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Wednesday 25 June 2008
Sunday 8 June 2008
Insidious Racism
In today's globalised world with increased movements of people, racism is still a daily occurrence for many people, and racial hate crimes are continue to happen. Race still matters, and many people are still racist, yet most people still insist they are not.
What is racism? Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines it as "1 : a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race 2 : racial prejudice or discrimination".
Racism is, in my opinion, making assumptions based on someone's racial appearance even though the basis is often weak, and people who do that are oblivious to their own racism. It is having negative feelings such as fear, hatred, disgust, towards someone or a certain group because of their 'ethnic' look.
This is the most common, but not the most severe, form of racism I've encountered. "Oh you speak such good English!" "Wow you have very good English vocabulary!" "Wow your speech is almost accentless!" (The last one is plain ignorant. Everyone has an accent, even if it is their native and only language. Just because you are too dense to realise your own accent does not mean you are 'accentless'. Similarly, just because you belong to a majority race does not mean you are not 'ethnic'.)
Why do people assume that I have a poor mastery of English or that I've only recently picked up the language because I am "Asian"? Your racial makeup does not determine what language you speak and how well you speak it any more than your gender determines your innate ability and desire to cook. A ethnically Korean, if raised in a French-speaking Indian family in France, would speak French, and would possibly prefer Tikka Masala Chicken to Kimchi. A Caucasian, if raised in a Chinese-speaking family and schooled in China's public education system, will speak impeccable Chinese, read traditional Chinese, and will only know a few English phrases, and lots of vulgar English expletives, picked up from friends and American TV shows.
Not only do I speak, read and write English, I love reading the classics and poetry. I am what they call "artsy". I appreciate Shakespeare, love Tennessee Williams, love Henrik Ibsen (translated into English). Jane Austen is my choice of "chick lit". I read and write poetry. Some of my favourite poets are Walt Whitman, Emily Dickinson, Sylvia Plath and Mary Oliver. My verbal SAT scores (taken more than five years ago) were 740/800, compared to 620/800 for my math. My understanding of science subjects like Chemistry and Physics is atrocious, to say the least. So much for the stereotype that ALL Chinese are a genius when it comes to science and math. My spiel is not to show off, but to debunk racial stereotypes regarding language mastery. Just because I am ethnically Chinese does not mean I would struggle to grasp the English language, or that I would be more inclined towards the sciences.
The above racism I've just written against seldom arises from malice. Most of the time, people just assume. Well, my opinion is, assume no more. If you do not know, ask. Admit you are having trouble placing my nationality/accent/ethnicity, and ask. Asking is not offensive. Assuming is.
Then again, there are much worse forms of racism out there than someone praising your grasp of a language. In 1982, Vincent Chin, a Chinese American, was beaten to death after his bachelor party by two men, Ronald Eben and Michael Nitz, who thought he was Japanese. To add to the injustice, the two perpetrators were convicted on a lesser crime and let off with no jail time. The 1930s song 'Strange Fruit', performed by the talented Billie Holiday, is about lynchings of African-Americans that were happening during that time. Balbir Singh Sodhi was killed 4 days after the September 11 attacks because the assailant, in a racist act of 9-11 retaliation, mistook his Sikh appearance to be Middle Eastern. People of Middle Eastern appearance now have to face people's lingering stares, suspicions and rude accusations that they are terrorists, in addition to the racism they already face for being 'ethnic'.
More close to home, a friend was approached by a stranger who thought she was Chinese, and told her harshly to "Go back to China!" Non-white friends, especially the darker-skinned ones, are often eyed suspiciously by salespeople in malls, and treated most appallingly, as if dark-skinned minorities do not deserve respect. I went out to dinner recently with a bunch of Asian girlfriends, and the restaurant manager peered into the face of my Japanese friend, turned to me and asked "Does she speak English?" My most recent outrage was stumbling upon this "Asian" website that claimed there was a thing as "Asianness" that could be measured, and accused Asians who dye their hair, of self-loathing, and dictated that only certain hair colours are permissible for "Asians". It also stupidly made the generalisation that all "Asians" are Orientals, i.e. Chinese/Korean/Japanese. These people are racist against people of their own race. Pathetic, to say the least.
What are the most insidious or blatant forms of racism you've encountered?
What is racism? Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines it as "1 : a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race 2 : racial prejudice or discrimination".
Racism is, in my opinion, making assumptions based on someone's racial appearance even though the basis is often weak, and people who do that are oblivious to their own racism. It is having negative feelings such as fear, hatred, disgust, towards someone or a certain group because of their 'ethnic' look.
