Teh One Who Knocks
08-02-2012, 11:16 AM
By the TMZ Staff
http://i.imgur.com/MUD8h.jpg
A major skateboard company is being accused of putting "racism for sale" ... after selling a shirt featuring two Asian men under the words, "Gooks of Hazzard."
The company under fire is Baker Skateboards ... which is owned by skating legend Andrew Reynolds ... who's been featured as a character in several of the Tony Hawk Pro Skater video games.
Baker is currently selling the "Hazzard" shirt on its website. The shirt features two Asian men in a car named the "General Li." One of the men is pro skater Don "The Nuge" Nguyen -- who's sponsored by Baker.
The shirt also features a tagline, "Good Orr Boys" ... a play on the stereotype of an Asian accent.
But while it appears The Nuge approves of the shirt, the Asian American Justice Center feels differently ... a rep for the organization tells us it's "unacceptable for Baker Skateboards to create a depiction of Asian Americans which uses racial slurs and perpetuates racist stereotypes.”
The org. adds, "Baker Skateboards, and the outlets that sell this shirt, should be aware that use of the term 'gook' on their apparel is offensive and quite simply amounts to racism for sale. No one should seek to profit from racism.”
We reached out to Baker Skateboards -- as well as Don “The Nuge” Nguyen -- so far, no word back from either.
http://i.imgur.com/MUD8h.jpg
A major skateboard company is being accused of putting "racism for sale" ... after selling a shirt featuring two Asian men under the words, "Gooks of Hazzard."
The company under fire is Baker Skateboards ... which is owned by skating legend Andrew Reynolds ... who's been featured as a character in several of the Tony Hawk Pro Skater video games.
Baker is currently selling the "Hazzard" shirt on its website. The shirt features two Asian men in a car named the "General Li." One of the men is pro skater Don "The Nuge" Nguyen -- who's sponsored by Baker.
The shirt also features a tagline, "Good Orr Boys" ... a play on the stereotype of an Asian accent.
But while it appears The Nuge approves of the shirt, the Asian American Justice Center feels differently ... a rep for the organization tells us it's "unacceptable for Baker Skateboards to create a depiction of Asian Americans which uses racial slurs and perpetuates racist stereotypes.”
The org. adds, "Baker Skateboards, and the outlets that sell this shirt, should be aware that use of the term 'gook' on their apparel is offensive and quite simply amounts to racism for sale. No one should seek to profit from racism.”
We reached out to Baker Skateboards -- as well as Don “The Nuge” Nguyen -- so far, no word back from either.