From: jpark@rwja.umdnj.edu (John Park)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.asian.american
Subject: Negative connotations, was Media Stereotypes
Keywords: asian american, media, racism
Date: 12 Jan 93 03:29:30 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway NJ


 
 
 
Newsgroups: soc.culture.asian.american,alt.discimination
Subject: Re: Media Stereotypes: The Solution
 
underdog@leland.Stanford.EDU (Dwight Joe) writes:
 
>Legend -
>   -ge = ethnically speaking
>   -ci = sense of citizenship
>   -cu = sense of culture
*Oh please* not more -xx notation.  It's kinda blockheaded to
catagorize people into block-like attributes in an all or nothing
fashion.  Traits blend into one another, and people are not all
one thing or another.
*sarcasm: other proposed -xx notations.
        -bl =  favorite color is blue
        -fr =  a francophile
        -de =  democrat
        -re =  republican
        -pi =  likes pizza
        -bs =  Dwight Joe-cu
my point: this -xx system, especially used in such a biased way,
     is clumsy, artificial, inaccurate, & misleading.
 
For example, calling someone american-cu tells us very little
about a person.  It's pretty vague.
There is a lot of difference between the east and west coasts,
even within cities, particularly between LA & NYC.  We are
familiar with the intricacies and we are aware of the variety of
this culture.  Many writers are in the never ending quest to
describe their cultures.
.
.
.
>The analogy is 
>       Feds (folks in the Federation) = Americans
>       Romulans = Chinese
>       Klingons = Soviets  (a little out of date now)
>       Vulcans = Japanese
Huh?
Back this up.
Perhaps, in terms of the politics of the 60's & 70's.
But in terms of ethnic & racial resemblance & metaphor, I
disagree.
 
>>color), and their Oriental style costumes. - The Vulcans do not
>>have Oriental
>Note how this conversation has been twisted by the poster.  This
>newsgroup
>is about Asian(-ge)-Americans-ci.  The original thread of
>conversation was
>about Oriental(-ge)-Americans-ci in the media.
 
No, I guess I wasn't clear.  My point was to show that negative
connotations are ascribed to racial and ethnic traits.
I think it's pretty darn clear that the Pherengi are physical and
behavioral parodies of (THE, ommitted) Japanese.
 Anger & derisive thoughts about the japanese are going to carry
over to others with asian features.
 
>Now, Mr. Park takes a film analogy that deals with Orientals-ge
>from Asia,
>_not_ Oriental-Americans-ci, and uses that analogy to bludgeon
>White-ge people.
>By the way, Oriental-Americans-ci _are_ represented in Star
>Trek:
>Oriental-Americans-ci _are_ Americans-ci and are represented by
>the Feds.
Oh G-d, I'm being drawn into a Star Trek argument. Here it goes:
Premise of the Federation: The Federation represents the people
of Earth and allied planets.  In present reality, asians comprise
almost half (?) of the Earth's population.  In the show, asians
are pretty scarce in this utopic future.
 
I did not intend to get into a Star Trek argument, nor intend
to offend Star Trek fans.  I did try to show how negative
connotations are attached to certain racial or ethnic traits.

>>costumes.  Ifn fact, the "good" oriental-like vulcans are
>>hardly ever
>>mentioned in the new series.  The Romulans are a militaristic
>>"Empire"
>>antagonistic to the Federation, the "goodguys."
>Again, Oriental-Americans-ci _are_ Americans-ci and are 
>represented by
>the Feds.  The Feds are portrayed as good guys; hence, 
>Oriental-Americans-ci are portrayed as good guys.
 
duh. Analogy:  There are no asian-americans in the Clinton
Cabinet. The Clinton Cabinet was stated to resemble the diversity
of America.  Hence asian-americans are portrayed in Clinton's
Cabinet. duh.
 
Aristotle must be turning over in his grave.
 
>(Aristotelian logic, by the way)
...not!
>>...
 
>However, the Romulans and the Vulcans represent the groups in
>Asia; they
>have _nothing_ to do with Oriental-Americans-ci, who live in the
>_USA_
>and are _Americans-ci_.  Oriental-Americans-ci are not 
>Chinese-ci.  They are Americans-ci.
I agree.  In theory this should be true.  Tell that to the guy
who yells "Dirty jap spy" at you, while in the New York subway.
Or to students that resent you as "threatening competition," or
to a boss that expects you to be a relentless workaholic.
 
Too bad  theory /= reality.
 
Irrevelevant tangent:
tell that to Stalin, Hitler, Mao, Torqemada, & others who kill in
the name of theory.
.
.   <Irrelevant stuff about incidents of canabalism deleted>
.
 
>----------------------------------------------------------------
>--+------------Jinsei no imi wa nan desu ka.               
>Sister, can you      |   \|  |`Shitte itara oshiete kuremasenka. 
>         spare a coin?        |    | -+-                         
>                                        |   /| / \
>| -+-                                                            
>     |   /| / \Copyright 1992, 1993    Disclaimer:  1 + 1 = 3    
>              
>|---------------------------------------------------------------
 
"Propaganda in the Here, and Now? Never!" --said by the Many 
     throughout history
 
-jpark@rwja.umdnj.edu
 
Disclaimer: beliefs are based on knowledge, knowledge is 
     based on beliefs.  decisions are based on information,
     what is information, is decided.
 
Newsgroups: soc.culture.asian.american