It's 2018. Can we all agree that some phrases are racist and just need to be retired? In West Virginia, both the governor and a state school board official have recently used the term "chinaman."
Yes, people, the word is a slur.
WV governor, state school board VP have used what's considered an anti-Asian slur
Back in February, at a live streamed town hall meeting, Governor Jim Justice was discussing issues that later led into a statewide public school workers strike. He was trying to dissuade teachers from backing a proposed tax increase to fund more substantial pay raises, saying the bill had no chance of passage in the legislature.
"There's not a Chinaman's chance in the whole wide world that will happen," Justice said. "It's not getting out of committee."
This is your semi-regular reminder that "chinaman" is a racial slur.
Aside from the fact that the Justice clearly doesn't know -- or doesn't care -- that he's using a slur, this was just plain unnecessary. How was the governor's point enhanced by slapping the phrase "Chinaman's chance" on top of this statement? Like, "in the whole wide world" wasn't enough hyperbole? Had to throw in that racial slur for good measure, because hey, it sounds funny. Or "silly", as the governor would later claim, two days later.
"I use a lot of silly phrases and stuff like that," Justice said. "If that offended somebody, then I'm sorry."
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