From: ys3359@thor.albany.edu (Yazmasterj)
Subject: Re: What is real racism? (Re: Was: Why rish asians should vote Republican)
Organization: State University of New York at Albany
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 92 18:58:23 GMT

In article <1992Nov11.154205.24942@cis.ohio-state.edu> chandra@cannelloni.cis.ohio-state.edu (B Chandrasekaran) went on about...
>>While I am also greatly disturbed by the comments concerning Blacks and the
>>Democrat party, etc. expressed by Mr. Wei, a similar attack on Chinese
>>culture is not IMO a good refutation of his arguments.  As long as we feel
>>the need to generalize and stereotype people, prejudices will remain our
>>midst.
>>
>>Please don't attack one culture or people to defend another.  
>>
>
>I think there is a widespread misunderstanding that any kind of talk
>about "typical" is morally wrong.  It seems to be an empirical question
>whether Chinese-Americans (or any other group) harbor more racist
>sentiments as a group than other groups.  For example, statistical
>studies of racial attitudes may in fact indicate that a given group
>harbors more racist notions than some other groups.  This does not
                                                      ^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>mean that a particular member of that group harbors those views,
 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>but there seems to be nothing wrong in prima facie claims that Chinese
 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>as a group have racist feelings towards blacks.  It might or might not
 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>be true, so the argument should be about whether it is true or not,
>not that very raising of such issues is intrinsically wrong.  
>
>The real issue is what to make of such average group behaviors, and
>how to use the information re. them.  For example, if it is in fact
>true that incidence of racist anti-black feelings are high among
>Chinese-Americans, then we can institute consciousness-raising programs.

Unfortunately, assumptions in personal-contact situations are made when
you talk about a statistical majority of a certain people.  Taking a  
statistical majority and turning it into a "typical" statement allows 
you to make certain assumptions about people based on some superficial
criterion.  The studies themselves may have had other criteria,
such as province of origin, income level, educational level, cultural
exposure, etc.  The person making the comments about Chinese people
only had a name, Wei, to go on.  Using this name, he made a comment that
the attitude about Blacks is to be expected because "all those people are
like that".  The comments were not concerned with consciousness-raising
programs or use of statistical data.  There was no constructive argument
but simply another stereotype added on tothe first.

Yasmin




-- 
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*  Yasmin Sohrawardy                *          Clinton/Gore '92          *
*  Internet:  ys3359@csc.albany.edu *            THEY WON !!!            *
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Newsgroups: soc.culture.asian.american