Asian-American sportscaster pulled off the air because of his name

In today's Germany, "Adolf Hitler" is an uncommon name, more so, even, than "Adolf Shicklgruber". That's because Germans are ashamed of Adolf Hitler, the notorious dictator who led the Fatherland into a disastrous war. Americans, by contrast, are proud of the great historical figures the USA has produced in nearly two and a half centuries of existence. Even today there are 1000s of Washingtons, Jeffersons, Lincolns... and Lees. Robert E. Lee may have fought on the "wrong side" (according to the liberals and SJWs), but he is still regarded as the greatest general America ever produced, as well as an honourable man who fought for the cause he believed in -- states rights -- and accepted defeat with grace and in a spirit of reconciliation.

Of course not all the Lees in the USA are descendants of or named after General Lee. Many people of Asian, as well as Caucasian, descent have "Lee" as a surname. It's a very common family name in China (where it may be transliterated as "Lee" or "Li") and Korea (where it's usually "Lee"). There are many 1000s of Asian-American Lees. Some of them are even named "Robert"... "Robert Lee". One such is the gentleman pictured on the right below.

This "Robert Lee" is a sportscaster for ESPN, a part of the great Disney empire. The Mouse has not been happy with ESPN lately because viewership is dwindling and revenue is declining. To stanch the bleeding, ESPN has embarked on a desperate search for relevance, so has decided to become a social justice warrior network, "treating all liberal opinion makers as those worthy of promotion and casting aside all those who had the gall to challenge the new Disney world order." That quote is from "ESPN Profit Plummets As Network Turns Left", posted 8/2/17 on OutkickTheCoverage, which says "MSESPN" would be a better name for the failing "network".

Fast forward half a year to this week's announcement by ESPN/MSESPN that Robert Lee will not call the University of Virginia's football season opener on September 2nd because of the recent violence in Charlottesville. A spokeswoman (note) for ESPN says Mr Lee has been sent to cover Youngstown State's game at Pittsburgh on the ACC Network, "simply because of the coincidence of his name."

You might think this is a gag, lifted from The Onion, but once again, truth is stranger (and funnier) than fiction. The official MSESPN line is that "We collectively made the decision with Robert to switch games as the tragic events in Charlottesville were unfolding, simply because of the coincidence of his name. In that moment it felt right to all parties."

OutkickTheCoverage headlined their story "MSESPN Pulls Asian Announcer Named Robert Lee Off UVa Game To Avoid Offending Idiots". OKTC's Clay Travis wrote:
"...according to multiple Outkick fans inside ESPN, MSESPN decided to pull an Asian college football announcer named Robert Lee off the William and Mary at University of Virginia college football game because they were concerned that having an ASIAN FOOTBALL ANNOUNCER NAMED ROBERT LEE would be offensive to some viewers.... Does ESPN really believe people are this dumb or that having an Asian announcer named Robert Lee is too offensive for the average TV viewer to handle?"

Apparently the answer is: Yes, yes they do. You couldn't make this stuff up, but such is the polarization of the Excited States of America as we near the end of the summer of 2017. Stay tuned.