Yep. If one doesn't know about a particular culture, it's best to read about them, ask questions, or go to that country and live there for a while. The problem is that some people will hear a blurb on TV and then think that's it's the golden rule. That's where the "ignorance" come into play. Trusting TV to educate you. Heh... At the same time, some sterotypes are true to a point. And calling people "racist" is not very constructive when that happens.
people also shouldn't trust the media or their own government. the US government and the nytimes and several other publications have both accused some innocent chinese people of being spies and ruining their reputations. and even after they find out the guy was innocent, they still tell him he was wrong. and this is something that happened very recently as well. something's never change. discrimination happens based on dumb stereotypes. that's why people get angry at the media for perpetuating false stereotypes whether they meant to do it intentionally or unintentionally. what they say does have an impact on society. a prime example of how it impacts society, is how during the whole spy plane incident, some radio shows in the US said boycott all chinese businesses. that's ignorant and discriminating a lot of people who didn't do anything to deserve it and its discriminating american people.
anyway, just to be clear. i was annoyed to hear somebody bring up this topic again as well. but what i get annoyed by more is idiots who assume you're being oversensitive over nothing.
just to be clear, they're not midgets. they're just on average shorter than 6 foot. some are 6 foot tall or above, but a lot of them are around 5 foot 5-5 foot 11. i'm just saying that in other parts of china, you're more likely to find a 7 footer or it wouldn't be that unusual to see a 6 foot or above guy. it might also have something to do with nutrition, cause every region eats different things and plus people do look different from region to region. and besides cantonese come from hk(hong kong), that's a very small city and plus, i wouldn't be surprised if japanese affected their height seeing as they briefly established rule over that territory. and i know for a fact that japanese happen to have fewer tall people than most asian countries. china has the tallest basketball players, next would be korea, and then whatever. its not stereotypical, only because i don't think all of them are short.
and its true that the majority of chinese in america are cantonese. to prove it, whereever i go, most chinese don't understand my language. for example, in most chinese neighborhoods, people are cantonese, so they usually speak that language and i can only understand a little of it since the language sounds so much different in both accent and words.
You are a hypocrite...why do you sterotype yourself and what does somebody calling YOU a chink have to do with the ESPN quote? Different races around the globe have different body types do to their regional environment. Thats not a sterotype its a fact. You need to reread your post because it has nothing to do with anything, but your personal problems...
how am i a hypocrite? and when did i stereotype myself? what does somebody calling me a chink have to do with the espn quote? espn is part of the media and the media has been responsible for depicting asian people and many other minorities a certain way. a lot of people who read the news for facts come away misinformed and use those things which the news reports and stereotype people based on it. whether its intentional or unintentional doesn't matter because the media should be more responsible in how it reports what it considers facts. and how is it a personal problem only i have when tons of other people i know experience the same thing if not worse? and didn't i already say, i'm not offended by what this article said and also i'm getting annoyed by people bringing up this ching chong crap up over and over and saying its racist cause its redundant. as long as people recognize the term as sarcasm, who cares? and if you really want to talk about over-sensitive hypocrites with their panties in a bunch, let's talk about foreigners in china who are so dumb and clueless about racism, they think lao wai is a racial slur, when all it means is foreigner and the people they call foreigners happen to be tourists. these american tourists are actually teaching people in china to be oversensitive like them. that's why i find it ridiculous how people can call asian people oversensitive. at least teach them what real racism is and how chinese get called f**king chink across the street and how racial violence occurs because of negative portrayals of people in the media of certain minorities that leads to false perceptions of people. but no, these idiotic tourists are teaching them racism by using dumb examples such as these: how would you like it if somebody said hey chinese person and yelled that across the street to get your attention as if that were racist. and saying how hey foreign person is racist because it sounds just like that in their mind. for one thing, i don't consider hey chinese person racist, spanish people call me chino and i don't consider that racist either. but people who call me chink are racist. and probably the reason why there's so many idiots posting these ching chong articles and saying they're all racist is because foreigners went over there and taught them to be oversensitive .. the chinese media does not portray people of other races like that and even does talk shows to discuss some of these idiots oversensitive issues. foreigners in china often find certain things chinese people do rude. well duh, manners are different there. they're not americans you know. they will stare and it's not considered impolite. they'll laugh and point at fat people also since they rarely see fat people. but these idiots confuse that for hate. i know some chinese americans who go back to china and get stared at because they look different (some of them are fatter because they ate more meat and junk food in america.) but is that considered racist. no.
