Further correspondences between Ian Katz, the editor of G2, on the issue of racism and offensiveness of Charlotte Raven's review.

IAN KATZ to ANNA CHEN Saturday 20 January

I am the editor responsible for Chalotte's column. It seemed - and still seems - absolutely clear to me that Charlotte's target was the assumptions - or rather prejudices - of British audiences. I think it was perfectly reasonable for her to make the point that British audiences reacted to the film differently because of the assumptions they make about asians.

I am sorry that you and a handful of others were offended by the column.

ANNA CHEN to IAN KATZ Monday 22 January

Thanks for the evasion.

Anyone who puts "inscrutable" and "oriental" together in a grown-up newspaper is, quite frankly, an idiot. Or are you going to tell me your get-out-of-jail-free card reads, "It's ironic?".

Why repeat these assumptions/prejudices as if they are a given? Why foreground this stuff in a culturally xenophobic rant? If that's what they're saying in your circles, perhaps you ought to change your friends. Or get out of the Groucho more often.

I would have had more respect for G2 if you'd have admitted, "It's a fair cop, guv."

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IAN KATZ to ANOTHER CORRESPONDENT

I thought it was a rather good column by Charlotte, and not remotely racist. Charlotte's target was plainly not the cast of the film but the audiences who, she argued, treated it differently because of their own assumptions (or rather prejudices) about the oriental actors. I think it was a good point, well made, and I'm frankly gobsmacked that you and a handful of others took offence.

IAN KATZ to ANOTHER CORRESPONDENT

I'm still inclined to take the view I did in my earlier message to you (which wasn't, as you conspiratorially suggest, cooked up with Charlotte - we haven't spoken about the column, as it happens). I have had enough mails about this to convince me that the column caused offence - what I'm not convinced of is that it was reasonable offence. The fact that some of them have been fantastically obnoxious hasn't helped persuade me. Anyway, I'll revisit it and get back to you and anyone else who has complained about it