The Supreme Court held Monday no one could tell The Slants they can’t use an offensive term for their band name. So Mike Francesa decided he didn’t want anyone telling him what offensive terms he can and can’t use.
The decision struck down part of a law that prevented the musical group from copywriting their band name because it contains a racial slur. The case is expected to have ramifications for sports teams such as the Redskins and Braves, which likely will be allowed to keep their names after the ruling.
When a listener called up to discuss the case, the WFAN host repeatedly used the outdated, racially charged term “Orientals” and “Oriental-Americans.”
“The feeling is that it’s going to be the same answer to the same question [regarding the Redskins],” Francesa said. “The only other debate is that they were talking about themselves. They all were Oriental-Americans who were part of the group. … They were some kind of a musical band from Oregon, and they could not trademark the name ‘Slant,’ even though they were a group of young Oriental-Americans.”
Later on the show, a producer informed Francesa the terminology is considered offensive, and that got under the host’s skin.
“You’re telling me that is considered a slight if you call someone an Oriental-American?” Francesa said. “What is the proper term then, so I want to get it proper since Oriental-American is now considered a slight? What would be not a slight?”
Told the preferred term is Asian-American, Francesa acquiesced but still seemed in disbelief he had done anything wrong.
“Asian-American. … So let’s make that an Asian-American band,” he said. “You’re telling me that using the word Oriental-American is a slight? … If they would like me to say Asian-Americans, all power to it … then I’ll say Asian-Americans, whatever makes people happy. Has it gotten to that point where that would be considered a slight? Oh, boy. But if it has to be Asian-American, then it’s Asian-American.”
He defended himself by saying he was unaware the term was derogatory and that the reports to which he was referring also used the term Oriental-American.
“I did use the term Oriental-American because the story used the term Oriental-American,” Francesa said. “But I have to be fair. I would not have considered that a slight. Now I’m being told that’s a slight. If that’s a slight, we’ll use Asian-American.”
So are we all on the same page now?