This is the most common, but not the most severe, form of racism I've encountered. "Oh you speak such good English!" "Wow you have very good English vocabulary!" "Wow your speech is almost accentless!" (The last one is plain ignorant. Everyone has an accent, even if it is their native and only language. Just because you are too dense to realise your own accent does not mean you are 'accentless'. Similarly, just because you belong to a majority race does not mean you are not 'ethnic'.)
Why do people assume that I have a poor mastery of English or that I've only recently picked up the language because I am "Asian"? Your racial makeup does not determine what language you speak and how well you speak it any more than your gender determines your innate ability and desire to cook. A ethnically Korean, if raised in a French-speaking Indian family in France, would speak French, and would possibly prefer Tikka Masala Chicken to Kimchi. A Caucasian, if raised in a Chinese-speaking family and schooled in China's public education system, will speak impeccable Chinese, read traditional Chinese, and will only know a few English phrases, and lots of vulgar English expletives, picked up from friends and American TV shows.
Not only do I speak, read and write English, I love reading the classics and poetry. I am what they call "artsy". I appreciate Shakespeare, love Tennessee Williams, love Henrik Ibsen (translated into English). Jane Austen is my choice of "chick lit". I read and write poetry. Some of my favourite poets are Walt Whitman, Emily Dickinson, Sylvia Plath and Mary Oliver. My verbal SAT scores (taken more than five years ago) were 740/800, compared to 620/800 for my math. My understanding of science subjects like Chemistry and Physics is atrocious, to say the least. So much for the stereotype that ALL Chinese are a genius when it comes to science and math. My spiel is not to show off, but to debunk racial stereotypes regarding language mastery. Just because I am ethnically Chinese does not mean I would struggle to grasp the English language, or that I would be more inclined towards the sciences.
The above racism I've just written against seldom arises from malice. Most of the time, people just assume. Well, my opinion is, assume no more. If you do not know, ask. Admit you are having trouble placing my nationality/accent/ethnicity, and ask. Asking is not offensive. Assuming is.
Then again, there are much worse forms of racism out there than someone praising your grasp of a language. In 1982, Vincent Chin, a Chinese American, was beaten to death after his bachelor party by two men, Ronald Eben and Michael Nitz, who thought he was Japanese. To add to the injustice, the two perpetrators were convicted on a lesser crime and let off with no jail time. The 1930s song 'Strange Fruit', performed by the talented Billie Holiday, is about lynchings of African-Americans that were happening during that time. Balbir Singh Sodhi was killed 4 days after the September 11 attacks because the assailant, in a racist act of 9-11 retaliation, mistook his Sikh appearance to be Middle Eastern. People of Middle Eastern appearance now have to face people's lingering stares, suspicions and rude accusations that they are terrorists, in addition to the racism they already face for being 'ethnic'.
More close to home, a friend was approached by a stranger who thought she was Chinese, and told her harshly to "Go back to China!" Non-white friends, especially the darker-skinned ones, are often eyed suspiciously by salespeople in malls, and treated most appallingly, as if dark-skinned minorities do not deserve respect. I went out to dinner recently with a bunch of Asian girlfriends, and the restaurant manager peered into the face of my Japanese friend, turned to me and asked "Does she speak English?" My most recent outrage was stumbling upon this "Asian" website that claimed there was a thing as "Asianness" that could be measured, and accused Asians who dye their hair, of self-loathing, and dictated that only certain hair colours are permissible for "Asians". It also stupidly made the generalisation that all "Asians" are Orientals, i.e. Chinese/Korean/Japanese. These people are racist against people of their own race. Pathetic, to say the least.
What are the most insidious or blatant forms of racism you've encountered?
Thursday 5 June 2008
Tuesday 3 June 2008
Dr. King and Malcolm X
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968), was a legendary leader of the American Civil Rights Movement and a man I greatly admire. He said this about justice.
"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."
Malcolm X, a radical contemporary of Dr. King, and equally significant in the Civil Rights Movement, is also a man I admire, though for different reasons. He said this about justice.
"Nobody can give you freedom. Nobody can give you equality or justice or anything. If you're a man, you take it."
These two men, in two very different ways, were significant in fighting for the rights of African-Americans and correcting a long-standing racial injustice in American society. As a result of their passion and courage in fighting for what is right, they have left a legacy that has lasted long after their deaths and will continue to last for future generations.
If you get the chance, find out more about these two men. It would definitely be worth your while.
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