CNN contributors Shan Wu and Lisa Ling join anchor Amara Walker to discuss the racist remarks made by Thomas L. Keon, the chancellor of Purdue University Northwest, during a commencement speech. The chancellor was following the keynote speaker who referenced using "made up languages" to his grandchildren several times in his speech, which made no mention or reference to Asians. #CNN #News
CNN contributors react to university chancellor’s racist remarks during speech
Why would anyone, let alone a very educated person, think things like that would be funny or in good taste? Baffling.
Lots of very well educated old racists out there.
@xiaoka Yes, unfortunately there are.
@xiaoka This isn’t remotely racist.
Its indeed funny chinese language hohohoooo chow fliedd lice
This is one of the things that happens when a group allows others to prop them up as the model minority and stay out of the fight against prejudice for so long. I am so glad that more Asian people are starting to wake up and speak out against bigotry.
@M A They are racing with one another on whoever is most beautiful, rich, and has highest vanity etc. So if the holders of that position say something, then those who are chasing them in order to replace them will feel hurt about it. But if someone whom they see to be in a lower rank say something, then they don’t get as hurtful. So the whites seem to be the holders of it. The jews are not as beautiful as them, so they gathered the rest against them. That’s how it looks to me. I think the asians are unique in their looks, as it shows the Ability of Allah ﷻ to create whatever He wants from a fluid that you’d be ashamed of you got it on your clothes. Therefore it is proof that He who has the Ability to do that, is able to raise up those in the graves once they’ve deteriorated. Meaning, it should’ve turned them into having certainty of the Afterlife and not chasing vanity and outdoing one another in it.
@Eduardo Oliveira Made up.
I dunno what he said but I like it…..gotta laugh …our school was great fun.
Facts.
The current Prez already signed the Asian Pacific Islanders Protection Act in 2021, among many other laws.
I wish the chancellor good luck with his career in that same language.
sorry i didn’t understand, can you do that again ?
🤓…ahhhhh herro! Me veddy gud at maf!
Well, if Trump could normalize mocking the name and ethnicity of a top Senate leader, then what’s the harm of this supposed academic megastar and leader doing exactly the same thing in a setting and event that should have bolstered the pride and honor of all minorities that successfully passed through the portal of this supposedly august institution. Those dignitaries around this clueless and hurtful academic leader who guffawed and showed mirth and acceptance of such blatant racism should also be excoriated bluntly by all.
You could see some of the faculty not laughing or moving uncomfortably in their seats. I think they knew very well that Chancellor Keon was about to face some very tough questions and situations following his remarks.
@Lizzie D
I hear you, Lizzie
@Arnold Oliver/ Exactly! He’s shown himself to be an ignorant old fool.
@Arnold OliverI just want him to get fired
@Belly Dancer Em 👈🤣going to take down those ” Rapist Mexicans” ~ Dark Brandon 🤣🤣
@Lizzie D As if you would’ve had the guts to stand up and object at that moment 🙄
If we can just, at long last, when these incidents ( by adults yet!) are revealed on film, begin to see things from our ‘neighbors’ perspective. ie. “love your neighbor as yourself”! Let’s, please, start to show some sensitivity, some manners, some understanding, because until – we – adults do, will our kids? The culture of bullying will just carry on.
Gary Neilson: Exactly! Kids are not born with prejudice …it is TAUGHT….They learn it from the adults and children around them. If adults would stop instilling it in their children, intentionally or not, the problem will eventually die.
Bullying makes people stronger and builds character, I was bullied in school and never let it hold me back or keep me down, stop playing the victim card and grow a damn spine!
shout out to the woman behind him who never even cracked a smile
She can’t take a joke.
Of course the old white dudes behind him were laughing
@Kaitlin Rose I like men who have a sense of humor
She did have a sense of humor.
There were women. They often have a different take on things.
My Philippine wife speaks 3 languages. How many does the chancellor speak? How did he get so far being insensitive. I try to speak bysian/cebuana but I am slow in learning them. Those who laughed may laugh in fear since he has power which he clearly abuses.
@Paul Astle you are deaf. he clearly says “my sort of asian version…” i wanna hear your gaslight response to this.
@172 Ngàn The US was born out of racism but don’t think for a moment that other countries systems aren’t as vile. Difference is that in many places they won’t even acknowledge that it exists.
@M A except he straight up said he was doing a pseudo Asian, it wasn’t inferred by anyone else
@Mr. Piccolo And don’t forget the pic…this dude clearly respects women.
@come fast to get into my body stop posting false information. Your pants are on fire
This is the new kind of racism, say racist comments and then others come along and gaslight and excuse the behavior. This normalizes the behavior and action. Most of the time, those excusing the behavior are not those from the community that is being attack.
should we at least take heart that he accepted that his statements were perceived as racist and he apologized? too many public figures are doubling down on their racism or denying their statements are racist.
if we don’t permit people to learn from their mistakes, they wont. he didn’t commit any violence, and he didn’t deny admission or make life a daily chore for non-whites. he hurt people’s feelings, and when you do that, you apologize. but most importantly, DON’T DO IT AGAIN.
He can put his money where his mouth is by stepping down and nominating an Asian American chancellor in his place, to show that he’s truly contrite. Apologies mean little unless backed by action.
@Krantzstone I feel such a drastic action would only be warranted if he actively worked against the advancement of asian colleagues or worked to make asian student’s life worse.
Perhaps disciplinary action should be proportional to the offense.
Perhaps he should answer his cringe by being forced to perform in a play put on by the students. Humiliation for his humiliating noises.
