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The South Issue
Mosey with us through the South, a region rich with history and culture -- and one that is vital to, but often overlooked in, Asian American history.
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How about David Carradine in the YellowBook (no pun intended?)commercials? Talk about Whites emulating Asians...This guy has fashioned an entire career playing some pseudo-Confucius...He's a joke!
Racial slurs are not just words, they are ideas. They are part of the fabrique of society that makes up the horribly flawed and biased world that we live in.So Hoo-dafah Kares, before you go off spouting that hateful verbal diarrhea maybe you should look into the some of the striking problems in your arguement.For instance if you are going to argue from a linguistic perspective maybe you should explore linguistic reductionism and post-modernism to show how linguistics shape our world, or our epistemology, if you will. The later Wittgenstein is good place to start.
I agree totally dee, that was actually my intent in exploring the way that desi is used, to show that it is both a uniter and a seporator. Moreover, to show that most group demarcations are not without heeping doses of class, ethnic, and gender biases.
The usual rule in effect is that people don't denigrate another race (which has less power and is already too often stereotyped) to make a point.It's socially more appropriate for a person to make fun of his/her own specific group.
i think Levine had satirical intent... the problem is that hes just completely inept at penning satire.
Wow..so much controversy over such an irrational emotion. Love.Anyway, I chose to marry a Trinidadian guy and being from a traditional Indian family that stirred up quite a few emotions in everyone.Although, I must admit that I sort love the look on my aunts/uncles faces when they hear about him. The look of sheer terror! HAHA...The silly part is, he's West-Indian, which means he looks just like some people in my family. But yea, the whole thing about caste, religion and being 'inferior' to my dumbass relatives always is an issue. I personally couldn't care less what they or anyone else thinks of my relationship. My parents came around and even if they hadn't, it still wouldn't have stopped me. When you find love, you hang on for dear life! So to hell with race, caste, religion and the rest of that crap!If I wasn't so damn influenced by my mom's spirituality, I'd swear I'd be an atheist. I loathe the walls that are put up between people based on crap that happend centuries ago. Sprituality and having your own beliefs is fine, but when you start thinking one group is better and/or inferior to another based on those beliefs, that really blows!I guess I'm a hippy at heart, and hopefully one day people will just learn to live and let live.Oh...and all these retarded-ass shows (ER, CSI, Desperate Housewives, Greys, blah blah blah) along with the garbage reality shows really stink!
Lala- I think you're right when you say Anchal is wierd looking but there's definetely something there. Well, for her sake, I hope she goes far in this show. I stopped watching a while ago. Tyra seems as fake as her extensions or weave or whatever...I'm beginning to really hate that girl. Anyhow, as for the desi and asian, south-asian thing...why is it even a debate? We're all Asian Americans and we all have stakes in building our community's presence in the US. I hate the distinctions, the lines and boundaries. It may sound really cliche, but I wish people would just stop seeing the differences and figure out that at the end of the day, we're all minorities that need to stick together. I guess we're all guilty of differentiating ourselves from each other by using these terms; but it's time to stop all that. We need to freakin figure out how we can get more representation in our government; how our generation and those to come can become an integral part of this country; how to eliminate all the stupid and degrating stereotypes.Sorry for the rant, but we're all citizens of this world at the end of the day.
