Who Actually Cares About MARTA “Yellow Line”?
February 10, 2010 | 1:42 pmYesterday, the AJC wrote a widely read article about anger in Doraville amongst the Asian population towards MARTA for naming the Doraville rail line the “yellow line”.
At the time, I openly wondered whether the AJC was making a “mountain out of a molehill”, since the article quoted only a handful of Asian Atlantans, and made no mention of an upset larger group. Shortly after I made that remark, a reliable source added this bit of info to the conversation “one of the offended people [in the article], Helen Kim, is married to AJC reporter Rodney Ho.”
This of course raised an eyebrow.
And now this morning, the AJC seems to be doing a bit of back-stepping with an article originally titled “Asian community seems unmoved by MARTA’s ‘yellow line’”, but now titled “Mixed reaction on MARTA’s ‘yellow line’ rebranding”.
In the article, AJC reporter Christian Boone again quotes aggrieved AJC spouse Kim, but also hits the streets of Doraville looking for angst.
He doesn’t find much.
“What difference does it make if it’s yellow, gold or black,” said Gary Gung, noting that New York and other major cities use color coding to help commuters better navigate their transit systems. “Make the issue about the economy or something else more important.”
By omitting any info on how this story was researched and written, did the AJC make the issue appear larger than it actually was?
Well, Rodney Ho did not write the article, although obviously his wife’s connection to the matter might have made it more prominent. Does the AJC have a reader’s representative any more?
But I think MARTA made a monumentally stupid move, and they were warned about it. and chose to ignore that warning. How easy it would have been to change the color of the line to something else, something without any potential to offend. They could have made the “yellow” line going east west. They could have called it the Orange line, or the Purple line.
Even now, they have a painless way to get out of this, without even changing the color coding, by calling it the Gold line.
MARTA is exhibiting stupidity by not immediately apologizing and changing the name of this line. One does not get customers by insulting them. It’s simple common sense, I would have thought.
AJC does have a Public Editor – her info is always on page 2 of the front section.
Simple common sense is not getting offended by something that’s incredibly unoffensive. I don’t blame MARTA for not responding. The complaints are ridiculous.
If you or I referred to an Asian colleague as a “yellow” person, we would offend them. The term, when applied to Asians, is perjorative. It isn’t neutral. People did take offense.
I’m not Asian, and I’m guessing you aren’t either.
Just because you don’t think it’s offensive doesn’t mean it isn’t offensive.
Well, the problem here is that nobody called anybody “yellow”. MARTA just named a rail line “yellow”.
I still say the colors should be dumped altogether. Of all the choices below, which one makes the most sense to a traveler, especially one not familiar with Metro Atlanta?
- West Bankhead
- West Green
- Green Bankhead
I maintain that the first choice offers the most info–you know that the train is heading west, not east or north-south, and it’s going to someplace called Bankhead which may or may not mean anything to you. You have two chances to have a clue about where you are heading.
The second choice might appeal to more to folks who like color maps and it does indicate direction, but it requires you to know that your destination is on the Green line.
The least informative choice, in my opinion, is what MARTA chose–Green Bankhead. Your average infrequent user of MARTA is not going to know either what the Green line is nor the relevance of Bankhead. It takes a fairly simple concept of east-west and assigns one color to one direction (Blue for East to Indian Creek) and two colors to the other direction (Blue HE Holmes or Green Bankhead, both going West). It REQUIRES the use of a color MARTA map which aren’t usually at the train platform, only outside the ticket and turnstyle area. So if one didn’t remember to check that color map before entering the station, one may realize at the platform that one doesn’t know what color or destination is needed and it takes time and an extra MARTA trip charge to go back out and find a color map. The only way to correct is to get on a train, where color maps DO exist, and then hope one chose wisely or get off at the next station and turn around, incurring another MARTA trip charge.
If MARTA sticks with the Green Bankhead, Blue Indian Creek rubric, it should double the number of color maps it has out there, especially on the platforms where folks often are the most clueless but don’t want to go all the way back up the long flight of stairs and back out the turnstyles to get directions.
