Greenwood Village newspaper facing criticism, boycott calls

A Greenwood Village newspaper that published a racist and xenophobic April Fools’ Day article continues to face criticism, including from a prominent family featured as the paper’s 2019 “Couple of the Year,” who have demanded the newspaper stop using their names in its defense.

Asian-American community leaders called on advertisers to boycott The Villager newspaper after it published the article “America’s Largest Amusement Park Headed to Greenwood Village” under the byline “Loof Lirpa,” which is “April Fool” spelled backward.

The article joked about Wuhan, the Chinese province where the novel coronavirus was discovered, as well as Asian stereotypes such as chopsticks and an influx of Chinese students into Cherry Creek schools and onto RTD transit lines.

The Nathan Yip Foundation on Thursday released a statement condemning the article and asked the newspaper’s publishers to stop using the foundation and its founders, Jimmy and Linda Yip, in defending itself against any criticism.

The newspaper republished a 2019 article on the Yips and emailed it to other media, including The Denver Post, as evidence that its publishers are not racist toward Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders.

“The Nathan Yip Foundation is no way complicit in The Villager’s actions and does not condone the use of the foundation’s materials and its good works in The Villager’s attempt to mask its errors. While the intent may have been satirical, the actual impact of the article on AAPI people, who have historically suffered severe bigotry in our country, is incalculable harm,” the statement said.

On Thursday, the Villager used its entire front page to respond to the criticism, although the statement did not offer an apology. The front page statement was signed by the Villager’s publishers, Bob and Gerri Sweeney.

“The Villager will continue to use our platform of the free press to respectfully learn, grow, elevate, unite and better understand cultural traditions, perspectives, racial injustice and embrace positive dialogue, acceptance and understanding of all ethnicities, religions and cultures,” the statement said.

The newspaper also published two opposing points of view from readers and a collage of past articles and photos of AsianAmericans from events such as restaurant openings and festivals. That collage included pictures of the Yips, whose foundation supports rural K-12 education around the world. The foundation is named after the Yips’ son, Nathan, who died in a car crash when he was 19.

The foundation’s statement demanded the Villager newspaper apologize for its article and stop using the Yips and their foundation in its defense. The foundation’s leaders have asked for a meeting with the publishers.

Last week Cherry Creek Schools’ retiring and incoming superintendents sent a letter to students and families that condemned the article and demanded an apology for the “racist and xenophobic language” used in it.

The article was published 16 days after shootings outside Atlanta-area spas, where six of the eight people killed were Asian. And critics say the article was especially painful since fear of COVID-19, spurred by the former president, led to an increase of attacks against Asian-American people during the pandemic.