I guess MARTA is just keeping up its racially insensitive history. I mean, you take the red line to go to the Braves’ stadium. So now the yellow line will go to Doraville.
Doraville has a high Asian population and they don’t like that the yellow line goes there.
This is so stupid I can’t believe I’m even writing about it. Professional race pimps are, I am sure, aghast that MARTA would randomly assign colors to its lines to make them less confusing to people. The rest of us are just happy for the change.
“Historically, it has had a derogatory intent,” said John Park, an attorney with the nonprofit Center for Pan Asian Community Services in Doraville, just down the hill from the Marta station. “It physically paints a very unattractive picture. I don’t consider myself ‘yellow.’”
Park and other Asian activists plan to meet Friday with MARTA CEO Beverly Scott. They hope MARTA will change the line’s name from yellow to gold.
Good grief. It is a wonder anyone can get anything done on the planet with all the professional offense victims running around complaining.
On the upside, I never knew Doraville had such a high Asian population. Now I know where to go to get good Chinese food.
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Shouldn’t Pete Randall have posted this, along with a picture of Dr. Beverly Scott of MARTA? You know, just to add to the racist tinge of the situation.
We tried chiding him into doing it, but he said something called “work” was taking priority.
Okay, this is just retarded.
Andre, I think you mean “mentally challenged.”
No, I meant retarded and I won’t be apologizing to any person who may be offended by my use of the word either.
This P.C. crap is really starting to piss me off.
Andre, if you don’t call the president of the Special Olympics, they will come for you in the night. Even Rahm is afraid.
+2 for Andre
+2 for Captain Phatbeard
Well sir let me be the first to enlighten you on the wonders of culinary delights that exist on the Doraville bound Buford Highway. A smorgasbord of Vietnamese, Thai, and Chinese are found with ease. There are simple delis serving Vietnamese sandwiches (of note is the Lee Bakery) and then there are more traditional restaurants. I recommend a trip up in that direction for the most traditional Asian food that you will probably find in the Atlanta area, you will not find a Panda Express near Doraville.
…or a stray cat. (Sorry, couldn’t resist.)
Erick doesn’t believe anything exist in Atlanta outside the airport and the CNN studio.
Otherwise he might have known what ever Atlantan has known for the past 20 years about the Chamblee-Doraville area.
in fairness, he’s not an atlantan, as someone from south of the fall line, i can say i was only vaguely aware of that areas demographics b/c of how it is described in tom wolfe’s book “a man in full” (chambodia, as i recall)
BTW, when’s the “A Man In Full” movie coming out?
Erick certainly graces us with his presence enough and certainly has enough opinions about Atlanta, that you think he would have done his homework. But much like the people that enjoy Chastain, Grady and the Braves – Atlanta is an anchor on the state, a cesspool of corruption, blah blah blah.
Anyway.
Marta should have had the forethought to understand this might have been a PR nightmare.
The Asian group should unbunch underpants.
The whole thing is stupid.
Amen! I don’t ride MARTA, but don’t they have a red line? If so, did the Native Americans get all up in arms over that one? There are so many problems going on with MARTA and the state in general. This seems so mundane in the scheme of things (at least it does to me).
my guess is if the red line went to the reservation (i realize there is not one in atl, i’m just illustrating a point) it would probably be quite a big deal…
Being originally from the Northeast, a typical Atlantan’s idea of ethnic diversity is one part Black, one part White, with a handful of Mexicans sprinkled in. So I can see how this would go over MARTA’s head. That said, people are waaaaaaaay too sensitive these days.
You got that right about the sensitivity thing!
That last paragraph: I see what you did there.
Those offended by the Yellow Line suggest that it be named the Gold Line instead. But that route goes near areas with high Jewish population which might take offense at the new name. You just can’t win with some people. My reaction would be to tell them they’re being stupid and laugh in their faces… which is exactly why I can never ever go into politics.
As an aside, if you are ever on the train and see the ads for Troy University that look like a MARTA rail map, it wouldn’t surprise me if someone actually was trying to send a message in the design of those posters. At least in the newest revision there isn’t a station on the west side named “Polygraph Center” anymore.
They could call it the bronze line, but it goes through Buckhead and all of the girls with thick spray on tans may be offended. That same reason also nixes orange line.
Surely we an find common ground somewhere.
LOL — the bronze line! Funny stuff!!
They could call it Sunglow or Peridot — those are legitimate Crayola Crayon colors.
Wasn’t the Yellow line there before the Asians?
I don’t know that answer; however, I agree with most of the posters that this “P.C.” crap has gotten totally ridiculous.