Sooooo ya wow this blog has been around over a year? I read some of the top and bottom posts and skipped the middle because it was just too long. But I am pretty sure they are all very much the same thing over and over and repeated indefinitely.So, here are some of my thoughts. And I do want people to know my background so the readers can understand from my point of view. I am Chinese (Shanghainese) born in Taiwan, a place where has many influence by the Japanese government. It is a 98% Chinese, 1% native Taiwanese and 1% other island dominated island that is still trying to fight over its independence from China. There are many reasons for that and I will not go into.Back to the subject at hand, the Japanese invasion of China back in 1940 was like any other invasions of any country in the world, this was because of the time China was not aware of its obsolete in the world in count of military power and economy wealth. Simply China did not have the military force to defend itself from all the Western country taken over its lands. Japanese at the time made the correct decision to invade China with full force and hopefully China will not have the power to counter-attack. At this point, all in love and war is fair. Except the fact of the cruelty on innocent civilians, I don’t know if everyone knows or agrees with the fact that even during a war/invasion there are rules of what the invading country can do or can not do. For example, the war in Iraq, prisoners are being sexually abused and photographs are taken as proves. This is not a moral act which is unlawful in a war. Court actions are taken by the US court after photos are exposed to the public. However in the case of Japanese solider raping Chinese women, no real justice was done. I believe this is why Chinese will never forget what happened and will not forgive the Japanese. I’m not sure if there are photographs taken or films running while the Japanese commited the crime, and probably did not (I wonder why…) But if this wasn’t a real event in history, do you honestly think people in general are stupid and bored enough to make up random event of war just to disgrace the Japanese? I for one would not. And not only did the Chinese remember deeply about it, the Koreans will not forget either. Sometimes I think the Koreans hate the Japanese more… But this is all in the past… We can not blame any of the Japanese now for what has been done. Because they have done nothing wrong. However, the Japanese government did erase all details of the war that can disgrace their country. The people of Japan are not liars, but their government has lied to them, through the text books and their teaching. So their new generation will not be ashamed, because they have not learned the truth.Do I think we should ban all Japanese products? No, what is the point of that… Do I think Japanese are at fault? Yes and No. Only the ones that committed the crime are wrong. And right now they’re about 70, 80 or even 90 years old, why bother imprisoning them? Just let them live with their guilt, I think that’s probably enough for their old age.When I said the Japanese text books are bias, I should add that China is bias also. For example China always says in the textbook that Americans stole their victory from them by nuking Japan. Maybe they did, but United States was China’s ally at the time so uhh why are people hating? And that “Communist” won the war against Japan… During the war it was a combining force of Nationalist + Communists that defended China, yet Communist had to backstab the Nationalists in order to take over China. That’s how the world is. China and Japan is just as bias as any other country in the world can be. So maybe stop pointing fingers? A lot of the Communist China text books are bias. I don’t think any one with some real education would believe that crap, as goes for the Japanese text book. But for the ones that do believe in such bias text books, I suggest them to read books outside of their local library, if necessary travel to some other country during your vacation and do some research there. So, we can’t simply just blame the Japanese for what they did wrong because not all of them are at fault, and by accusing the innocent we are not being just and fair. Everyone has their own opinion on subjects complicated and old like this one. And there are people who can’t accept anything other than what he/she believes; maybe it’s the pride that’s blinding them or just pure ignorance. I think this blog can be put to good use if people can finally stop arguing and actually listen to what others have to say. We should at least try to understand why some Chinese people are so furious about this subject, and understand what it means to them. And it’s okay to disagree with my point of view or anybody else’s but at least do the right thing and listen to what they have to say, instead of starting debate that no one will win.-Matt
a questioner:i like what you have to say. but you're kinda mean...but in any case, you are obviously beasting out everyone on this post thread.anonymous:umm...nice try._______________ _ _ _i agree staunchly with much of what a questioner states in many of her (?) posts above. a south asian american woman myself, i agree that relationships with black men can be extremely complicated in that there is a great degree of anti-black sentiment within the south asian diaspora; and it is probably true that this racism does not go without mutual exchange of hatred.for me, to watch "neela" marry "michael" is almost ludicrous; i know a few BM/(S)AF couples, but that it was barely influenced by neela's family's politics on that episode of ER was completely unbelievable to me. her parents, if you remember the episode when they came to visit her (played by real life hub&wife anupam and kirron kher), showed us that they were very conservative desis. why was it so easy for neela to get hitched without recourse?i also agree with bean when he talks about the deliberate casting of AF and BM together to fulfill diversity quotas. i'm sure it is all in the economics of television programming, but i'll avoid a marxist critique here.but to change subjects, a questioner, you mentioned this:
don't get me started on the "whiteness" of progress, etc. if you are a true believer in the gospel of the one and only stuart hall, why would you believe "african americans" buy into this; that too, isn't buying a conscious choice, a preemptive decision? you use the terms buy and propaganda so loosely, i am beginning to suspect if you honestly believe that "african americans" don't realize their own plight. how can anyone prosyletize on the subject of authenticity and "african americanism" (if such a thing really exists) when even "african americans" have no clear handle on the way they wish to be represented, even if it is through the hip hop "culture"?BTW. i *think* that gangster rap, and its spawn of "gangster" hip hop, died out with 2pac and biggie. it also was particularly hastened by p.diddy's (formerly known as puffy) exit from the gangster world. the hip hop music community is like the UN; everyone has alliances and when the big fish goes anti-gangster, so do a lot of others. okay, fine, fat joe, 50 cent and snoop still try, but we all know where coolio (and lil' kim, too) is right now -- and you know these luxurified current rapsters don't want to experience the high life by way of high-security prisons. so, please don't tell me that hip hop is all gangster when it is so obviously not.and also, along the same line, not to be preachy a questioner, but do unto others as you would have them do unto you. stop homogenizing the "black" community or otherwise don't expect understanding by them or anyone else on the Asian-American plight to gain representation. having grown up in a "black", lower middle-class neighborhood my whole life, i doubt my so-called "progressive" friends would appreciate your criticism because it is a bit off mark.nonetheless, i am intrigued by the rest of the comments made by you a questioner, so don't have a hissy fit. everyone else, you should strive to be as thorough and well-versed as AQ when she is on the fly, because she's pretty much got this. and she has great taste in men (i.e. -- daniel kim :P), so more "brownie" points there for her...not that i have any authority there whatsoever to apportion points, lol.peace to the middle east (and jammu & kashmir).best,mudphud girl
Hoo-dafah Kares:Stop whining about free speech.You got your panties in a bunch for some incomprehendable personal reason when Melissa got upset. Your whole post was a big whine telling us to shut up. Deal with our speech.Hypocrite.
I don't ever post here, but I feel like I need to combat the conservative multiculturalists on this thread who are silencing my inner civil rights activist and disgracing the political potential of my Asian American family. It is VERY clear to me that Jed Levine is criticizing the efficacy with which Affirmative Action is able to address historic and institutional racism present in academic institutions. He is as leftist as they can get, and his arguments are similar to Cheryl Harris' on Affirmative Action in her 1993 article "Whiteness as Property" in the Harvard Review. I think what sums up his thoughts best, and what also parallels with a Harrisonian logic is this little snippet of Levine's article:
I may be biased because I attended UCLA for 2 years and enjoyed the overrepresentation; but I don't think my bias would change that Jed Levine is not "oppressing" Asians with albeit racist satirical rhetoric, rather he is in support of fair and transparent systems which seek to address racism for the long-term. It would behoove many in this thread to take note of yet another satirical quote of his on how Affirmative Action affects Asian Americans, particularly in how it homogenizes and neglects to serve our Asian American community:
Honestly, Jed Levine's satire doesn't only serve as a wake up call to his white brethren; it is also to us Asian-Americans who seem to think voting isn't important and also don't realize that we are voluntarily giving up our right to citizenship by not becoming politically aware, if not active. What is our responsibility as Asian Americans and as proprietors of the future of America is that we ought to realize how poor a solution Affirmative Action is in its most recent form.Jed Levine forces us to do this through his racist lens, but he simultaneously implores us to criticize Affirmative Action and make it better. If there ever was a "whiter" thing than the power to affirm an underrepresented minority's status through action, it is Affirmative Action, and that's not just me talking -- those words are in line with African American, UCLA professor of law Cheryl Harris' thoughts. *Not that her race, socioeconomic status, affiliations, etc. should qualify my statements above, but there are always those pessimists out there...*Peace to the Middle East (and Jammu & Kashmir).Best,MudPhud Girl
