daily

[tm3308]

They make sense if you imagine it means you're staring at anything with eyes. I can conjure up in my own mind that squinty means anything.

The difference being that, in central Iowa, "Squinty's" or "Squinny's" reference squirrels, not asian people. (unless you are a racist, which ironically most of the people who took offense to this tweet are)

In a central Iowa context(where we live and go to school if people haven't noticed )nothing was wrong with this, but a bunch of self righteous people used it to champion their cause of anti-racism, when nothing racist was intended.

Then these same people go on to print an article where they characterize ISU students and faculty as flat out racist.

That is the ultimate irony, and it makes me so furious that I really want to punch people who made that article.

I'm not trying to look at this from the perspective of a white, middle-class American from south central Iowa. I'm trying to look at it from the perspective of an Asian student studying abroad, which is the sort of thing you have to be aware of when you're a member of the media. You have to identify with your readers as best you can.

 

[digZ]

I'm not trying to look at this from the perspective of a white, middle-class American from south central Iowa. I'm trying to look at it from the perspective of an Asian student studying abroad, which is the sort of thing you have to be aware of when you're a member of the media. You have to identify with your readers as best you can.

I understand that, but obviously nobody at the daily, on their editing team is a racist. Apparently none of them are of Asian descent who feel like they've been discriminated against. Do you suggest they hire racist people, or learn themselves on racist terminology so they can protect their readership from such terrible mistakes? Or would you rather propose that we as a society get over our racial boundaries, and try to live as one group of people, and not exacerbate situations like this so that eventually racist terms or discussions won't even show up or be an issue anymore?

Taking everything that could be construed as racism, even when it obviously isn't, only further promotes racism and divides us as a society. The sooner we learn this, the sooner we "get over" racism.

This letter to the editor really hit home to me.

Letter to the editor: Keep us readers away from offensiveness - Iowa State Daily: Opinion

I found this response hit the nail right on the head.

Also if I go over to southeast Asian country for studying abroad or for a trip, and something offends me. If I complained to their paper, and it ended up being a simple misunderstanding do you think they would treat it exactly as the daily had? The stigma we continually put on race relations further perpetuates racism.

 

[JoshTheCyclone]

I'm writing a letter to the editor about how much of an overreaction this whole thing is, and how people are now attacking ISU as a racist breeding ground (good stereotype, considering you hate people who make stereotypes based on race), when it's simply just not true. It's bad for our state, and bad for our institution. Not to mention she suggests that our reagants are racist for hiring "another white guy" as president. Nevermind that he was more than qualified for the job. What a joke this whole situation is.

I plan on ending my latter with "Just sayin'" for posterity's sake.

That is glorious!

 

[BryceC]

This is just utterly stupid. Same with the chink in the armor thing. It's a dang saying and people are trying to find racism where there isn't any.

The editor didn't do the right thing. He did the easy thing. The right thing would have been to say it was a typo and no racism was intended or implied. He buckled like a belt and that takes no integrity.

 

[Gunnerclone]

They should have gone with, "a people who's majority have a slightly smaller eye-opening than American caucasians" instead of squinteys.

 

[Mycology]

I hated the "just sayin" they were rarely funny and mostly pretentious.

 

[VeloClone]

I had never heard this term used in any capacity until I heard my mother-in-law use it in reference to ground squirrels - and yes, she said squinty - not squinny, as much as Iowans pronounce a 't' in this case (see Iowan pronounciation of twenty). I had never before or since heard it used in reference to people. I can understand how someone could misunderstand and be offended. What I can't understand is when it is explained that people still be up in arms and claim it is racism.

Much ado about nothing.

 

[ribsnwhiskey]

I had never heard this term used in any capacity until I heard my mother-in-law use it in reference to ground squirrels - and yes, she said squinty - not squinny, as much as Iowans pronounce a 't' in this case (see Iowan pronounciation of twenty). I had never before or since heard it used in reference to people. I can understand how someone could misunderstand and be offended. What I can't understand is when it is explained that people still be up in arms and claim it is racism.

Much ado about nothing.

I'm proud to say I've never heard this term.

Doesn't do much to change the Iowans are hicks stereotype either.

 

[Al_4_State]

I've lived in Central Iowa for 8 years and have never heard the term "squinny".

However, I think this is way less offensive and much more accidental than the "chink in the armor" headline. More than anything, the "chink in the armor" thing was just stupid. What idiot editor didn't think anyone would care about that? Good lord.

 

[agrabes]

I don't know how anyone could think anything OTHER than the squirrels unless you were just looking to be offended. Those little buggers are everywhere. Wait is buggers racist...maybe i should rephrase just to be safe. Who hasn't had a staring contest with those little animals.