I just took a quick peek at public transit maps for NYC, Boston, Chicago, SFO, and London. ALL use colors to designate different lines. With due respect to the rest of you, but I have more confidence in the people operating these large transit systems (especially the London Underground) than in any of us when it comes to this issue.
Besides, names given to lines invariably reference destinations and/or landmarks and are thus virtually useless to a visitor or newcomer. Colors, however, are more easily memorized for most people. They also help in figuring out if/where to change trains. Ever ridden MARTA in from teh airport and realized–pulling out of Lindbergh headed north–that you were on the wrong northbound train and would not wind up in the same place you left your car? How much easier for a visitor–and for me!– to remember to board a Yellow Line train, instead of having to remember a place name that might be meaningless to them.
So many of us harbor a hope–faint though it is–that one day MARTA will include multiple lines in all directions. Using directions to name the lines doesn’t make expansion very easy. Combinations of names and colors seem optimal, IMO.
I disagree with Diane. At a time when MARTA is making the kinds of cuts in bus service announced recently, the last thing they ought to spend money on, IMO, is changing “yellow” to “gold” in order to be politically correct. Anybody who is truly offended by “yellow line” needs to take a deep breath and try to get some perspective. For the rest of us to assume a critical mass of Asian-Americans are offended by it, is somewhat patronizing on our part, I think.
As for the AJC, well, yes, they did create a mountain out of an anthill, in my opinion. Regardless of whether or not that was intentional, it’s their bad. But it’s also totally unsurprising and I don’t understand why that issue is worth DM’s space and time. Can’t we get back to insulting each other over which burritos people adore?
I think Diane’s point, though, was that this could have been a non-issue (one that cost no money to “fix” since there would have been nothing to fix”) if the MARTA folks had been paying more attention earlier on.
And my point is that perhaps they judged–rightly in my opinion–that there was not anything to pay attention to. I want them paying attention to how they might avoid cutting so deeply into bus routes.
I think offending your customers isn’t a good way to increase ridership or revenue. This was a no-brainer. People DID get offended. It would have been a trivial matter to change the color or the name when someone advised them it was potentially offensive.
Thank goodness we don’t have a large Native American neighborhood that the “red” line goes to.
I’m still waiting to learn exactly who was offended, other than that reporter’s wife; and to what extent their offended viewpoint represents the Asian community in greater ATlanta. Heard on the radio this evening MARTA has changed the official name from “Yellow” to “Gold” but simply referred to “leaders of the Asian community” which really doesn’t tell us anything. I just don’t think people necessarily have a right to enforce their hurt feelings over somethignn like this. As someone else pointed out, it merely makes it tougher to focus appropriate attention and action when REAL discrimination is occurring.
El Taco Veloz
so there
If MARTA rebrands the line nearest to “my community” as the Sallow, Wan, Pasty, or Blanched Line, my community will not be offended. Indeed we will be impressed with MARTA’s command of a thesaurus.
However, in a nod to the luxury train journeys of yore and British literary allusions, we would appreciate if our line were rebranded the Orient Express. Certainly, no one would take offense to that sophisticated rebrand.
As a long time MARTA rider, I am offended that they used colors in the first place. We have a north south rail and an east west rail, and the only split onto two different tracks is going north and a small one over by bankhead. This ain’t rocket science. Now I have no idea what the hell train I’m supposed to be taking. Yellow line? Blue line? I’m just trying to go north, damn it.
Longtime MARTA rider: If you’re headed for Buckhead or anywhere from there to North Springs, you want a red line train. If you’re going to Lenox or anywhere from there to Doraville, take a yellow line train. if you’re going no farther than Lindbergh, then either red or yellow will get you there. Sorry this has been difficult for you! (Think how difficult it must be for visitors and newcomers who get on a “north” train headed to Doraville when they need to get to Dunwoody!)
I think maybe my sarcasm didn’t come through on that one.
ya got me!
I’m Chinese. I’m not personally offended, but I can see why an Asian-American wouldn’t like it and proceed to say that there are no “red” or “brown” or “black” or “white” lines, so why should there be a “yellow” one.
I see the word or the color “yellow” and I’m going to think of the color…not any political or ethnic identities associated with it. Same deal with any other color.
