Oh, she's just being Miley. Here we go again. Teen pop icon Miley Cyrus has gotten herself mixed up in another picture controversy, this time by striking a pose that some may interpret as being disrespectful of another culture. In the shot below, Miley is sitting on the lap of boyfriend Justin Gaston. Along with others, she's pulling her eyelids apart, perhaps in a mocking gesture directed at the facial structure of Asians. It looks like Miley and her friends are sharing some sort of inside joke and posing for the cameras together. Because she's Miley Cyrus, this is a big deal. Any normal 16-year-old American posting this on their MySpace or Facebook page, let's be honest, probably wouldn't be scolded. But she's a role model to a lot of kids, there's no excuse for this, ya dig?!
The OCA, an organization "dedicated to advancing the social, political and economic well-being of Asian Pacific Americans" sent a statement to TMZ in response to the photo. It reads, in part: "The photograph of Miley Cyrus and other individuals slanting their eyes currently circulating the Internet is offensive to the Asian Pacific American community and sets a terrible example for her many young fans. This image falls within a long and unfortunate history of people mocking and denigrating individuals of Asian descent... Not only has Miley Cyrus and the other individuals in the photograph encouraged and legitimized the taunting and mocking of people of Asian descent, she has also insulted her many Asian Pacific American fans... The inclusion of an Asian Pacific American individual in the photo does not make it acceptable." What are your thoughts? Is this justified?
The OCA, an organization "dedicated to advancing the social, political and economic well-being of Asian Pacific Americans" sent a statement to TMZ in response to the photo. It reads, in part: "The photograph of Miley Cyrus and other individuals slanting their eyes currently circulating the Internet is offensive to the Asian Pacific American community and sets a terrible example for her many young fans. This image falls within a long and unfortunate history of people mocking and denigrating individuals of Asian descent... Not only has Miley Cyrus and the other individuals in the photograph encouraged and legitimized the taunting and mocking of people of Asian descent, she has also insulted her many Asian Pacific American fans... The inclusion of an Asian Pacific American individual in the photo does not make it acceptable." What are your thoughts? Is this justified?
