From: Jannette Pazer <ibmsupt!ibmpa!jannette.aix.kingston.ibm.com!jannette@uunet.uu.net>
Subject: Re: Why a lack of minorities at shows?
Reply-To: ibmsupt!ibmpa!jannette.aix.kingston.ibm.com!jannette@uunet.uu.net
Organization: The Internet
Date: Mon, 23 Nov 1992 21:11:50 GMT

"Tony K. Wei" writes:
| I do notice this and I am quite concerned about it.  Being a "non-white",
| Asian to be exact, it feels a bit uncomfortable going to Allman Bros. shows 
| and Dead shows being the only one of two or three Asians there.  I don't 
| understand why.  

Tony, I'm another asian deadhead, and it's funny how I sometimes perceive
the world.  Being born in New York, brought up boring middle class surburban 
American, and not really knowing anything about my culture, I don't really 
feel uncomfortable at Allmans and Dead shows.  Even at a Youssou N'Dour show 
(afro-pop).  However, the weird thing is that when I see another asian 
person at one of these shows, they stand out in the crowd for me, and 
I think to myself, hey, an asian person at the show, they look out of place, 
and then I remember I probably look the same way!  Look Chinese, feel white 
I guess.  I sometimes have to kick myself in the head.	  :-0
 
| I hate closed minded people which is why a lot of closed minded Asians,
| or any other minority group, really piss me off when they learn that I'm a
| Deadhead and react accordingly.  Basically, their attitude is I have no 
| business being a Deadhead.  I don't look like one.  My reaction to such
| closed minded ignorant idiots is "It just goes to show, you never know".  
| I never do what I'm supposed to anyway.  I love seeing people's reaction 
| when they see me walking into a bar with a "Dead" band playing :-)  

Tony, I don't think it's because you're asian.  Lots of my co-workers make
stupid comments at me just because I'm a deadhead, not because I'm an asian
deadhead.  They know me well enough to know I don't fit most asian
stereotypes anyway - they just think any deadheads are weird.  I enjoy being 
different too, and you should continue being yourself.  Some stupid guy in 
the outskirts of my circle of friends once told me he was surprised that 
he expected me to be a nice typical soft-spoken Chinese girl when he first 
met me, and he found out I was outgoing, had a loud voice, liked to party 
and was really into caving and rock climbing.  My first reaction is usually 
to be a bit insulted, but then I decided instead to enjoy who I am, and to 
feel good about shattering stereotypes.  If they see enough loud, outgoing, 
deadhead asians and other minorities, maybe we won't be such a shocker!

| Well, there's my $.02.  If you want to see at least one Asian at a Dead 
| show, come to Giant Stadium or Madison Square Garden.  You can't miss me.  
| See ya soon.

You're not alone - I'm the female asian deadhead at the Albany shows, 
sometimes other New York venues...  I hear there are many more asian
deadheads on the left coast, so we're only rarities around these parts.
It's an advantage - when I tell new nethead friends to find me, it's 
easy for them because I stand out in the crowd.  One person walked into me
during intermission in the hallway and stopped me to see if I was Jannette
because he knew Jannette on the net was asian.

Enjoy your uniqueness!

Jannette

-- 

Jannette Wing Pazer 		* 	IBM Kingston, NY - "tangled up in Blue"
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