Campaign works against 'ching-chong' racism when we speak up

SPEAKING UP matters: A New York restaurant got heavily criticized on social media after an employee referred to an Asian customer as “Ching Chong” on a takeout receipt.
The woman went to Cornerstone Cafe and ordered steak and eggs to go on Aug. 16. When she looked at the receipt, she noticed that a server, identified only as “Rubi,” used the racial slur “Ching Chong” as the customer’s name.

The woman showed her daughter the offensive receipt, and her daughter in turn shared it with a friend known on Facebook as “Ziggy Chau.” The friend then shared an image of the receipt on Facebook, where it quickly went viral.

Chau said he wanted people, especially Asians and Asian Americans, to take the matter into their own hands and contact the restaurant because he wanted to break down the stereotype that Asian customers acquiesce and do not complain when service is bad or when they are insulted. 

Local ethnic and mainstream media did stories on the incident and enough people called the restaurant that the establishment's owner got tired trying to excuse the workers. He said he had "no choice" but to fire the server, according to a post on the restaurant's Facebook account, which has since been deleted.

NBC New York reported the posting before the account was cancelled. It read:

“This situation leaves me no choice than to terminate this employee for this unjustified act. It definitely does not reflect the way the Cornerstone staff or I think because of one individuals stupidity.”

I get tired from being ignored, having empty taxis pass me by, store clerks look right pass you to the next customers, or restaurant hosts leading me to the worst table in the joint. It took me awhile, but I've learned that I don't have to put up with this BS treatment anymore.

"The perception that Asians don't speak up needs to change," Chau wrote in a follow-up posting that thanked those who contacted the restaurant. "It's also hard to speak up for others when we as a whole don't speak up for ourselves. This needs to change in order for all of us to combat racism together."

Speaking up matters.

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