What is now the yellow line used to be called the “Doraville” line. They switched to color coding a few months ago.
I’m sorry, but I think that yellow is just a color. If color coding is a better way for MARTA to run it’s business, then go for it. I’m just not understanding all the melodrama about a color, that’s all. If a color is going to cause this much drama then, for goodness sake, go back to calling it the Doraville line. Since there appears to be a red line, where were all the people who are screaming about the yellow line when they named the red line? Wouldn’t they agree that it is a slam against Native Americans, who were once called the “red” man? Come on folk, at the end of the day, it’s just a damn color.
It must have something to do with the age of the person hearing it. I am 22 and honestly had never heard the word yellow used as a racist remark until I read this article.
I’m 55 and don’t recall “yellow” being considered a racist remark. When I was growing up, particularly when living on a military base, you called the people what they were. I don’t think I’ve ever called them “yellow” people in my life and don’t know anyone who did.
seriously! you people have never head of that? i direct you to the second verse of bruce springsteen’s born in the usa–
“I got in a little hometown jam
And so they put a rifle in my hands
Sent me off to Vietnam
To go and kill the yellow man”
and that was just off the top of my head, i don’t know that it was originally intended to be insulting, but i can see where i could be interpreted as such…
drjay, I honestly have never heard that. (Sorry not a big Springsteen fan). I have been racking my brain since I saw this early this morning and I truly have never heard anyone I know say someone is a “yellow” man. I’ve only heard them called what they are: Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, etc.
o.k. how about the colors of -all the little children of the world- in “jesus loves the little children?
Now, I’ve heard that one. “Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in His sight, Jesus loves the little children of the world.” See! I’m just saying if color selection is going to cause a big stink; then, for goodness sake, pick another method. I don’t want to offend anyone or want anyone to make another group/organization offended. That’s my only point. I really don’t think MARTA named it yellow to in any way disparage any residents that live around that particular line.
Further, other cities have lines designated by color. One of the most PC cities around, D.C., has red, blue, orange, yellow, and green. People should be more upset about the deficit MARTA has and the rate increases and how that is going to affect it’s riders than what color is given to which line.
I have no problem with a color scheme for the different lines. Why can’t they just pick another color for the Doraville line? Does MARTA have so many lines it can’t just pick another color? Why not swap colors with the blue line… make Doraville the blue line and turn the current blue line into the yellow line? That should solve everyone’s issues, right?
That’s exactly what they should do if it is going to cause this type of reaction. If you must have colors and can’t figure out how to rearrange them so as to not label or harm one group or another, then switch to pastels or directions. Anything!
It may be about education as much as age.
Or location. I’m 29 and I’ve heard it numerous times. But I’ve also traveled outside 285 a few times as well. My family has a place on Lake Chatuge in Hiawassee, and I’ve heard it a few times up in that area – Blairsville to Clayton. I’ve heard it in rural South Carolina. I’ve heard it in south Georgia. It’s not a term I would personally use, but I don’t think it really has anything to do with age or education.
Thanks for saying that about having it not having “anything to do with age or education.” I am educated, I have traveled a lot (including living in HA, CA, NC, VA, SC, and, of course GA), I grew up on a military base, and I’m 55 years old. I, until this with MARTA had never heard people referred to as yellow before in my life.
Have you ever heard Bruce Springstein’s song “Born in the USA?”
Doug, as I said yesterday, I am not a fan of Bruce Springstein.
How about this little tune…
Jesus loves the little children
All the children of the world
Red and Yellow, Black and White
They’re all precious in His sight
refer to discussion on this thread from 9:26 yesterday morning…
I can’t read eveything. lol
To all of you who want to remind me of songs, here’s the deal: I have heard “Jesus Love The Little Children.” and sang it as a child; am not a fan of Springstein and therefore don’t listen to the words to his music and yes, Doug Deal, I have heard the song (but not listened to the words). As for drjay, I thought that yesterday would have been the end to this discussion, as you pointed about yesterday’s post, but apparently some won’t let it die. My only point is that I (as in me, myself and I) have never referenced anyone as being yellow or heard anyone called yellow (outside of song lyrics). That’s all, plain and simple. Accept my explanation or don’t — makes no difference to me. We can keep dragging this out, but I don’t see the point.
Ah, sorry. I didn’t see that.
Reason 113 of why I hate the threaded model. I miss most of the updates to the posts since it is way too much trouble to sort through every comment to find a new one instead of reading the last few.
No problem! I feel the same as you some days.