In DC the lines are color coded and it’s actually pretty helpful. I realize this is not an issue here yet, but there, 2 different trains share the exact same track. First an orange train, then the train immediately behind it is blue, or in rush hour it could also be orange. When the digital signs crap out (which happens frequently) you can always see the color code of the train approaching so you would have to be a real idiot to get on the wrong train.
As far as any group being insulted by a new yellow line, if that is true, completely insane. I consider myself totally PC but i really think that’s such a huge jump. Who ever is actually stressing out about that probably has a little too much time on their hands.
“I realize this is not an issue here yet, but there, 2 different trains share the exact same track.”
Don’t the yellow and red trains share the same track between the Airport and Lindburgh Stations?
Don’t the green and blue trains share the same track between Ashby and Edgewood/Candler Park?
Yes, so really the cars ought to color-coded like in D.C. for the color system to work. Instead the car windows say “Bankhead” or “Candler Park” which means nothing to many. And half the time the window says nothing at all. Regulars know that a short train means one destination and a long train means another but that doesn’t help many.
The trains have color-coded destination signs above the digital sign.
I’m of Chinese descent. To be blunt, I’m embarrassed by this silliness. It wouldn’t have even occurred to me to be offended.
There will always be folks that take offense where there is none. Shame on the AJC for making a story where there is none.
“Never kill your enemies. Let ‘em kill each other”
Re colors: I looked this morning and there’s now a color map at the platform at East Lake. The blog worked!
If all the platforms have that map, then color designations are interpretable. So I stand corrected and accept that folks like color coding. I still would prefer the less arbitrary (unless you consider a compass arbitrary) designation by direction. I think Blue West is more useful than Blue H.E. Holmes but at least the maps at the platform give one the means to figure out which direction H.E. Holmes is in relation to one’s station.
I’m a native Decaturite who relocated to Washington, DC in ‘85. Since before I arrived, the subway line to Chinatwon has been designated the “Yellow Line” and never a word of complaint has been raised. C’mom people — worry about real things.
I still say “you’ve got to be kidding”. Arguments like this are why no one pays attention when there is real discrimination.
I am one of those that thinks the AJC is guilty of creating or exacerbating controversies. Their coverage of the recent Atlanta mayoral election is a prime example. Almost every day a new story about the racial overtones of the campaign appeared, almost drowning out the coverage of the real issues.
How about vermillion, mauve and burnt umber lines?
I believe we could perceive a negative connotation for virtually any color. There are red, brown, and yellow lines in Chicago (among others) and it never crossed my mind that these were derogatory symbols. I say we solve this debacle by seeking a sponsorship from Crayola and having passengers rename all lines via online and in station voting for their favorite color crayon. According to Wikipedia there are over 133 colors to choose from. Well 132 if we exclude yellow.
I vote for Teal.
oooh, yes, and salmon, and raw umber, and aquamarine, and magenta.
You gotta remember how a newsroom works. If the reporter(s) involved don’t have anything better to offer up, the editors will tell them to “do a follow.”
It’s sort of like being trapped by your success with something lame.
And thus a lame story becomes lamer.
Leave it to the AJC to create a controversy over nothing. No matter the issue, someone is always gonna be offended……this is taking “Political Correctness” to a ridiculous height….as far as MARTA is concerned, I wish it would just go away; however, on this issue, I’m with them and I hated to see that they buckled under the pressure……what’s next?
According to paper today, yellow has been changed to gold. The lines on the color maps are all still accurate except that they are mislabelled yellow.
REALLY?!!? Puh-lease! This is so silly. I’m Asian, and I am in no way offended by MARTA’s yellow line. What a waste of precious funds..
I just looked on the Washington Metro website and they have a Yellow Line that runs right through the Chinatown station. What’s up with that?
Seems like all this emphasis on color is dredging up old stereotypes that most of us are too young to have known anyway–e.g. Yellow Peril. So it would have been better to leave it alone.
On the other, as a proponent of North, South, West, East, I maintain that those designations, while they do have some associations–the Left Coast, East Coast elitism, Southern drawls, etc.–are at least not associated with skin color.
I’m surprised that no one has brought up the fact that a large percentage of males have red/green color blindness. So maybe the colors should have been Yellow, Blue, Purple, and Orange.
