For those of you who read my earlier rampage, I apologize. Has anyone else been a little irritated recently with the way print media have been covering the whole Yao saga? It just feels like every article I read keeps harping on his being Chinese, and not just that, but floating around all these silly puns and sometimes insensitive caricatures of China, Chinese, Asians, etc. In an article from a couple days ago, John Lopez talks about "Mandarin manners" and Jason Collier learning how to say 'Where's the nearest McDonalds' in Cantonese. John, they don't speak Cantonese in Shanghai. And your revealing your obliviousness to this undermines the efforts of the Rockets organization to present Houston as a city that values its Chinese, Asian populations. There was also a Sporting News article that began like this: You can't beat Eastern society when it comes to presenting mankind with deep, meaningful questions and anecdotes on which to meditate. You've got one-hand clapping and the tree falling in the woods. There's the case of Chao-chou's dog, Pai-Chang's fox and the gateless gate. And, of course, fortune cookies. ...... uh, okay.
thanks for the affirmation, OS. Admins, now that I think about it, I probably should have posted this in the Hangout Forum. I'll leave it to you guys to decide which is more appropriate.
I have. I'm surprised at how little people know about China, and that they're so inclined to jump into stereotypes apparently without doing any research at all. This is the Internet age guys! You're just a few clicks away from enlightenment. Dare to be informed!
I am shocked to see that so many Americans do not have the least idea about present China. It's like Chinese are living in a strange, irrational place. I am wondering how they got fed up with all these rubbish.
I am irritated to say the least. And I have been doing a pretty good job of withholding it from this forum. Trust that!!! Put these threads in the Hangout, and we have SayJack all over again. Don't disrespect all Chinese people (as if they were one) around me with layman ass, propogandist knowledge. You suck.
What I don't like is the apparent attitude of the Sharks management. They expect the Rockets to bow to them and lick their boots or something. It's hard to see right now whether they only want the Rockets to follow traditional protocols or if this is a product of typical arrogance. If they don't like the Rockets, tough. It's probably the first time were they're not in control of something... As for the "respect" of the Chinese culture in the media, it's the usual American ignorance of other cultures. Isn't that Yao's secondary mission? To be an emissary of the Republic of China? To promote understanding between the two cultures? I hope he does a better job than the Dream. I still don't know the capital of Nigeria...
I don't like the hardball the Sharks are playing either. It sounds like some Chinese basketball fans (based on comments I've noticed posted on the BBS lately) feel the same. Invisible Fan, I think you meant "People's Republic of China."
Relativist: I can't agree more! In the article by John Lopez, he quoted there are 2 billion people in China. The last official count I know of says 1.3 billion. Thanks to John, China has 700 million more people, which means an increased chance for another 7'5" player!
I'm trying to start a thread on this stuff in the hangout forum. See:Oppostion to Yao-- Racist or Stupid political conservatism?
BTW, Yao is Yao Ming's family name. Ming is his given name. In Chinese, we put family name first. Therefore, Yao Ming's official name in English should be Ming Yao. Just thought you might want to know.
First of all American Media is lying to you about almost everything. Second I dont think its truly fair for anyone to "understand" or "evaluate" modern day china unless they go there and spend some time, then if they feel they have valid opinion stemming from an open mind then go for it, the same with the Chinese, it is truly silly to think you could understand America through materialist american pop culture spreading like wildfire across this almost westernized world... I havent been to China, so I know jack squat. But untill I do or you do, DON'T TRUST THE MEDIA. of course it is biased and unfair, but thus is life but I did just read about Yaos wing span, and that kinda scared me a little.... peace
discourse such as this in an open forum is also a way to build understanding, one of the most effective tools I think peace
Sugar Land, Thanks for posting that...I think some already understand that, but it doesn't hurt to bring it up every so often for the slower people. If he is a Rocket, "Yao" will grace the back of his uniform. All of this ignorance in the media and people in regards to China, Chinese people, and the Chinese government are to be expected. I am waiting for someone to write about how the Rockets should use gunboat diplomacy. hp, Too bad jim-beto-say_jack is not here right now...he would be foaming at the mouth.
Seeing as everything in the past is just water under the bridge, perhaps we can hire the Dalai Lama as an assistant coach. You know.....to promote peace and harmony amongst our varied players.