Seriously this is just ******* me off the more I read it. I'm now offended that somebody was ignorant enough to be offended by this. And offended that I'm offending. There will be no end to the offending...

Well, pretty much anyone. Is this "squinny" a Des Moines thing or something? We definitely did not call ground squirrels "squinnies" in my corner of the state, nor did I ever hear anyone call them that while I was at ISU from '05-'09 (man, I'm old already).

I think that "squinty" is a pretty clear racial term to describe asians and honestly I couldn't think of it in any other way. It doesn't seem to be used a derogatory way, but people are hyper sensitive these days.

 

[Boxerdaddy]

The quotes in the response story still make sense if you imagine they're referencing Asians. Certainly no less sense than having a staring contest with a ground squirrel.

Disagree totally. These comments make no sense when referencing a person.

 

[mksmith2]

First of all: I think the Daily did the right thing, I was never a huge fan of the "Just Sayin' " section...I always thought it was a ticking time bomb.

Secondly: I think everyone is a little bit touchy about racism, especially more so now with the emergence of Jeremy Lin and all that has gone on around that. It's a fine line, I laugh at racist jokes, but I don't treat anyone differently because of their race. Hell, I have friends who are "minorities" and we trade racist jokes because we know we're not meaning any harm. Ultimately it's going to come down to the motivation behind what's being said/typed/etc.

Ultimately, people were offended by the words and etc. and they did the right thing to take it down and apologize, not to mention (like Ring said earlier) that it opens up dialogue about it.

Now...to lighten the mood/inject humour/tell some truth:
The below song does have language so...be mature about it. (Mods, if you decide it's in poor taste/whatever feel free to remove)

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMeU_szhZ6E]Avenue Q "Everyone's a little bit racist" Lyrics. - YouTube[/ame]

 

[CycloneGB]

Well, pretty much anyone. Is this "squinny" a Des Moines thing or something? We definitely did not call ground squirrels "squinnies" in my corner of the state, nor did I ever hear anyone call them that while I was at ISU from '05-'09 (man, I'm old already).

I think that "squinty" is a pretty clear racial term to describe asians and honestly I couldn't think of it in any other way. It doesn't seem to be used a derogatory way, but people are hyper sensitive these days.

Wasn't ever used in my area of the state either growing up but heard a couple people use it on campus at ISU referring to ground squirrels.

I agree with previous posts about this being more of a "look at us" move for these people than actually being offended.

Think about it, if you were over in China studying abroad and the school paper had some comments about "wide-eyes" but find out its a term for their rodents, would you go in and make a big stink about how your people are victims of racism? And, moreover, would their paper completely change their format because of it? People know its a touchy subject in America and a black eye on the country's history. They also know that they can make a big fuss about it and get all kinds of attention. And nobody wants to take up the other side for fear of living up to the "racist" card thats been played.

Its just attention-hungry people trying to put smoke where there's no fire..

 

[azn4cy]

As an Asian, the biggest thing I take out of this is that Iowans use some strange slang.

 

[VeloClone]

As an Asian, the biggest thing I take out of this is that Iowans use some strange slang.

I was waiting for you to weigh in on this one...

 

[CycloneGamecock]

I grew up in central Iowa and have always called them "sqinnys", now when I moved to the south is the first time I've heard them called "squintys" but I have heard both in reference to ground squirrels.

 

[Boxerdaddy]

As an Asian, the biggest thing I take out of this is that Iowans use some strange slang.

I'm offended by your avatar. Just kidding. I like it.

 

[CycloneErik]

Wasn't ever used in my area of the state either growing up but heard a couple people use it on campus at ISU referring to ground squirrels.

I agree with previous posts about this being more of a "look at us" move for these people than actually being offended.

Think about it, if you were over in China studying abroad and the school paper had some comments about "wide-eyes" but find out its a term for their rodents, would you go in and make a big stink about how your people are victims of racism? And, moreover, would their paper completely change their format because of it? People know its a touchy subject in America and a black eye on the country's history. They also know that they can make a big fuss about it and get all kinds of attention. And nobody wants to take up the other side for fear of living up to the "racist" card thats been played.

Its just attention-hungry people trying to put smoke where there's no fire..

Because when I think "attention-hungry people," I think of Asians.


I also have never heard of this term. I can understand the perception, and it's probably a poor choice in retrospect, but I can also assume that the guy who used the term assumed that everyone else knew it because he did.

 

[CyArob]

I was more offended by the ignorant letter to the editor comparing Asians studying here to the Russians stealing information during the Cold War, but to each their own.

 

[Incyte]

I'm from the farm but we always called ground squirrels 'grennies.' We may have been negatively referring to people from grenada however.