Asian people are just taught to be tolerant and submissive as that is how most Asian societies operate. Individualism reigns in the states, so it's somewhat difficult for the Asians to stand up for themselves, etc. Maybe I should step up and be the Asian Al Sharpton...LOL
The picture the Spanish team took was not what was offensive. What's really offensive is your ignorance and quite frankly your flat out arrogance and low intelligence that borderlines on mental r****dation. Who are you to tell people how they should or should not feel about something especially something that relates to someone else's race! Three posts into the thread after the OP's before anyone even had a chance to express their opinions about the picture, you posted that "Anyone who gets offended by this needs to get a grip". Everyone knows exactly where you are coming from. So after your subsequent 10 posts of stupidity, don't try to piggyback off and twist mlwoo's well articulated point now as if you meant to say or mean anything even remotely close. You had your chance in the previous 10 posts of yours, so stop trying to play off your stupidity. In this world there will always be overly sensitive crybabies, insensitive arrogant pricks, closet racists who get all angry and sensitive about people being thoughtful, and idiots with mental capacities that borderlines on r****dation. I wonder what category or categories you fall under. http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showpost.php?p=3837276&postcount=68
I actually disagree here. Of course, this is my own experience. I think it's more of a desire to be accepted, especially when you're an overwhelming minority within a group of the majority. It's an innate desire to want to be part of your environment. I admit I had a phase like that. Now, I try to treat everyone with respect... i.e. I have an East Indian friend who probably have it worse than me as far as stereotypes go.
A lot of good posts here and I agree that Asians need to speak out more often regarding things like this. As I said earlier I'm not going to get up in arms over this but and this isn't goign to make me root against Pau anymore than I did before, just being a Laker is reason enough, but it certainly isn't going to make me root for him. At the minimun this was a very stupid and classless move on the Spanish teams part. I won't absolutely say it was racist but it is certainly offensive.
Of course it is human to want to fit in as a minority, but other minorities aren't quite as passive and tolerant as Asians typically are. I could see how that could influence such behavior, but the fact is, Asian culture is structured around respect. This respect revolves around a hierarchy usually, and has been around for centuries. The society follows this hierarchy, and the people work as one and do "what is best for the country," whereas in America, individualism is king. Classic East vs. West stuff one might say...but things seem to be changing slowly in the world.
I would venture a guess that those that don't see it as a big deal were Asians that had many Asian friends growing up. For some that grew up as sometimes the only Asian in school, things can be very different. So sometimes stupidity like this picture can be a little upsetting or even enraging. Just because you don't think it's a big deal, is it that hard to realize it is a big deal to someone else, you know...instead of just saying get a grip?
Not only is this offensive, but its really unnecessary and not funny... Can't they just take a normal group photograph like everyone else... By the way I love my eyes...
Not Asian, and yes, I find it rather offensive. On top of that, these guys are supposed to be a representation of their country. If this was a local YMCA team it's whatever...but these guys are on the global stage and are the face of Spain. It's more disgraceful than offensive, really. I would be incredibly embarrassed if there was a picture of Team USA doing this.
I'm Chinese, had to grow up with racism from my peers, teachers, and co-workers. I would say that the only intentional racism has come from my peers growing up though. I think its offensive and this thread obviously highlights that people still lack respect of other races. Besides, Asian men got the worse sterotypes of them all, the small penis.
Wow, I feel bad for snc...he has got enough bashing (which he rightly deserves though) in this thread already. I don't believe he will come out to give an apology or something. Since he is not replying anymore....maybe just leave him alone.
Like I said, it's following my own experience. I'm a pretty big loud month... and since I was born here, that "around for centuries / classic e. vs. w" thing is a little over my head. From what I see, there's two Asian Groups. The "other minority aren't as passive thing" for Asians is cuz of the Asians/Whites ratio, more so than other races. There's a sense of "We're wealthy, and assimilated, why nip pick the small racial stuff". It's a primal locker room, wanna fit in thing. This group is very comfortable being the only Asian around a white group.... which is fine of course. It's just the frowning on "fob" thing, rationalizing of racial remarks from them that gets to me. As for the ones in LA and the SF Bay Area, those Asian gangs didn't get the tolerant memo especially against other Asians. They're passive to institutional racism cuz they simply don't care. My cop friend once told me "Asians police themselves". I can pretty much guarantee someone's going to get hurt if this was done by a group of white people in Oakland Chinatown. I think the situation for Asian Americans is not as you described... but rather, there's a lack of a strong voice or a popularly organization to unify public objection. Again, NOT EVERYONE fits into these categories, but enough of them do where I noticed. This is from my own experience... if I'm wrong, I'm wrong. clarification: I don't to mean to imply that the second group are mostly gangsters. I mean... these are usually new comers who's formed micro-societies. The issue of institutional racism is more of an academic venture and therefore they just don't care. I doubt it's from a tolerant/passive culture rather then lack of outside scope.
+1. excellent post. I think its a given that what the Spanish team did was stupid and mildy offensive at the very least. My indignation at this thread stems from all the people saying "why are u offended? get over it..." and then, even worse, the Asians in here posting, "I'm asian. i dont think its a big deal. its funny." It's my beef with Asian America more than anything else. Maybe we're cursed to forever perpetuate the model minority myth. But Kyakko, I agree with everything you said. That last part especially hits the nail on the head. I know exactly what you're talking about. The Asians that think being called "whitewashed" is a compliment.