This is to the author of this blog entry — you insinuate that the AJC covered the MARTA story because the Asian American quoted in several of the articles is married to one of the writers there, meaning there had to be some personal tie in to have the story covered. What’s the personal connection YOU have to make you want to cover this, question the ethics of Rodney Ho and other AJC reporters, and give it the angle you have? I notice you don’t have the bravery or ethics to provide your name and contact info, why don’t you make yourself transparent so there can be an open dialogue?
Even if Ho had some magic sway over the 100+ writers and editors at the AJC, he had nothing to do with the level of local, regional and national coverage the story ultimately got — also, AJC covered this long after local and national ethnic press had been covering this story since last Fall (Georgia Asian Times, for instance). This was the #1 story for AJC.com last week so they did not do anyone any favors, save their readers who were interested in it and their newspaper. To assume that AJC covered the MARTA story based on favoritism is an absolute farce and an insult to good journalists, and to the Asian American community and their concerns.
And by the way, people DO care. If they didn’t think it was news-worthy or important, it would not have been covered. I dare say you would have covered it. Shame on you — this kind of slander is NOT newsworthy!
You are correct. I am not brave. I leave it up to my readers to judge how ethical I am based on my record.
I’m not sure how it’s slander to wonder why the AJC did not divulge Ms. Kim’s connection to the paper that wrote the article and to request more info on who exactly was offended.
BTW…I don’t think I’m totally off-base with what the AJC reported a day later when it wrote a follow-up article entitled ““Asian community seems unmoved by MARTA’s ‘yellow line’”
And I’d like to add a few more thoughts:
- There would have been ZERO cost incurred if MARTA had just listed to their own diversity officer, who warned them to call the Doraville line a color other than Yellow;
- No one claimed that the decision to go color coded was racially insensitive; but ignoring their own diversity officer (who happened to be Asian American) and the Asian American community leaders that met with them immediately after the name change, well, that was intentional and insensitive;
- Anyone that has lived in Atlanta a long time and knows Buford Highways, knows this is the Asian and now international corridor, so it’s not the color in and of itself that’s offensive but the context (meaning, yellow in this historically Asian neighborhood);
- “Yellow Fever” and “Yellow Terror” were phrases used in the common vernacular to describe the notion that Asian immigration was threatening American sensibilities, jobs, etc. and lead to the passage of the Asian Exclusion Act which stop the flow of immigration from most all East Asian countries until 1965 (so this is not just a slang term, but language used to ultimately justify the prohibition of a whole ethnic groups from immigration for over 40 years!);
- Many in the Atlanta Asian community were upset, and talking about it since the name change happened — non-Asians probably didn’t know about it because it wasn’t covered in english press until very recently; AND
– just because everyone isn’t offended doesn’t mean the many that were aren’t justified. Many Asian Americans aren’t aware of their own Asian American history, and that’s too bad for them!
Krikwood Native: Since you are accusing DM of not having evidence, where’s your evidence that “Many Asian Americans aren’t aware of their own Asian American history, and that’s too bad for them!”?
That’s a broad, sweeping generalization and at the very least predicated on a weak foundation and at the worst skirting dangerous territory of paternalism and all roads down which it leads.
What info are you getting from non-English media? Who is writing the stories, editorials and letters to the editor?
Roddy:
Rodney Ho is not an objective reporter. Pure objectivism is a construct; it doesn’t exist. Plus, I have read his columns. As a PR director, I have worked with print, TV and radio media for years. I can tell you straight off that when I call the people who trust me with a story, that story will run before the story of some random outsider or advocacy group .I think the wife of an AJC reporter might be able to tip the credibility and access scales a little more in her favor than some random person.
I’m not quite sure why it bothers you if the AJC is “making a mountain out of a molehill.” But I think your comment about Helen Kim being married to Rodney Ho is totally out of line. I know both of them, and they’re first-class people; and Rodney is a completely objective reporter. Moreover, I know from being friends with Rodney that the AJC does not allow reporters to exert influence on articles outside their editorial sphere. Helen has been outspoken about Asian-American issues since long before she met Rodney.
Rodney writes about radio. The Clear Channel people accuse him of being pro-Cox. The Cox people say he’s in bed with Clear Channel.