Melissa Hung, and the writer of this article, get over yourself already... Jesus Christ! You've watched joy-luck club one too many times (you're the spoiled chick who takes the GOOD crab). So a TSA nigger makes joke at a chink. As if the spics, kykes, and gunnies would have given a rats ass? You write “How dare someone make assumptions about who I am”. Maybe the TSA agent got a really high score on alllooksame.com. But seriously, who the fuck are you to turn around and make that same presumption back at them? Who are you to decide what judgement other people 'should' and 'should not' be making? Who died and made you Queen of Judgment, Hector-Projector? You want to sit there and cower in your asian community and your asian magazine and your asian films and your asian website, and then turn your nose up at anyone who should make a judgment on your ethnicity. You are what the world of self-aware people call a first class ‘hypocrite’.Racial slurs are WORDS people. All you brainwashed idiots need to get off your high horse and take the ass beating you never got. It's that bullshit, anti-free speech sensitivity training classes all your racist schools and corporate employers are making you take that’s turning you into such nagging sourpusses.It might do you some good to actually STUDY or even EXPERIENCE your asian culture if you want to play the shakespearian VICTIM (even Othello wasn't a whiney bitch). A Zen master would have said 'thank you', smiled, and gotten on the plane, going about his buddha business, appreciating the short and only life he will ever have.To top it off, TSA folks are the bottom of the barrel on the social hierarchy. Are you beneath them? If not, then why do you even care? Who else on earth are you going to hire to sit around eating Fritos while monitoring a human factory production line (folks going through the conveyer belt like canned goods...). This ain't the movies people - there's no excitement at airports. If you are offended by what dem TSA folks has gots ta say, you have serious self-worth issues. Do you think the Lords and Barons of old gave a flying fuck about what the peasants were saying?As for an Asian identity crisis: that sound’s like a personal problem. If the fact that all the orients actually ‘get along’ in Amerika, while their parents still all hate each other, is your identity crisis, I would actually say that’s a very good thing you dumb-ass. Or are you talking about the new wave of Thai Sushi restaurants?And now you’re complaining about Asian portrayals in the news?? Jesus, it’s false NEWS reports that propelled the United States of Amerikafka back into the friggin’ Cold War (the ‘War on Terror’, I think they’re calling it now… a silly but effective name). And you’re sittin’ here bitchin’ ‘bout how the media portrays, of all people, Asians??? Holy Christ! You really are on a roll with the most comparatively trivial of problems. Next you’ll be crying because an ant crossed your path.On top of that, while I am sure the TSA folk was just trying to make ‘lite’, you took it WAY overboard, outside of any racial intention. You’re probably an all-out hypocrite as well, making asian fun with other Asians, and then getting all upset when a non-asian does the same thing (I bet you laugh at Margaret Cho). Do the world a favor and don’t confuse your own issues with Asian American issues. You're just another American Feminist Borderline-Disorder Bitch. You're not Asian. You’re just another cunt who needs to stop paying so much (or having your employer pay so much) money for worthless psycho-therapy sessions. Get over yourself, please.Look, I don’t mean to be a complete dick, but everytime you look at yourself in the mirror, think about this and don’t ever forget it: When that TSA agent said "che che", you had two options:1) Get upset.2) Say “Boh-kuh-chee”
yeah, i have to agree with brad. it's pretty clear that the author was protesting affirmative action policies by making the argument that asians dominated the campus because they earned it through their test scores. he's being "pro-asian," i guess.but the whole thing is problematic, because he's missing (again) the whole point of affirmative action policies, and he's using a pro-asian stance to do it. the article is all around stupid, although not for the reasons that harry outlined.
I think one Grudge was enough
yea, funny
I even wrote indecent proposal in my previous submission, I hate how pop culture gets stuck in the mind and won't leave. Still this isn't modeled after Swift.
you know i'm on some infernal affairs ish!!!
I just read the article and the author is actually pro-Asian. He clearly makes the case that Asians are on campus because of their grades and test scores.
u suck
two words: blue scholars.that's some fucking asian-american hip hop for ya.
Sheila - if you're going to try to show someone up with your superior knowledge of English Lit, learn the title of the piece you're referencing. Swift wrote a MODEST proposal. Indecent Proposal is a Robert Redford movie.
Unfortunately the Asian Invasion Satire is very racist, trying to be funny or not, the writer should be addressing the problem of the lack of Blacks and Latinos on campus.
"Satire" or not, it's still racist horseshit. Ain't nothing satirical about a white guy slurring Asian folk.
I ain't gonna kick ol' girl outta bed, mind you, but those fake tits sure look shitty and dumb.And I can't imagine Asian American chests out there are bustin out like the Hulk's over this. The blandest, dopey-est nude internet model is #1 on MySpace? And happens to be Vietnamese?And that's 'exciting'?How sarcastic is this blog usually?
Somehow, I doubt she cares about any of the issues raised in Hyphen about the hyper-sexualization and exoticization of Asian women in American Culture. The feminist critique is simply lost on some. Though, I think she lost hers on the way to the bank.