Sorry! I know that you are not talking to me on this reply but I would like to give my perspective here. I think your advice is wise for an individual. In order to live happily we should not let any of derogatory or discriminating manner from other people effecting our life. However,there should be a different in the individual level and group level in responding to racial issue especially when it involves the public. Personally, I am upset with this incident but not very angry. It will not effect my life what so ever and I can let it go, emotionally easily. However, the reason that I will not let it goes is becuause it involves the media, who should be more responsible and sensitive on discrimination and stereotyping issue. I have always felt that Asians has not been vocal enough therefore will subject for everlasting insensitive behavior. I really believe from my own experience that most of people that doing this kind of insensitive behavior toward me did not really mean to be offensive. They thought that it was "joke" that I should laugh along. (while is not "joke" to me) That is because the ignorance that the media fed the general public. I usually forgive them in real life and do not let it effect me. However, if Asians in general do not made the public known that this kind of "joke" is insensitive and offensive, how many of generations after me will have to tolerate the same thing. More awareness and more responsibilty from the media, that is all we want to ask for. If people want to pick a fight, they will use every kind of slur anyway. However more awareness from the general public will prevent unintentional offensive joke as in Shaq's case.
see what i'm talking about. redundant replies. and also for your information, chinese people are vocal enough. it's just that nobody takes their problems seriously. the only state that really has any awareness of asian stereotypes in the media is California and mostly because San Francisco has a large and established asian community and they're actually the majority in that city. it's all about the number of people you have and the political influence you have in a city. if you don't have a large population, nobody will take you seriously.
Again, a stereotype does not relate directly to ALL people of a race. So, by saying that cantonese are shorter, you ARE stereotyping them. Its that simple. I dont think all middle easterners are terrorists, but that IS a stereotype. I dont think that all Indians own a 7-11, but that IS a stereotype. I dont think that all white men cant jump, but that IS a stereotype. I dont think that all blondes are dumb, but that IS a stereotype. You dont think that all cantonese are short, BUT THAT IS A STEREOTYPE that you are using.
dumbass, whether something is a stereotype and whether you're actually stereotyping them are two different things. if you believe all people are a certain way, then you're stereotyping them. if you don't, then its not. if you don't think all middle easterners are terrorists, then how are you stereotyping them? you're basically saying they're not all like that. are you a stupido gringo or something?
You are the dumbest human being I ever ever come across. You have been hypocrytical in this whole discussion. Get an education, read some books, and make sure you know what you are talking about before you spit out pure crap.
and you've been totally unbiased. shut the F**k up aladdin and get me some halal beef. i want mayo, lettuce, and tomatoes on it. i'm the dumbest human being. aren't you stereotyping all human beings? LoL sarcasm
Ive been unbiased? HUH? Make some sense please. Let me ask you this...Is it okay for me to think that 99% of Asians are in the laundry mat business? As long as I dont think ALL of them are in it is it okay? By your definition, Im not stereotyping, so it is fine for me to think that. Correct?
when i said you were unbiased, i was using sarcasm, stupido. by saying that you think 99% of asians are in the laundry business, you're first of all using inaccurate statistics and grouping multiple ethnic groups that have nothing to do with each other and that has no relevance and perpetuating a false stereotype. by my saying that cantonese actually make up the majority of the US chinese population, i'm using statistics that are backed up by fact and history. hk is one small part of china and its not even part of mainland, but they're still considered chinese. if i'm saying based on my experience, from the people i've met they're shorter than most from other regions based on my experience, all i'm saying is that from my experience what the height on average is. did i say the majority are a specific height or can only be a certain height? no.
Okay, every single laundry mat Ive been to in Houston has been owned by an asian. I am using my experience to back it up. And you did say that most cantonese are within a certain range of height... Stupido.
dumbass, that's my experience. if your experience in houston that 99% of asians own laundramats, you're saying asians as a whole race outside of houston as well as in houston all own laundramats and i know that a'int true. you could say 99% of the laundramats you visited in houston were owned by asians. but not 99% of all asians own laundramats. whether i choose to use my experience and then label the majority of people as that would be stereotyping i could say, 99% of the whiteboys i played basketball against could not play defense, but do i use that experience and then label all white people like that. NO. therefore, i'm not stereotyping them.
Good point DavidS, Well I guess other racist/sterotype names should be addressed as well: British: Limeys French: Frogs US Southerners: Rednecks US Southern Region: Bible Belt-- residents: Bible thumpers Native Americans: Redskins Germans: Krouts African Americans: Blacks Mexican Americans: Browns European Americans: Whites Asian Americans: Yellows Houstonians: Fat Austinites: Slackers Caucasions: Crackers Russians: Ruskies Polish: Pollocks Gay guys: queens gay women: lezbos living in a rural hilly area: hillbillys Environmentalist: treehugger/hippy Inuit: Eskimo Little person: midget Developmental disabilities: r****d Obese individual: Fatty Owners of Funny Cide: Hicks from the Sticks Police Officer: Pig/ Oinker/Po Po Substance abuser: junky Mobile home resident: Trailer trash/ tornado magnet Texans: Cowboys Good student: Nerd Athlete: Jock White B-ball players: Ups like a snake Psychiatrist: Shrink dnaslam: oversensitive dork I hope you don't play any ball cause some trash talk would have you weeping in a corner. Pzzzzunk.
