Via Cracked.com, 4 things the Jeremy Lin story reveals about modern racism.
I posted previously on fortune cookie Lin-sanity frozen yogurt and how, as a (second generation) Taiwanese-American, I wasn't particularly offended and didn't find it particularly racist. The Cracked columnist's revelation #4, though, with the screen shots of comments on Hoekstra's political ad, had me irked (the comments, not the revelation). Which got me to thinking about racism...
What is it about fortune cookies that doesn't offend me too much but the caricature and sentiments regarding said caricature that bothered me? Besides the fact that fortune cookies are tasty. Is there something about Chinese restaurants reinforcing a stereotype by serving fortune cookies that's better or worse than a White dude running for political office making a mockery of a pertinent problem by infusing a stereotype in poor taste? Is there a varying degree of stereotype accuracy, and at a certain threshold, it becomes offensive, or does the source of the caricature ultimately matter more? Inaccuracy really doesn't help, which brings us to...
Revelation #2 got me thinking, as well. First off, nobody likes clumsy and/or inaccurate jokes in the first place, let alone clumsy+inaccurate racist jokes, but anyways... Racist jokes! The picture of the poorly titled ESPN article doesn't really help the columnist's argument. As mentioned in my profile, I read plenty of ESPN, and I'm a fan of the Poynter Review, where members from the Poynter Institute analyze decision made by ESPN folk on articles and shows. In an analysis of the (poor) decision made with regards to ESPN media, it's rather clear that there was no racist intention, and I'm inclined to believe it. I know a fair share of non-Chinese people, and the number of those people who are 1) aware that "chink" is even a derogatory term for Chinese people, and 2) aware enough to make that connection when using an overused cliche of "chink of armor" on the fly, I can count on one hand. There was a fantastic article which frowned upon the use in ESPN media because it's horribly cliched, but can't seem to find it...
I also read an article posted on ESPN's Page 2 (linked to ESPNW, I've been tricked!) which mentions Chris Rock's *racist* jokes. I should mention that Chris Rock is my favorite comedian, and I'm very much into hip hop culture (yes to Revelation #3, but I don't try to "adopt aspects of black culture", I try to live and breath hip hop culture, which has been butchered into being considered "black culture"), so I have some cultural relation to his Black jokes (some of his Black jokes are really Black hip hop culture jokes). I don't think racism has any place in our society, but what about racist jokes? Can I self-deprecate about my math nerdy-ness and not be grilled? I know quite a few women who like to fuss about their hair, and I can only imagine how much more fussing African American women have to do. I have a hard time with this because I try to break (Asian-American) stereotypes, but at the same time, am amused by stereotypes, while understanding that stereotypes are oftentimes untrue. Oh the dilemma...
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