
Miley Cyrus apologized earlier this week for a photo scandal in which she was seen pulling her eyes up in a photo in an apparent gesture mocking Asian people. She initially defended herself, saying she was just making “goofy faces,” but then recanted, saying she was sorry and that she “learned a valuable lesson.” Miley’s apology is not enough for one woman in LA County. Lucie J. Kim has filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of over a million Asian Pacific Islanders in LA County, claiming civil right violations for each. That amounts to $4 billion:
A Los Angeles woman has filed a class action suit against Miley Cyrus, claiming she mocked Asians in a recent photo by slanting her eyes. Price tag: $4 billion.
Lucie J. Kim claims to represent more than 1 million Asian Pacific Islanders who live in L.A. County. Kim claims when Cyrus posed for the photo, she “knew or should have known that her image would be publicly disseminated via the media, which Cyrus knew focused on her private life, specifically TMZ.”
Kim says in the suit, filed today in L.A. County Superior Court, that each Asian Pacific Islander is entitled to the minimum damages for a civil rights violation — $4,000. Add it up — $4 billion!
[From TMZ]
While I don’t think that Cyrus’ behavior comes even close to warranting this kind of lawsuit, she’s become the famous public face of anti-Asian racism. This lawsuit is trying to bring awareness to the fact that Asians are discriminated against and that it’s incredibly hurtful and cruel to make the “chinky eyes,” as Margaret Cho and others call it.
Yes, it can be interpreted that “going after a 16-year-old would just make the Asian American community look hyper-sensitive and mean,” as someone advocating a letter-writing campaign to Disney writes. Miley is 16 but she’s also a superstar and this lawsuit is trying to take advantage of that for maximum publicity.