I can’t believe the amount of hate being spewed here. Of course it’s a racist name and MARTA should be ashamed of themselves. I bet some of you still have “flesh” colored crayons. Outrageous.
I’m not spewing hate. I am simply saying that I have never referenced anyone as a “yellow” person or heard anyone referenced as a “yellow” person. No hate intended. It’s just a color to me. And yes, there is a flesh color in a Crayola Crayon box.
Keep living in your hate-filled fog and coloring with your “flesh” colored crayons but the rest of us are moving forward into a politically correct future where approved groups can be offended any time they want.
I sincerely hope you are kidding. No one should ever live long enough that they think it’s okay to offend anyone, approved or otherwise, any time they want. People just don’t live that long, in my opinion.
Yes, he’s kidding. The crayon color should have been the clue.
Sorry, up late last night working! Not clicking on all cylinders. Hope he doesn’t find me to be an arse. Thanks for the clarification, Byte.
LOL! Cute, Buzz!
I’ve heard the term yellow used to describe those of Asian descent and I’m nowhere near 55. Anyone that actually read the article would have read this though:
“MARTA officials were warned by an employee before the name change last October that Atlanta’s burgeoning Asian community would find the term for the line to Doraville offensive.”
So with all the various colors to choose from out there, MARTA chose to ignore an employee’s warnings that a community would find this offensive? Sounds like a pretty dumb move to me. It would be no different than naming the north line the White Line and the west line the Black Line.
Well, the article also said that all of the signs were printed by the time they got the tip-off. If they had re-run everything, I’m sure people would’ve complained about them frivolously wasting money in the interest of being PC.
Yeah, it’s a pejorative. But it’s also one of the first colors you learn in frickin’ kindergarden. What a hassle, man.
People might start to get suspicious if they created a rainbow line for Midtown.
LOL.
FFS. Marta needs the money – they should just sell off the naming rights and be done with it. I’d be into the Georgia Pacific, Coca-Cola, and Southern Company lines. Coke branding is easier to recognize than most colors, anyway.
Actually, a good idea! Though it’s a shame because the way it is now could be a good mnemonic device.
Erick, the Chinese, Korean, South Indian, Vietnamese, and Mexican food up Buford is all just absolutely fantastic, and almost all of it’s cheap. I think it’s the must underappreciated place in Atlanta. It’s a gem. They could use the press, ridiculous or no.
Blatant plugs for my girlfriend’s favorites:
Chef Liu – get the soup dumplings.
Ming’s Korean BBQ – get the hong-kong style bbq duck.
El Rey del Taco – get pretty much anything. And I think they’re open 24 hours.
The thought of Erick deviating from his narrow palette of burgers, pizza, and cookies has me doubled over with laughter.
I on the other hand am a big fan of ‘authentic’ asian food, especially creatures that are served with the head still on or still moving. I can only imagine Erick’s reaction….
Erick likes the authentic Asian Spas.
Panang Malaysian. MMMMM MMMMM
MMMMMMMMMMMMM!
http://www.penangatlanta.com/
Taco Veloz has the best tacos in town.
Veloz is also bad-ass. But dude. Hit up El Rey. Srsly. It’s like, a block North of there, you can sit inside, and they’ve got beer. Plus the menu is huge. I swear. When friends visit for the first time, we invariably take ‘em straight to Buford.
Thanks griftdrift and trainsplz,
I am definitely filing this info away for future reference!
Yep. Stupid.
It’s much too controversial to choose colors from a politically incorrect rainbow. I propose Marta shift to a monochromatic, gray color scheme in naming their lines. You could have the “Dark Gray Line”, the “Light Gray Line”, and the “Lighter Gray Line.”
Chuck,
The problem with the monochromatic gray color scheme is that metro Atlanta’s senior citizen population might be offended if a train goes near an area where they are densely populated.
How about a tropical color scheme like the Fuschia Line, The Turquoise Line or The Magenta Line?
Because I didn’t yellow was a racist term, John Park has now made the word a racist term for at least one more generation.
Thanks. Now I don’t feel so stupid because I didn’t know yellow was a racist term, either. I’m 55 and had never heard it used to describe people before this.
And of course, we made Wonkette.
http://wonkette.com/413610/atlanta-subway-headed-straight-for-all-these-asians-is-called-the-yellow-line
As a proud ginger, I am offended by the “Red Line” and demand that MARTA change the name to the “Burgundy Line” or the “Crimson Line”
What’s hilarious is I don’t think anyone under the age of 70 has ever heard, or used, the term “yellow” to describe Asians. So these morons have taught a racial term to a whole new generation.
That’s how you keep it going.
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