Ching Chong Ling Long Takeout at UCLA Decried by L.A. Area State Assemblyman Mike Eng (Who Has Nothing Better to do)

By Dennis Romero Wed., Jul. 13 2011 at 4:55 PM

Mykl Roventine

If you were a state leader, what would you tackle first? The multibillion-dollar, perpetually red-ink plagued California budget? The U.S.court-ordered release of more than 30,000 Golden State prisoners? Carmageddon?

Well, if you're Monterey Park Assemblyman Mike Eng you bear hug the toughest job, then you strangle it to the ground and choke-hold it until it ... oh, hell, you just write a letter about some non-issue, essentially.

That's what Eng did this week when he ...

... expressed his utter disgust over Ching Chong Ling Long Gourmet Takeout, a Chinese delivery scheme cooked up by UCLA students and sourced from the kitchen of the Palace Restaurant in nearby Brentwood.

Eng is on it.

Background: "Ching chong ling long" were the words uttered by one Alexandra Wallace, white girl extraordinaire and now ex-UCLA student who famously ranted via YouTube against Asian American students in Westwood and used that term to mock Asian languages.

But, as tends to happen these days, many Asian Americans flipped her script, remixed her video, and even produced ching chong ling long t-shirts.

And, it seems to us, Ching Chong Ling Long Gourmet Takeout was born in that spirit.

Except that Eng, an Asian American who reps a largely Asian assembly district in the San Gabriel Valley, is incensed.

His letter to UCLA Chancellor Gene Block and related press release (forwarded to the Weekly) expressed "concern" and requested that UCLA take "appropriate action" against these heathen delivery kids (little bastards, trying to make an extra buck in between classes).

"Stereotypical phrases such as these perpetuate misunderstandings about Asian Americans and intensify hurtful sentiments toward this community," Eng says.

Sure, we empathize. If UCLA students came up with Fat Beaner Burrito delivery service, we'd order a No. 3 combo. Then we'd be hurt. But we would expect our leaders in Sacramento to keep their eyes on their own entree which, in this case, includes some pretty serious problems like, say, the friggin' through-the-roof (and rising) tuition that many of their constituents' kids have to pay to go to UCLA! Maybe?

So get back to work Mr. Eng.

[Spotted at San Marino Patch].

[@dennisjromero/djromero@laweekly.com

Tags:

Alexandra Wallace, Asian Americans, Asians in the Library, ching chong ling long, Los Angeles, Mike Eng, takeout, UCLA, Westwood

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Royce

Hi Dennis,

As a member of the Asian community in Los Angeles, we appreciate the work that Assembly member Mike Eng has done. Yes, understandably there are other important issues at hand in which should get more press, however you have come across insensitive to the Asian audience. It's comments that you have made that brings our community closer to resolve things. Karma has a funny way of working things out. Perhaps you should write about unemployment, it may be a topic you can feel closer to home about if the community decides to take a stand.

Guest

"Raaaacist! Raaaaacist!" - Ah... the famous mating call of the sophomoric spineless nincompoop of Southern California's famous rainforest of eternal victimhood and manufactured offense.

"Oh no! I saw a Chinese take-out service that calls itself Ching Ching Ling Long and now my life just isn't worth living because...um....I..uh....um...well...ah...."

abc

um, i dont get why dennis romero takes such issue with eng writing a letter. surely, the leaders we vote into office are capable of doing a few things at once? and don't we expect these guys to show some activism as well? i prefer a passionate leader who is able to do his job AND express some activism on issues close to him over some lifeless career politician simply doing the bare minimum.

Derail Amnesty

And with Mike Eng you have received someone who, along with all the other CA state legislators, is unable to get his job done and, at least on this occasion, has succeeded in expressing PC nonsense.

Julmoore0213

Romero... if this had been about your bean eating mexican ancestors, you'd have a different take, you racist pig.

wxy

Dennis, you are obviously one of those wishes he had the ability to walk and chew gum at the same time. If you had any connection at all to the community you would know that Mike Eng was actually representing his constituents.

DENNIS_EATS_SHIT

fuck you dennis. you're racist and a piece of shit!

sinosoul

Seriously, WTF Mike. That's not even your district.

Can we worry about my Mexican's neighbors utter lack of appreciate for their front lawn instead? Or try to get S. Monterey Park out of the freakin' Montehell-o school district? To think I voted for this mofo.