“I’m not racist”
That’s the conclusion that James McMahon came to after being exposed for accidentally replying to job seeker Connie Cheung with an email saying “Me Love you long time,” a racist phrase which was first spoken by a Vietnamese sex worker in the late 80s film “Full Metal Jacket” and later sampled by 2 Live Crew for their hit song “Me so horny”.
The email was meant for Brian Haugh, McMahon’s co-worker and President of the recruitment company Chicago Search Group. Let’s take a deeper dive into his full, contradictory “apology” with caveats
“It was an insensitive, inside joke only meant for my partner,” McMahon said. “It was an insensitive comment, I realize that. It was a racist comment, I realize that …I had no racist intentions. I’m not racist, I’m certainly not sexist. I know I was 100 percent in the wrong. I wish it never happened, I wish I could take it back. It was a huge mistake and I’m sorry.”
So in sum, McMahon’s defense was that his email minimizing Cheung to a stereotype was meant for his white friend only, that the comment was both insensitive and racist, but somehow McMahon is still not a racist. Well, what makes for racist behavior then, James?
With All Due Respect, That’s Racist, Brian
If there was any healing take from McMahon’s apology, it was quickly undone by his ignorant boss Brian Haugh, who dismissed a friend of Cheungs who confronted him on email.
“With all due respect, I am focused on bigger problems than your friend being offended by a movie quote,” said the President of the Chicago-based employment recruitment company. “Sorry, but just don’t have time for this. Best of luck to you!! You may want to google libel laws before your crew posts things publicly. Our attorneys are on call….”
Actually Haugh, you might want to google “with all due respect” and “sorry“.
Haugh went on to say the company has hired employees that “happen to be Asian, black, gay, Spanish decent, etc” [sic] and explained McMahon is married to a woman who is black and Colombian. Given those facts, a responsible reporter would ask, are these hires/relationships of a racist person/organization?” he wrote.
God, some people’s understanding of racism is so shallow and weak. Just because you have black friends, a Colombian wife or hired Asians doesn’t give you Carte Blanche to say racist things, you fool.
Cheung wrote on her status on facebook responding to the incident, “When you apply for a job and the recruiting managers are emailing about you behind your back,” NBC News. In a second phone conversation between Cheung and McMahon, Cheung insisted that it was offensive and racist while McMahon white-splained that it was just a quote from a movie.
“I was just shocked because it’s been a while since I’ve personally received such racial and ignorant commentary relating to my ethnicity,” Cheung told USA TODAY.
A racist quote, Jimmy. One that you mimicked based on the assumed race of an applicant to your company.
Yes that’s racist, James.