If you’re going to write something like that, I suggest you back it up with some real evidence.
Real evidence that the main driver of the AJC story is married to an AJC reporter?
I’m sure Rodney is an excellent reporter, but I think the AJC should have divulged the connection and explained how they came up with this story. NOT doing so leaves it all open to interpretation to the online masses.
I’ve been making this last point for a while now.
DM, you know my feelings on the “new” AJC. Keep it up.
Real discrimination is being told to sit in the balcony. As is having your own separate school, water fountain, and hotel. If MARTA had created a ‘Yellow’ car on the train and told Asians to sit only there, that would have been real discrimination.
The reasons this story went national in my opinion are two-fold-one the national press loves to jump on anything Southern related to possible discrimination. Second, the premise that naming a rail line ‘yellow’ was really blatant discrimination aimed at an Asian community struck many as silly and petty.
The AJC and the Asian community did itself no favors over this petty and unintended ‘offense’.
Rodney Ho is not the only person that is married at the AJC, and he’s certainly not the only person that is married to a spouse that is in the public eye — so get over yourself. It’s clear to me that you or someone you know has an ax to grind on this particular features columnist, who covers nothing related to politics / metro, etc. the fact that he’s a prominent Asian and one of the few Asian AJC journalists, and his wife is also Asian, probably makes it easier for you to single them out and criticize — hmm, I wonder how many Caucasion couples are married at AJC and whether you’d single them out for favoritism?? You should really be ashamed of yourself.
The AJC came up with the story just like any other — through their sources, none of whom were Rodney Ho. Speaking of, who is YOUR source? Why don’t you stop hiding and say who you are and who’s feeding you this nasty load of bunk about Ho and the other AJC writers?? Not revealing who you are or your sources (to quote your) “leaves it all open to interpretation to the online masses.” So why don’t you practice what you preach and share how you made your brilliant deductions?
For an unconcerned outsider you seem quite vehement in your attacks on DM. You must be new to Decatur Metro; DM always comes clean when he is wrong, he runs a very tight ship here, and he is completely in the right for criticizing the rag we call the AJC–which it seems that is who you are attempting to defend here and not the Asian reporters or MARTA’s yellow line. DM’s stance on this has always been to point out how odd it is that underlying connections at the AJC were never mentioned. And in logic you must know that Ad Hominem attacks always make your argument–if you even have one–the weakest.
So really, what’s your point? Get to it and tell us something.
Speaking of practicing what one preaches, unless “Kirkwood Resident” is your real name, you make yourself look an @ss by your insisting that DM lose his anonymity. Who are you that the moderator of this blog should have to answer to YOU, particularly when you’re sounding more and more like an apologist for the AJC on this overblown pile of pedantry masquerading as a “story”? You’ve obviously nothing constructive to add to this discussion, and by attacking the moderator in the ridiculously self-righteous vein you’ve been posting in, you’re inviting us to ignore everything you say from here forward.
Damn, I need some popcorn, Twizzlers and Coke…this is a GREAT show!
I’ve already gotten to my points. See my earlier post with bullets that explain the history of the use of the term Yellow, the facts underlying the discussion on the MARTA name change, etc. — I do and am defending the choice that many in the Asian American community made to stand up and make their concerns heard. Second, you’re right, I am and do defend the writers at the AJC, and find DM’s reasoning for suspicion and critique odd in light of the fact that DM himself (at least I now know DM is a man) is not open to who he’s connected to which lead to this story, and who he is at all.
I am not a writer at the AJC, I don’t choose what stories go up but I find it sad and pathetic that DM has to wag a finger at one of the only Asian writers at the AJC and blame his relationship with someone else as the REASON this story was covered — I don’t hear DM claiming the Asian activist is married to Justin Farmer at WSB, or married to someone at Fox News or NPR? This story obviously was important to many, interesting at the very least for many more based on the level of coverage and interest it got — most of all, I hope it brought about a level of awareness and sensitivity to racial/ ethnic issues that go beyond Black/ White concerns. I’m appalled that DM would bring this important dialogue down to ridiculous finger wagging, when I doubt he’d do this if it was a Caucasian couple that were somehow related. Now if that isn’t clear enough, I can’t do much better.
