Post-it note from those fugitives: what exactly is racist in this note?

[space-time]

sorry, but I don't get what is racist in this note. Please try to understand that I am an immigrant and probably I am not very familiar with this issue... it may refer to some joke or something else that I have never heard of.

I am actually surprised how nice they write!

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/...scape.html

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They left a taunting note for the authorities that included a racist caricature …

[/spoiler]

[Carnos Jax]

Basically making fun of orientals based on stereotypes.

[OWC Jamie]

The slanty eyes and rice farmer cone could be construed as racist by those with really thin skin or who see racism everywhere.
sayonara

[C(-)ris]

How the frick did they cut those holes without anyone hearing the noise? It isn't like you can silently cut through metal that thick.

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Carnos Jax wrote:
Basically making fun of orientals based on stereotypes.

But why would they make fun of orientals? is there a large Asian population in that part of NY state? I could see if this were happening somewhere like NYC or SF where there are large Asian communities, but up there in that neck of the woods? doesn't make much sense. perhaps they just made a simple sketch and people over interpret this... my 2 cents

[August West]

Why sketch a caricature at all? There must be a reason and they clearly choose an offensive stereotype.

[GGD]

C(-)ris wrote:
How the frick did they cut those holes without anyone hearing the noise? It isn't like you can silently cut through metal that thick.

I've been wondering if they've been considering the possibility that this escape was done from the other direction, and someone on the outside cut their way in to free them.

[Carnos Jax]

They may or may not have targeted orientals, it may just be an unintentional and insensitive oversight on their part.

[Janit]

The picture is a smiley face with modifications that quote from old racist caricatures of persons of East or Southeast Asian heritage -- most commonly used for Chinese, Japanese, or Vietnamese during periods when many Americans felt the need to dehumanize those populations. The buck teeth, slanted eyes and conical hat were common tropes in anti-Asian cartoons.

[rgG]

Was there someone of authority, at the prison, that was Asian? Maybe it was directed at someone in particular.