From: (defensio libertatis)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.asian.american
Subject: Re: Asian-male stereotyping, how?
Date: 15 Dec 1992 18:42:21 GMT
Organization: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: train.ebay.sun.com

In article 25679@nynexst.com, clare@nynexst.com (Clare Chu) writes:
> In article <1724@rwja.umdnj.edu> jpark@rwja.umdnj.edu (John Park) writes:
> >Raven - this was a television series on NBC some time this year!  Opening show:
> >A caucasian ninja, whose parents are brutally killed by asian ninjas.  His
> >japanese wife presumed dead, and his son missing.  He saves a portly japanese 
> >businessman's life, and then his gorgeous daughter.  The japanese ninjas, all
> >virile young men (and therefore a threat and villains to boot), are out kill
> >him and his son.  Boy how much more evil can these villains get!  In order to
> >save his daughter or make peace with the japanese ninjas, the business man wimp
> >figuratively stabs Raven in the back, by betraying him, even though Raven
> >saved his life.  His daughter condemns him, etc...  Gee not even one 
> >asian male was portrayed as non-scum evil back stabbers in the dark, in this
> >flick, and it was in prime time on NBC television for Pete's sake! 
> 
>   There was also an episode of "PointBreak?" or something with Michael
>   Knight as a lifeguard where this evil Asian guy is trying to kidnap
>   Michael Knight's son, and steal his blonde girlfriend.  The evil
>   Asian guy kidnaps them both and leers evily at the girlfriend who
>   shudders in disgust.  Evil Asian guy knows martial arts, of course
>   and is out to kill Michael Knight, but he punches the lights out
>   of Asian guy and sends him into the water, where he can't swim
>   and grovels for help.  Of course, since Michael Knight is a lifeguard,
>   he rescues whimpering Asian man and hands him to the police.  Gag!!!!
>   My husband was watching it and I pointed out how negative this was.
>   He just shrugged his shoulders like so what?
> 
>   Another episode depicts Mexican-American gang-bangers being rehabilitated
>   by Michael Knight who punches out the father of one of the kids.  The
>   father is totally stereotypical with motorcycle, tatoo and knife.
>   Argh!

I really didn't know about these programs. I'm not the
paranoid activist type who thinks there are racist 
conspiracies lurking everywhere but this kind of typecasting
helps me understand where people are getting their ideas
about asian males nowadays. 

I kept thinking the negative stereotypes of the "sneaky Jap"
was locked away in the "Sands of Iwo Jima"-type war movies
(which I used to watch myself as a kid!) But I guess it's 
alive and well in all these Vietnam, ninja movies.

When I was in Basic Training I remember my drill instructor
(who admired me by the way) asked me to keep a secret. He said
in this Oklahoma accent: "Now don't you tell nobody what I said.
Clear? Even if they stick bamboo in your fingernails..."

I guess he got the idea from "Deer Hunter". It did make me
chuckle a bit, I admit.

Can anyone remember a "good guy" asian male in the movies or TV?

I can think of "Sam the Coroner's Asst." in "Quincy" and 
of course "Mr. Sulu" in the old Star Trek.

-M. Aurelius Insularum

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Newsgroups: soc.culture.asian.american