- How do you think non minorities, especially non Asian Americans, would react to this article?
- Would the white community realize what they have done is extremely racist and wrong?
- Do you think this article was successful in getting its point across?
In the Summer of Bruce, Vijay Prashad talks about how everyone comes from all ethnicities and how all cultures are related. It also talks about how Bruce influenced people around the world through his karate as he become the first famous Chinese actor.
- What do you think about everyone originating from all races?
- Why didn't Suger Ray Leonard know Bruce was a champion boxer when he said he was influenced by a non boxer because he liked the art and reflexes of Bruce's karate?
The article depicts the oppression of Asian and Asian Americans by white American mainstream media and politics (and (some) individuals) in a very blatant way. There is no fluff in this article. What is said is history it is facts and there are no excuses made (no cultural or social excuses) for the behavior. The treatment of Asian and Asian Americans is unmoral. The article is effective. The article could be seen as offensive to whites (it could get the "that's not me/ I didn't do that") response. But the article does tell the truth. It exploits the truth . . . after reading the relay of events I am stunned but I feel something more. My adrenaline is pumping. I am not angry at the article. I want to do something. I can't erase history or undo what has been done - so what I am taking away from this article to listen, understand what has be done so I can deconstruct (slowly undo) my own prejudices or discriminatory actions.
ReplyDeleteI cannot speak for all minorities/ non-Asian Americans; I’m sure that there would be mixed reactions to this article. Personally, I really loved the Reverse Racism piece; it was hilarious to me. The article really made me laugh- so much so that I had to read it aloud to the people in the room with me. In the room were 1 Black woman, 1 Latina, 2 Latinos, and 1 Asian American man. Everyone laughed and commented on how racism has really undercut opportunities and created negative images of people of color. It seemed that the piece was more appreciable to the non-Asian Americans in the room, and I speculate that this is because Asian Americans have more positive traits (intelligent, technologically savvy, hard working, beautiful, etc.) attributed to them as part of their racial stereotype than other groups.
ReplyDeleteAs a minority student who was accepted into a small private school, I had to deal with a lot of people in high school accusing me of being accepted because of Affirmative Action, and then claiming that it was “reverse racism” that I got in and that they did not. This article really reminds us of the sting that is racism; it’s not a single, simple denial of something. Racism has a social history which has rendered the opportunities for people unequal based on racial group membership; it did not start today, but it is still in effect. It has always made me angry that people use the word “racism” so lightly when they are refused something (like admission) which may well have been based on a non-race factor.
As for the White community, I am not positive about how they would react. However, I believe that many people would be defensive about it. I have heard White people complain that they have experienced racism only to be told that, because they are White, they cannot experience racism; it was a step towards invalidating their experience of discrimination. I can imagine that some people (who claim “reverse racism”) may feel embarrassed about the scope of what historical racism entails that they had not considered before. Others, I think, may deny that the factors alluded to in this piece contributed to oppression of Asian Americans (and other racial minorities) or that they even occurred.
I think that first of all, that the use of “were” in the question is not quite accurate. I think that, as awful as it is, many of the stereotypes that this article touches on are still plaguing the Asian American community. Having said that this article was really powerful for me because it made me so much more aware of all the stereotypes that an Asian American has to fight on a day-to-day basis. It wasn’t that I was not aware of any stereotype in particular but I think part of what made it so powerful was that it combined all the stereotypes and just showed the sheer amount of them. Just reading the article made me feel a little trapped. Even though this article really moved me I think that it would not have had the same effect on people, especially non-minorities, who do not think that there is a problem with racism in the United States. Instead of forcing someone to see his argument, it may come off just a complaint rather than a powerful article.
ReplyDeleteI think that it is an interesting point to say that we are all from all races. I don’t know if I necessarily agree with it though because all cultures have such a distinct way of doing this and they have such distinct traditions. However I do agree that many cultures are related and certain ideas were spread through cultures and each culture did something different with the idea. I really like this because it shows that everyone related closer than we think but at the same time our unique cultures get to maintain their different identities.
I really want to address the Reverse Racism questions, so here goes:
ReplyDeleteAs a non-Asian American (and, outwardly at least, non-minority), I've got to say that I both loved and hated it. Loved because it really puts things into perspective. Hated because it takes something like this to put things into perspective (assuming the audience actually accepts it).
I think that the so-called "white community" either may or may not accept it. There are those of us who already have, and chunks of communities who don't need this reading to recognize the atrocities committed against racial minorities. Then again, there are those who don't understand, and it will take a lot more than a simple reading to change that (oft times because the reading is not available, etc).
For the most part, I think it was successful in its goal. It got me riled up, both for the semi-fictional "whiteys" and for the ethnic and racial minorities that experience(d) these kinds of discrimination every day.
And, for those who are NOT familiar with "Mme. Butterfly" and "Miss Saigon" - things to look into, whilst keeping these readings in mind.
For the Reverse Racism article, I think that anyone (including ‘non minorities’) who is informed about any of the oppression and discrimination mentioned in the article will (at least to some extent) understand its point. For readers who are not Asian American and do not know much about Asian American experiences, there probably a much greater chance that they will encounter new ideas, but once they get into the rhythm of it, I think the point will only be emphasized more, and any new information will be taken in appropriately.
ReplyDeleteMore than just realizing mistakes or noting past racism, I think the article has an impact in really conveying an understanding of just how many racist acts have been so commonplace, how severe the extent of racism is, and how much racism hurts. For people who are at least somewhat knowledgeable and coming in with an open mind, I think it can be useful for them to really ‘get it’ and understand what it means in reality (more than just theory or understanding from afar). It forces people to indirectly identify with the racism Asian Americans have experienced.
I think that this article is nestled in collections of other Asian American writings, so it is insulated from anyone who would take the words literally and without context. Therefore, based on that qualification, I think it definitely gets its point across. The angle and approach are not the standard analysis, and this type of art gives a different kind of life to the message, so I would say it’s even more effective than more academic or analytical work.