By Louis Chan
AsAmNews National Correspondent
A fellow for New America, a think tank that encourages civic engagement and solutions through technology, has been fired after mocking the accent of Chinese Americans and making fun of their appearance.
Michael Smith II was reacting to news that the Chinese government had taken over control of the Anbang Insurance Group which owns the Waldorf Astoria in New York and other U.S. properties.
“We know when you sreep(sic) rouwund eye. and who you sreepy with!!!” he said in a tweet.
That tweet has since been deleted, but screen grabs of the tweet are still widely available on social media.
New America announced Smith’s termination in a tweet of its own.
Michael S Smith II’s fellowship with New America has been terminated following his use of inappropriate language that is incongruous with New America’s values. New America does not tolerate or condone the use of racist language or racist conduct of any kind.
— New America (@NewAmerica) February 23, 2018
Smith apologized for his indiscretion, calling his tweet a “lapse of judgment.”
Earlier, I tweeted a comment mocking Chinese intelligence agencies that has been characterized as racist. I am not a racist. I apologize to everyone who found my comments to be offensive and hurtful. I have removed the tweet in consideration of your concerns.
— Michael S. Smith II (@MichaelSSmithII) February 23, 2018
I apologize to everyone who was offended by my comments in a tweet about Chinese intelligence operations that was interpreted as racist and deliberately hurtful. This was an instance of a lapse in judgment that does not reflect my views of Chinese people, or any other Asian races
— Michael S. Smith II (@MichaelSSmithII) February 23, 2018
I appreciate my lapse in judgment warrants negative criticism. While I don’t mean to diminish that fact: My work has oriented around an effort to protect people from harm, and I would not deliberately seek to hurt anyone because they are of a different race. I am sorry I did.
— Michael S. Smith II (@MichaelSSmithII) February 24, 2018
Further, I do not have prior experience with apologizing for lapses in judgment that have resulted in harm caused to anyone. Nor have I previously had to respond to accusations I’m a racist. If my apologies and tweets have further offended anyone, I apologize for this, too.
— Michael S. Smith II (@MichaelSSmithII) February 24, 2018
Many remain unimpressed with his apology.
When you use the phrase “round eye” and substitute Rs for Ls that’s not the language “that was interpreted as racist.” It is objectively racist language.
— Dan Carrigg (@Dan_Carrigg) February 23, 2018
There’s no way to interpret it as not racist, ‘global thinker’
— Conor (@ConorMillington) February 23, 2018
“Interpreted as racist”? It WAS racist. Your wording here shows you still think you did NOTHING wrong. pic.twitter.com/wZScqdXNMk
— JenniferW (@JenWoodruff79) February 23, 2018
AsAmNews has reached out to Smith and will add his comments if he gets back to us.
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