Comments on: Um, really? Update on SCMP story

By: Matt

Matt — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 05:32:39 +0000

Have you (or anyone you know of) heard anything back from Mr. Miller on this one, Boyce?

By: Africans in Beijing harassed as Olympics approach - World Affairs Board

Africans in Beijing harassed as Olympics approach - World Affairs Board — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 05:08:14 +0000

[...] is a rumor Beijing Boyce � Um, really? Update on SCMP story Racism is alive in China, most people have little interactions with foreigners, they get their [...]

By: 8 songs

8 songs — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 03:40:00 +0000

I am inclined to think that someone has the wrong end of the facts.

Most of the drug pushers in Sanlitun were blacks. Most of the hookers in places like Maggies were Mongolians. Maggies has been closed and the pushers pushed off the street. I am inclined to think that bar owners were told not to allow these workers to migrate their trade into the bars of the area. But how does a simple bar worker know the difference between a Mongolian tourist and a Mongolian hooker, or a Ugandan tourist from a pusher. the answer is, he doesn’t. So, according to my theory, someone in the chain of authority – be it PSB, local police, bar owners or whoever, has decided the safe way is to ban everyone. In true Chinese Whispers form, this gets transmuted into FACT. Methinks there’s a gulf between the original edict and the SCMP story.

PS – One day after the SCMP story appeared, the same story made it into The Melbourne Age. But they failed to acknowledge their source. The story was pulled the next day. Plagiarism is bad enough – plagiarising stories that are not properly researched is a double strike.

By: Beijing Blacklisting Blacks? | A China Blog on Suzhou Expat Life | The Humanaught

Sat, 19 Jul 2008 06:56:38 +0000

[...] Granite Studio (YJ), Danwei, Beijing Boyce and a number of others have jumped to the call and found no evidence that supports the SCMP [...]

By: hmmm

hmmm — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 03:25:20 +0000

I applaud your efforts to get to the bottom of this, but I think you are too quick to dismiss this story.

1. We know from past events there have been crackdowns on blacks, with mass arrests and beatings. This is a FACT. Given the past actions, it does not surprise me that the police are at it again.

2. Talking to bar owners by phone is not the same as talking to them in person. Use some shoe leather. Also, do they know you? Are you someone they can trust with that type of information?

3. Three other reporters tried to get the story but failed. Yeah, they made calls. But did they hit the ground and start talking to people?

4. The bar owner you talked to said the discrimination is not “part of any official policy.” Of course it’s not.

Like I said, given what we know about the Uniformed Public Security Bureau and past actions, I am inclined to believe this story is true.

If it’s not true, then the reporter is making it up (are you accusing him of fabricating a story??), or he talked to bar owners who misled him (their motivations being??). I think it’s more plausible that the story is in fact true than either of these scenarios.

By: Sam Weinberg

Sam Weinberg — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 01:48:14 +0000

I know of at least one bar in the Sanlitun area which has been told not to serve black people. Sounds ridiculous, but is apparently true. It’s part of a drug sweep before and during the Games. Anyone hear about Pavilion being shut down?

By: Rumors and Racism » The Peking Duck

Rumors and Racism » The Peking Duck — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 21:34:16 +0000

[...] suspected, this has the strong whiff of a rumor that went out of control. Beijing nightlife guru Jim Boyce was on the case immediately and came up empty. Closer to home, crusading journalist YJ was also [...]

By: Chinese Bar Owners Sign Pledge Not to Serve Blacks, Mongolians? [2008 Olympics] | eNNvy

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 21:24:22 +0000

[...] now this story is the lone evidence and accompanied by anonymous sources that have been criticized here. But, even [...]

By: The danger of categorically accusing others of prejudice | Fool's Mountain: Blogging for China

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 16:04:26 +0000

[...] alleging Beijing ordered bars not to serve blacks. For now, however, Beijing Boyce seems to have seriously deflated the credibility of Tom Miller’s work. (H/T [...]

By: sam

sam — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 15:12:42 +0000

Tom Miller’s article states: “Uniformed Public Security Bureau officers came into the bar recently and told me not to serve black people or Mongolians,” said the co- owner of a western-style bar, who asked not to be named.

I have been told by several non-sanlitun bar managers that they have been told by local police not to serve Mongolians, and I have seen Mongolian girls turned away at the door of many bars. Sure, they were entering the establishment to apply their trade, but this does lend credence to Mr. Miller’s story.