As a white 65 yr old male, I have not had to have these types or any type of ridicule. I don’t worry about if I’m able to take a trip to the convenience store and back home and getting hassled by police or even just folks on the street. I have never had to worry about my kids either. Now as I listen to what happens to adults and kids that are Asian, Black, Native American it breaks my heart how these AMERICANS are treated I hang my head in shame and wish there is a way to apologize and to educate and help end all this hatred. There is a Mexican American comedian that goes by Fluffy. He was preforming in e
Egypt or some place over that way and was introduced as an American comedian and he told the audience it’s a shame he had to go half way around the world to be recognized as American. We all have to help each other to make it . Be safe.
@Relentless Kevin you need to take your own advice and follow up with some lead paint. You buddy don’t seem to understand the conversation here.
After 65y years living in America and your JUST NOW noticing how non-white Americans are treated differently….the White privilege is real
There is no such thing as white
@psycobleach46 tullis The fact is liberals have a long history of racism in America and many POC are racist too. Deal with it snowflake.
Growing up…. everything was fair game for teasing fellow peers. It wasn’t ever out of malice. Whether it was my clothes, hairstyle, ethnicity, sexuality, mannerisms, etc.
But Asian hate is a fabrication of MSM. I never experienced anything that no one else has. But I have noticed an increase of anti-western and anti-American sentiments from some subsets of the asian community.
Someone in his position is not supposed to make those kind of mistakes.
I agree. He should absolutely be forced to resign. It’s not like there’s a shortage of smart people who would like to have his job.
He needs to learn to engage his brain before opening his mouth. You’d think a chancellor of a university would already know how to do that.
You have to wonder what his “inner circle” tolerates acceptable behavior.
Being educated and aged doesn’t make you intelligent. What’s in your heart is what comes out of you! So sad 🥺😭. GOD is good ☺️😊.
The conversation should go like:
University: “You’re fired for being a racist,”
Keon: “I’m not a racist!”
University: “Okay; you’re fired for being stupid.”
@William Jackson https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94hdP5lNkg4
@Nduba Obi to me the chancellor is ultimately out of line because not only for the racial mockery but also it was not the time nor place for it. It’s a graduation ceremony, not a late night out with the boys after tying off a few.
And if you don’t think it was mockery, can you translate what he said or was he spouting off gibberish in a stereotypical white person Asian accent?
@Nduba Obi oh okay Kunta-Kinte’!
@Kathleen Vertucci says the Woman whose Ancestry won’t even accept their support for the Nazi Regime! And You still owe us Reparations for your involvement in WWII! So…STFU Guido Lover! Oh wow…right; not so nice now?
@Nduba Obi Unfortunately, you do not decide whether someone else should be offended by these so call “jokecism” speak for yourself would be the best course of action
Unplanned but well practiced!!!! He’s been doing that for YEARS!!! He was too comfortable- had he truly learned a phrase in one of the many beautiful Asian languages he would of created a positive proud moment for ALL present.
Beautiful language? Because it exists or what do you beautiful?
@Pietro Pipparolo Of You are a Minority You Must Overreact 😂 . It happens in every Country
When you goto Other’s Country to Settle for a Luxurious Life, This Happens a Little bit, here and there. No need to Create a Scene over such small issues
Had he learned to speak a real phrase would he have still convulsed while speaking it? That’s the question. Wasn’t there a professor somewhere in California who was censured for using *actual* Chinese during one of his lessons?
People like this person do this all the time when he is around his family and friends
The fact that Chancellor Keon was comfortable enough to make such an ignorant and insensitive remark at a public event makes one wonder what he says behind closed doors. As a teacher of thirty plus years, who has taught Asian students, I am highly offended not only by this man’s initial remark, but also by his obviously shallow apology. Congrats, Purdue Northwest. You’ve made a mockery of your institution.
Oh come on.
He messed up bigly
Trump opened this can of racism…to hold on to power. Now everyone is showing their racism ..from l.a.councilmen to kanye
Chancellor must resign. This is not acceptable and he is old enough for the consequences he made. Purdue University is not a University that I would send my kids. Purdue University is racist University.
Someone in a high level position like that should never make any type references implying racism or bigotry at any time while in that pisition…
How the hell can someone be so out of touch with reality to think that they can say that in public, to a large crowd of people, and not suffer the consequences of their actions?
@popcycleism but you got to remember Trump won election because nobody like Hillary
@Joe Schneider do you have an insurrection that you are late for 🤡?
@popcycleism that’s quite funny when nobody’s been charged with that
@Joe Schneider
righhhhhhht….. 🤡
@popcycleism that’s right I am right you can’t find one who has not that I really give a s*** anyway
My teenage years in school were a bit of hell. I was nearly blind in one eye since I was ten and was basically cross-eyed. The bullys loved it. My mother’s sage advice, was to just consider the source and go about my days, they are only diminishing themselves, not you.
Your mother was a responsible parent. your lucky to be taught to ignore the foolish words from others. Calling for this man’s job for something so small is ridiculous. I would not send a child of mine to the school if the leaders fired this man for something so insignificant.
I am so sorry friend.
@dave h I am sorry for you, you are a silly child!
@William Jackson https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94hdP5lNkg4
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/5IJDx8HPJuY
Did you have the strabismus fixed? If so, how old were you?
Just goes to show how out of touch some people are who are in positions of power. How can you be in charge of a prominent university and do something like this? Get him out!
this is proof that being highly educated or coming from a well heeled community or being financially well off does not improve one’s heart condition towards another human being, which is respect, love and compassion. having said that, those who have been hurt should respond with forgiveness and pray that the offender would realise his own folly, apologise, repent and learn from it and not do it again.