I'm not sure that is the case. I grew up around whites and knew very few other Asians until I got to college where I was suddenly surrounded by Asians. I think it was there, and travelling overseas, that I really had a sense of an Asian identity. While growing up I did hear a lot of racists comments from people and school and others and I never liked it much and would occassionally get pissed but generally would shrug it off. After spending more times with other Asians though I have a stronger sense of it. I think perhaps growing up as one of the few Asians around I could put up with it more as I looked at it as kids picking on kids so while I might've been made fun of for being Asian others were made fun of for having big feet or something else. When I start thinking about how such comments though are more directed at a group I think that bothers me more.
thanx, but it's really not about being about being Americanized or the company you keep. It's more about self-disrespect for your own heritage. "You deserve any injustice you're willing to put up with".
That's a pretty one-sided view of things though...thought I can identify since I too was born and raised here...but I can still see the cultural side of this. No offense, but maybe I'm just a bit more cultured than you? You tend to split Asians into two groups...being born here I definitely have seen my share of "whitewashed" Asian kids. It's fine and all...but it seems like they lose their identity in the process. I can firmly say I'm not a "fob" but I'm not about to go overboard and disown my own heritage. I'm proud of my culture, and indeed do identify with my family in Asia, though I do consider myself a red-blooded, apple-pie-eating American. Tolerance towards other Asians is a whole different ball park. I won't expand on that, as it has nothing to do with the issue at hand. As for the new comers, they almost have to cope with being a new land by surrounding themselves with those they/know and are comfortable being around. Microcosms form because of this and are indeed influenced by culture. Being from an outside country, you realize the significance of what you have being in the US, and consider yourself lucky to be here...you try your best to fit in of course, but there is no denying the passiveness of Asian people. Whether it be from a cultural outlook or a "fitting in" outlook, I think we can both agree that Asian people should take a bit more initiative and stand up for themselves. My experience growing up here has taught me to not let myself get stepped on, people will do it if you don't say anything...unfortunately many haven't learned the lesson, and other people often take advantage of this passive "obedience." You're right though, there isn't a strong voice or urge to unify here...and maybe that's a problem?
Maybe you're right, but I've thought about this and it seems more of a myth brought on upon circumstance. Just go to china town and look at how Asians interact with the people there. There's no passiveness there towards any race. The passiveness is from Asians to outside these micro-zones. My conclusion is this... language barrier, the lack of understanding for the "outsiders" and simply not caring plays more of a part then culture. I know that's not conventional, but give that some thought. Go to Hong Kong, and the myth about our culture being passive is shattered. We can be one of the rudest people on this planet. With all due respect, I don't think you're more cultured than I just cuz you see more of a role in it. Partly right... I see two MAJOR groups of Asian AMERICANS with VERY different experiences. There are a million ways to group Asians, just as there are a million ways to group other races... but for the sake of understanding this cultural passiveness thing, I see it based on two MAJOR reasons. One being the above... and the other being an overwhelming minority in racially different society. I know there are alot of different subcultures, but there are alot of common denominators also. I could've use country as a common denominator and start arguing which country has the prettiest girls... etc. You can't really deny the differences in experiences of these two non-interacting groups. (My understanding is there was a similar situation with Hispanic new comers and the natives here during the 50's, but I really don't know too much about that). This argument was use in my second post trying to explain why Asian Americans would let this "issue at hand" go so lightly. No arguments here. This is where I disagree. Asians are not culturally passive. Anyone who's travel abroad to Asia(except maybe Japan, since I don't know much about Japanese culture) will tell you that. They are only passive to other races HERE and it's a product of circumstance more so than anything. This can't be explain through culture. On one hand you have the newcomers who don't understand the culture and don't really care to move beyond their current situation... and on the other hand, you have the people raised in suburbs who's experience is that of semi-assimilation. I donno... I'm just offering different point of view. My experience is a little different from yours. I went from a mostly Asian environment to the other extreme. I figure you experienced the vice-versa. I'd suspect there's a big difference in facing direct racism while you grow up as opposed to when you're already grown. Ya... maybe there's so many differences between all the millions of groups for that to happen.
Actually, after considering how Yao plays sometimes, I'll concede a bit but perhaps not as big of a role as we're lead to believe eh? I'd invite you to go to SF Chinatown, Hong Kong, China or Taiwan if you want to see where I'm coming from though.
Spanish basketball team poses with slanted eyes - funny or racist? Spain's Olympic basketball teams have risked upsetting their Chinese hosts by posing for a pre-Games advert making slit-eyed gestures. The advert for a courier company, which is an official sponsor of the Spanish Basketball Federation, occupied a full page in the sports daily Marca, the country's best-selling newspaper. The advert features two large photographs, one of the men's basketball team, above, and one of the women's team. Both squads pose in full Olympic kit on a basketball court decorated with a picture of a Chinese dragon. Every single player appears pulling back the skin on either side of their eyes. The advert carries the symbol of the sport's governing body. No one involved in the advert appears to have considered it inappropriate nor contemplated the manner in which it could be interpreted in China and elsewhere. No offence was intended by the advert, but whether the Chinese see it that way is a different matter and it is likely to provoke more criticism at a delicate time for Spanish sport. The failure to recognise the potential consequences is striking in the light of the problems Spain has had with issues of race and the Spanish Olympic committee's continued desire to host the Games in Madrid in 2016 or 2020. In the past the Spanish have been left in no doubt as to the sensitivity of racial issues internationally, especially since Spain's football manager, Luis Aragonés, made his infamous remark about Thierry Henry, monkey chants greeted England's football players in a friendly game in Madrid and the formula one driver Lewis Hamilton was subjected to abuse in Barcelona. http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2008/aug/11/olympicsbasketball.olympics20081