Cuba Libre — I didn’t write this entry and I’m not relying on any sources for my personal opinion. I notice that journalists and legit sources will provide their name and identification, I find it funny that DM is accusing AJC and its writers of not being open when all their names and sources are noted right on the front page, while DM continues to write in anonymity.
I’d like to hear you respond to the Washington Metro Yellow Line issue. Why all of a sudden is the name a problem in Atlanta, but has never been a problem in DC?
DM would definitely take ANYONE to task regardless of race if a conflict was perceived. It has nothing to do with the race of this couple. In fact, many publications note a conflict- the articles should have disclosed the relationship- journalists and publications often disclose these types of familial and business connections for the sake of integrity and full disclosure. The AJC is nothing like the grand old papers that birthed it.
And “Kirkwood Native”, you still have done nothing but make points without evidence.
I was asking Kirkwood for a response, not DM.
I was replying to Kirkwood Native.
The point still stands. Last time I checked, this was a blog, not a newspaper or other such site. And last time I checked, DM was a blogger, with no pretensions of being a journalist (all apologies, DM– I’m not saying your talents don’t lie in that direction). And although a comment board does not a newssite make, DM does, indeed, check his facts pretty darned well for someone who’s not actually casting himself in the reporting business, which is often more than I can say for what appears in the AJC nowadays. Ergo, as a private citizen, he’s still entitled to his anonymity, just as we posters here all are. But you’re the only one on this thread demanding that he post under his real name, even whilst you castigate him under a psuedonym yourself. In my opinion, that makes you seem hypocritical.
One final point: If you imagine that Ms. Kim didn’t have an “in” through her husband on this relative non-issue, you’re not being realistic. Like someone else pointed out earlier, journalistic integrity demands that potential conflicts of interest be disclosed. The burden was on the AJC to reveal the connection between Ms. Kim & her AJC reporter-spouse, and its failure to do so invited speculation. For you to express such high dudgeon about DM’s questioning the motive of the paper in light of this omission is, itself, highly suspect.
C’mon over for some cake, Rumandlimes!
You’re right that I don’t need to claim to be a journalist Cuba, because the label is completely unnecessary. I am what I am and you can label me whatever you want and decide for yourself. New methods of communication make it so easy for me to “publish” you have plenty of posts and conversations on which to judge me. I don’t need a label or job description to gain your trust. It’s all right here in 2 1/2 years of posts. Take it FWIW!
You’re absolutely correct that we (meaning, your “subscribers”) have plenty of material to judge you by, DM, and I know I’m not alone in having the utmost respect for what you do, and the manner in which you do it. I don’t hold you to journalistic standards (whatever they may be presently, with the ethical lines moving so fluidly in the quest of getting a story at any cost), but not because I don’t think you lack professionalism or talent in what you do– it’s because you’re not a “journalist” in what I commonly think of as the proper sense of the term. Given the state of what passes for “journalist” these days, that’s actually a compliment to you. I know it’s your blog & you’re more than capable of defending yourself, but I thought Kirkwood Native went way over the line, especially since s/he has never (to my knowledge) posted here before. Let’s just say it made me testy.
Geez– I type faster than I think– that should be “because I think you lack…” *sigh* I need to go back to typing class.
I would expect a food editor to reveal he was reviewing his wife’s restaurant. I would expect a bar owner to not place a glowing review of his place on a food blog.
If a reporter at the AJC had a connection to a spokesperson, that fact should have been noted at the time of publication.
So, here’s the latest development.
A post written 5 days ago suddenly receives an onslaught on comments from 3 different people (one of which I’m not letting through moderation) in a matter of 30 minutes defending the AJC article. Two of the three have stated they are friends with Rodney Ho and his wife. Make of that what you will.
Kirkwood Native, I don’t blame you for thinking the worst of me in this situation, especially if you’ve never visited this site before. But you sure are making some wild accusations. If you search this site, I have a record of calling out the AJC on topics where I don’t think they’ve been particularly forthcoming. That’s all I’m pointing out here. This is a world of new media, and the AJC needs to be more forthcoming with it’s info if it wants to survive.